Castleton Playgroup & Afterschool Club

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children show curiosity and enjoyment in their play as staff offer engaging activities that reflect their interests. Staff join in with children's play and praise them regularly. This helps children to feel safe and valued. Children behave well as staff demonstrate respectful interactions with children and each other. Children are learning to become more independent and are proud of their achievements. For example, staff encourage children to put on their own coats and brush their teeth. In addition, staff plan for challenging outdoor experiences utilising the shared school nursery space. This helps children to develop the skills that they need for successful future learning.

Staff model new words and interesting vocabulary and repeat back what children say. This helps children to develop a wider range of vocabulary. The manager recognises that some children need extra support with their language and communication skills. The staff work closely with the on-site children's centre to identify children with emerging speech and language challenges and put support in place to address these needs at an early stage. This is helping all children to develop skills they need to become confident communicators.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well. The manager is knowledgeable and works closely with other professionals and parents to identify emerging needs. She has implemented targeted learning plans that identify what additional strategies will help children with SEND to make good progress.
• The manager has developed a sequenced curriculum to focus on building the skills children need for the next stage in their learning. For example, children's fine motor skills are promoted. Children strengthen their small hand muscles as they use tweezers and tongs to pick up small-world minibeasts from a sensory tray. Older children build dexterity when trying to zip up their own coats. This helps to prepare them for later writing.
• Staff plan creative activities for their adult-led group times. Children enjoy taking part in a drama session that encourages their language and imagination. Children giggle and scream with delight as they 'cross over the crocodile bridge'. However, staff do not always ensure that the learning is purposeful and tailored to meet all children's needs at varying stages of their development. This means that not all children are fully engaged during these times.
• Children take part in a variety of different activities in the wider, shared outdoor space. They are physically active as they run, cycle, balance and climb. Staff also promote regular toothbrushing and talk to children about healthy foods when sharing their snack together. Children are learning how to keep themselves healthy.
• Parents share their praise for the manager and staff at the nursery. They report that the manager is always responsive to the needs of parents. Parents report how they have been supported to feel safe and secure with the robust nursery policies and information and advice that is shared. Parents value the regular information that they receive about their child's experiences and how they can support their learning at home.
• The manager and staff work well together as a team. Staff state they feel valued and have supervisions to discuss training needs and their well-being. Staff value the training opportunities that the manager identifies for them. However, supervision processes do not always link together to fully evaluate the effectiveness of training to ensure the consistency of staff knowledge and practice.
• Staff support children to develop their independence skills. Children collect their own packed lunches and brush their own teeth after they have eaten. Children happily engage in wider responsibilities such as tidying the home corner. Staff encourage children to 'have a go first', which boosts their confidence and promotes the skills they need when they go to school.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen existing supervision processes to identify any gaps in staff knowledge and target training and development more precisely
• support all staff to adapt their teaching to help maintain children's interest and engagement in group-time activities.