Dovecote Playgroup

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enjoy their time at the playgroup. They show enthusiasm to learn and have fun inside and outside. Staff provide a wide range of activities for children, helping to broaden their experiences and preparing them for future learning. They have high expectations for all children. For example, children thoroughly enjoy being outdoors, and the manager has spent pupil premium funding to develop this area. Staff teach children about gardening and how to grow vegetables. Children show excitement as they look for bugs with magnifying glasses and then share ideas on who may have eaten the leaves on the plants. Staff are good role models for children. They encourage them to use good manners and be kind to each other. Children develop good social skills and willingly share resources, so others can join in.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, staff maintained contact with families and provided activity packs for children. This helped to minimise potential gaps in learning and to lessen anxiety when children returned. Partnerships with parents are a strength of the playgroup. Staff have started to hold parents' meetings again to discuss children's progress and gather information about their home lives. Parents are very complimentary about the playgroup, and this helps them to feel included in children's learning.

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

• The outdoor learning environment is a strength in the playgroup. Children develop their understanding of the world around them and demonstrate excellent physical skills. They pedal around the bikes and know they must wear the safety helmets. Staff support children to use the balancing beams and they show pride in their achievements as they keep trying to reach the end.
• Staff provide older children with focused activities, which help them to develop some of the skills they need to start school. Children show excellent understanding of how they can use shapes to create other shapes, such as how two triangles make a diamond. They concentrate well and demonstrate good listening skills. However, staff model incorrect letter sounds when children ask to write their name and do not consistently model clear vocabulary.
• Staff help children to develop a love of stories from an early age. They have a story each day as part of their routine. Children respond to parts of the story and show very good comprehension skills as they share knowledge of why things might have happened. Young children use stories throughout their play and sit under the trees outside, re-telling their favourite story to staff.
• Children show excitement and enthusiasm during their play. Staff respond to their needs and provide their preferred resources. Children explore the role-play kitchen and paint easel indoors. Other children choose to experiment in the water. However, during free-flow play, staff do not focus their teaching to help children make progress towards their individual goals.
• Staff help children to understand how to be safe and healthy. For example, children know that they need sun cream and sun hats in the hot weather. They tell staff how it is important to drink plenty of water, and enjoy the fresh fruit at snack. Staff encourage families to bring healthy packed lunches, and children brush their teeth after lunch. This promotes good oral hygiene.
• The manager has developed good partnerships with other settings and professionals who are involved with children. For example, she supports staff to create specific target plans to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Teachers are invited into the setting to help children emotionally prepare to move on to school.
• Staff are very experienced and knowledgeable. They are committed to providing good standards of care and learning for children, and the majority have worked in the setting for a long time. The manager is supportive and ensures that staff feel valued. They have regular team meetings and have access to a wide range of professional development courses, to continually develop their skills.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• ensure staff consistently model correct vocabulary and letter sounds to children, particularly during planned activities with older children
• focus staff's teaching during unplanned play, to provide children with specific support to reach their individual learning goals.