Colwich Playgroup

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Upon arrival, children are greeted by staff who ask how they are. Children are eager to come in to see their friends and they happily engage in the activities available, such as play dough and the role-play area. Staff encourage positive attitudes through talking about the setting's rules during registration, which encourages children to understand and manage risks independently.

Before snack times, children learn about good hygiene as they take turns to wash their hands. They make choices about what they want to eat and drink from a range of healthy snacks, such as blueberries and strawberries. Staff sit with the children and follow their conversation. As the children talk about snow, staff skilfully build in teaching by asking how and why questions.

Throughout the day, children confidently access a wide range of resources. Staff use the children's choices as an opportunity to engage in meaningful conversations, which promotes good communication and language skills. Staff also build adult-directed activities into the daily routine that target children's specific next steps in learning. This ensures all children make good progress in the seven areas of learning.

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

• Leaders and managers have clear intentions for their coherently planned curriculum. They use assessment effectively to understand what children know and can do. This information is used to support staff to plan activities and opportunities in line with children's next steps in learning.
• Staff understand the importance of communication and language development for young children. They use their professional knowledge, alongside assessment, to help them identify where there are gaps in children's learning. When gaps are identified, support from outside services is quickly sought. All children benefit from consistent back-and-forth verbal interactions throughout their play and during daily routines, such as snack time and handwashing.
• Staff have strong links with staff at the local primary school located next door. The Reception teacher visits the setting to meet the children, and the Reception teaching assistant visits to share stories with the children. Staff also join the children on their first few days in school if they are particularly anxious. This supports children's emotional well-being during the transition to school.
• Staff share lots of information with parents about their children's care and well-being. Parents receive newsletters and are invited to look at their children's files regularly. Their thoughts are gathered to inform changes in the nursery. Information about children's next steps is shared with parents. This enables parents to be involved in their children's development through home learning.
• Children's personal, social and emotional development is a priority at this setting due to the recognised impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Key-person arrangements are good. All children are allocated a key person, and they establish good bonds with children. This helps children to develop confidence and independence.
• Staff are well supported by management to plan for children's next steps in learning through regular observations and supervisions. However, teaching for the older children is not always as challenging as it could be. Consequently, some children are not always engaged fully in learning.
• Staff give children opportunities to explore a range of different cultures. Children learn all about different festivals and there are a range of multicultural resources to promote inclusion. This teaches children about similarities and differences, which promotes equality and diversity.
• The provider has high expectations for children's behaviour, which are reflected throughout the children's routines. Children demonstrate these expectations as they share, join in with 'tidy-up' time and listen to instructions. Children have high levels of respect for each other, which is conducive to creating a love for learning.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to provide more challenge in activities so that older children are fully engaged in learning and make even better progress.