Chalke Valley Playschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children receive a warm welcome when they arrive at playschool. Staff greet them with a smile and children of all ages and abilities are delighted to attend. Children benefit from regular conversations with staff throughout the day. These range from discussions about African animals to what is healthy in our lunch today, and talking about fair play.

Children enjoy stories being read to them. They will often stop what they are doing to join in a familiar book that they can hear being shared with others. Children enthusiastically join in with songs and like it when staff make up new words for songs that they know. Staff know how these activities help children develop new vocabulary and recognise the pleasure that children gain from these.

All staff know children's interests and needs. Staff work closely with families to think about what strategies will help children develop. This collaboration means that children grow in confidence in areas that they may have previously found difficult. For example, children who are learning to play with others are given responsibilities to look after play equipment. This gives them a sense of belonging and a purpose to engage with other children.

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

• Leaders have a clear vision to improve children's confidence, independence, communication and language. They recognise the impact that the COVID-19 restrictions have had on children's early childhood experiences and are focused on building children's resilience to 'have a go'.
• Staff know how the activities that they select support children's learning. They skilfully teach children through a blend of play and direct teaching. For older children, they provide short opportunities for them to learn about letters and sounds. Staff plan these in partnership with the local school to ensure a consistent approach. This gradually builds children's awareness of the sounds within words, which helps their future reading skills.
• Children are taught key mathematical concepts in their play. Staff count with children, comment on repeated patterns and use mathematical words such as 'symmetry' when children are painting. Occasionally, staff try to teach children too many things at once rather than focusing on a key skill or idea. This can be confusing for some children.
• Children enjoy lots of physical activities, particularly outdoors. They dig in the sandpit, play among the trees and ride bikes or scooters. They work together to lift and roll tyres, which they use for imaginative play, going on a 'safari bus' and looking for African animals.
• The manager and staff know all children well. They reflect carefully on each child's individual needs and consider resources that help children to develop. Parents describe staff as 'personalising' their children's learning. For example, to develop children's fine motor control when they are reluctant to use a pencil, staff engage children in activities such as 'beat the buzz' steady hand games. This builds children's manipulative skills and confidence for future learning.
• Staff accurately assess children's progress and consider the next steps to develop. They regularly communicate children's successes and areas of development with parents at pick-up time, and through a secure online learning journal. This builds a strong relationship with children and their families. Parents explain that their children have 'thrived since attending' and are 'well prepared for school'.
• Leaders set high expectations of staff and children's behaviour. On the rare occasions when children become frustrated, staff are calm, talk to children and seek to understand the underlying cause for their behaviour. Because of this, children feel understood, settle quickly, and are able to resolve incidents. In some circumstances, children are able to solve their own disagreements by using a sand timer to take turns. There are some moments in the day when children wait too long for staff to start activities and they become unnecessarily restless.
• The manager works closely with parents and external agencies to quickly identify and support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders maintain high expectations of all children that are appropriate to their needs. All staff know and care for the specific needs of all children, particularly those who are disadvantaged.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop the planning of adult-led activities further, to focus more sharply on the key skills and concepts staff would like children to learn
• start activities promptly once children have assembled, to increase their focus and engagement from the start.