Crumpsall Park Playgroup

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children engage in play as soon as they arrive at the playgroup. They greet staff with hugs, affectionately calling them 'aunties'. Children develop a strong sense of belonging at this homely and welcoming playgroup. They settle quickly, and staff kindly support those who are new. Children are enthusiastic learners and they are eager to attend every day to see staff and their friends. They animatedly join in with actions and sing along to their favourite rhymes. Children learn to recognise how exercise impacts on their bodies. For example, one child announces 'phew', as they mop their brow with the back of their hand after moving about energetically.

Children have opportunities to learn in a calm and nurturing atmosphere. Caring staff support children well and have high expectations for every child's emotional development. For example, in the 'Sensory Room', children learn about various emotions and talk about how they are feeling. Staff provide props such as 'Emotion Spoons', so that children can vocalise how they feel to others. Children know when they are feeling happy. They give their friends a hug and tell them 'I love you'. Children behave well. They are happy and feel safe in this home-from-home environment.

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

• The long-serving manager and staff team know the children and their families well. There is a very strong focus on the curriculum for promoting children's communication and language development. Skilled staff are highly effective in supporting children who speak English as an additional language, and those who have speech delay. They act very quickly and put a targeted programme of support in place, so that children catch up swiftly.
• Children develop a fondness for reading. Staff skilfully bring books to life as they read with enthusiasm, changing the tone of their voice to draw children into imaginary worlds. They use a selection of exciting props that engage children and inspire them to retell stories in their own way. Staff have recently created a 'reading room' that children thoroughly enjoy using. They send home 'Chatter Boxes' to further ignite children's interest in books and promote their love of reading at home.
• The manager and staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities very well. They implement effective strategies to support children as they wait for referrals to external agencies. Additional funding is used well to benefit each child it is allocated to. As a result, gaps in children's learning diminish quickly. All children make good progress from their individual starting points.
• Staff manage children's behaviour effectively. For example, they explain that 'sharing is caring' and are very good role models for behaviour. Children often use good manners instinctively. They show good levels of respect and kindness to others. A culture of respect is embedded throughout the playgroup.
• Parents comment on how they value the kind and committed staff, who are like extended members of their families. They say their children enjoy attending and some do not want to leave at the end of each session. Children who attended the playgroup as a child, return as adults with their own children. They want their children to receive the same care and education, from passionate staff, as they did.
• Staff give great consideration to children's emotional development. They use a 'Care Bear' to provide a talking point during nappy changing times. This helps children to feel safe during intimate care routines, supporting their emotional health effectively.
• The manager works closely with the staff team to mentor them and help them to continually improve their skills. However, other professional development opportunities are not precisely targeted to help raise the quality of education to the highest levels.
• Children learn about leading healthy lifestyles and are becoming increasingly independent. For instance, they choose from healthy snacks and pour their own drinks at snack time. Staff encourage children to wash their hands before eating. However, on the odd occasion, some staff do not consistently help children to learn about the importance of handwashing, particularly after they blow their noses. This does not fully promote rigorous hygiene practices.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• target professional development opportunities with greater precision, to help raise the quality of education to the very highest level
• strengthen the procedures for hygiene practices, with particular regard to ensuring children always wash their hands after blowing their noses.