Fairfield Playbox Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff warmly welcome children on arrival. Children arrive with enthusiasm to start their session full of learning experiences. The setting has effective settling-in procedures. This helps children feel safe and emotionally secure when they first start. Children develop strong bonds with their key person and other staff.

Since the last inspection, the provider has improved their safeguarding policies and procedures. Staff are clear on how to report concerns about colleagues as well as about children. This helps to keep children safe.

Staff ensure that children are physically active. For example, children access a range of experiences to build on their physical development. They learn how to use scooters and pedals to cycle. This improves children's balance and coordination.

Staff plan effectively for individual children's learning. They consider children's abilities and interests when planning and delivering the curriculum. This supports children's enjoyment and their engagement in learning. Staff are kind and caring. Children develop a positive attitude to learning. Staff place a strong focus on developing children's communication and language. Children enjoy listening to stories that staff read, and children join in with nursery rhymes. All children, including those in receipt of funding, those who speak English as an additional language (EAL) and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make good progress from their starting points.

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

• The provider has received support from the local authority advisory team. This helped them make changes and strengthen their safeguarding policies and procedures. The provider and staff fully understand their responsibility to protect children's welfare.
• The provider works well with staff to evaluate the effectiveness of the provision. They have meetings and regularly reflect on practice to identify areas for improvement. The provider carries out regular staff supervision meetings and observes staff's practice to support teaching. This has a positive impact on children's learning experiences.
• The provider is skilled in identifying gaps in children's learning. They closely monitor children's development and put effective strategies in place to help close gaps in children's learning.
• The provider and staff ensure that they meet the unique needs of children with SEND. Staff provide appropriate care and attention to engage children in learning. However, staff do not make the best use of available resources, such as visual aids, to support children with making choices and with their understanding of routines.
• Since the last inspection, staff have ensured that they provide more opportunities for children to be independent. For instance, children enjoy serving themselves at snack time and independently manage some personal hygiene routines. Children learn skills that prepare them for the next stage in learning.
• Staff give clear messages to children about how to lead a healthy lifestyle. For example, they ensure children regularly access the outdoor space and eat healthy snacks.
• Staff value and respect children's differences. This helps children to develop a sense of themselves. Staff do not provide the best opportunities for children who speak EAL to hear and use their home language in their play or learning.
• Staff remind children to use 'kind hands' and share during play. This helps children understand how to behave positively and develop friendships with their peers.
• Children enjoy a range of activities and make choices about their play. Staff encourage children to recognise different shapes and sizes of resources as they play. This helps children build on their early mathematical skills.
• Children enjoy making marks and use a range of media to express themselves. For example, some children enjoy drawing and tracing, and some use chalks to express their creativity.
• Staff promote meaningful conversations and encourage children to contribute their ideas. Children talk about their past experiences. Children use their imagination as they play. For example, children pretend to be on the rocking boat on the sea and name the creatures they pretend to see.
• The provider develops effective partnerships with parents and other professionals involved in children's development. They regularly communicate how to best support children's care and learning. This supports continuity in children's development.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide greater opportunities for children who speak EAL to hear and use their home language in their play and learning
• make better use of visual resources to support children with SEND, to help them make independent choices and ease their understanding of routines within the setting.