Fairy Tales Playgroup

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children demonstrate high levels of energy and excitement as they enter the safe, vibrant and well-resourced environment. Staff design a curriculum, indoors and outdoors, which provokes children's exploration and thinking skills. Children flourish, and they develop superior levels of self-esteem and confidence. Staff's interactions ignite children's thirst for learning. Staff maximise spontaneous learning opportunities by providing effective activities which encourage children to direct their own play and learning.

Staff highly value each child as an individual and adapt their care and teaching to meet children's individual needs. They interact with children in a very warm, respectful manner. This helps children form exceedingly strong bonds with staff.

Children learn to care for the playgroup pets. They particularly enjoy bathing 'Milo' the tortoise. Children's behaviour is excellent. Staff explain to the children in an age-appropriate way the impact of any negative behaviour. Children show high levels of respect and are confident in social situations. They know the playgroup rules. For example, children collect the sand timer which helps them to take turns. When the timer is finished, they happily give up the bike and pass it to their friend.

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

• The enthusiastic and committed manager and her highly devoted staff team have an outstanding level of knowledge about how children learn. They make precise assessments to identify what children can do and what they need to learn next. Children receive a rich and broad range of learning experiences. These enable children to build a deep knowledge and wide range of skills that substantially support their future learning in school.
• The manager has full confidence in each of her staff's ability to deliver consistently outstanding teaching that is unique to each individual child's needs. The manager leads the team of staff expertly and ensures that recruitment, staff supervision, performance management and continuing professional development are highly effective. Staff feel valued and say they have learned so much and grown in confidence since joining the playgroup.
• The standard of teaching is very high and children make very good progress in their learning. Staff demonstrate superb skills in supporting children's communication and language development. They use a wide range of strategies to build on what children already know. Children's vocabulary is expanded through rich and meaningful conversations. Staff help children to develop a love of literacy. Children listen intently to their favourite stories and regularly visit the adjoining library.
• The outdoor learning environment is stimulating and interesting and is given extremely high priority for all children. Children also enjoy regular weekly visits to places, such as Rainham Hall Gardens, where they explore nature and learn about wildlife. Children and their families help tend and grow produce at the playgroup allotment. They learn about healthy eating, and children are provided with healthy snacks. Children learn the importance of good oral hygiene.
• Feedback from parents is overwhelmingly positive about the excellent progress they feel their children make in the care of the playgroup staff. Parents say they are extremely happy with all aspects of the playgroup and could not be more pleased that their children are able to attend. A parent commented that they were amazed at the huge progress their child made in a very short time.
• Staff have swiftly identified where children need the most support. It is staff's exceptional knowledge of children and their families that leads to the fully inclusive and successful early years provision. Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is superb. Staff show genuine joy and pride when children make the smallest achievement. All children make significant progress from their starting points. This is due to the staff's diligent support and robust partnerships with parents and other professionals.