Gingerbread Cottage Playgroup

Inclusion: Expected standard

Staff promote an inclusive environment, where all children are valued. Leaders undertake accurate assessments of children's development and ensure that all staff working with the children know exactly what their needs are. Staff skilfully adapt activities to ensure they are supporting all children's needs. They undertake training in different aspects of special educational needs and/or disabilities to broaden their knowledge and understanding of how best to support children.

Leaders use the graduated approach well to assess children's needs and develop targeted plans. The plans are continually reviewed, in conjunction with parents and carers, to ensure that they are having a positive impact on children's development. Leaders seek advice from external agencies and are committed to working in partnership with parents and carers. However, quicker collaboration with external professionals and parents would have a greater impact on helping children to make even better progress.

Leaders have a clear understanding of how they would use additional funding to ensure that this is having a beneficial impact on children's development. They explain how a thorough assessment of children's current stage of development, alongside consultation with parents, would establish where the funding would make the most difference.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have devised a carefully thought out curriculum that gives importance to developing children's communication skills and their independence. Staff promote children's love of stories, encouraging them to recall the story of the week to check on learning. They introduce new vocabulary and ensure that children understand the meaning of the words. Mathematics is integral to all activities to ensure that staff are teaching children key skills. However, on occasion staff do not make the most of learning opportunities to extend or consolidate learning.

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, receive tailored support for their social and emotional development. Recent changes to the environment provide children with dedicated resources and a comfortable and safe space to help them to regulate their emotions.

Leaders make very good use of frequent reviews of children's progress to identify the priorities for the next term. A focus for the current term is supporting children to develop their small-muscle skills. There is also effective evaluation of staff practice to identify where they can improve further. A recent change to circle time means that children are better supported to develop their listening and attention skills in preparation for school.

Achievement: Expected standard

All children, including those who face barriers to learning, demonstrate that they have high levels of independence. Children with social and emotional needs benefit from targeted and consistent support, enabling them to make rapid progress from their starting points in this aspect of their development. Children understand the routines and what is expected of them. For example, at snack time they carefully carry their used crockery and cutlery as they tidy away after themselves. They line up patiently to come back inside after outdoor play.

During group activities, children are keen to contribute, taking turns in conversations, answering questions and suggesting ideas as they practise their language skills. Children use their fine motor skills as they make models out of play dough and learn how to use a knife to cut fruit. However, on occasion children do not benefit from consistently high-quality interactions to help them to achieve their full potential.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Staff promote a warm and welcoming atmosphere. As children arrive, they are keen to greet others and engage in the activities. Children have lovely friendships with each other. For example, when children show hesitancy, such as if there is a visitor to the setting, other children recognise how they might be feeling and reassure them by calling them over to join them in their activity.

Staff are very effective role models, who consistently remind children of the 'golden rules' of the setting. During mealtime, they model good manners to reinforce the expectations. Staff give specific and meaningful praise to support children to value themselves and develop their confidence.

Children are very well supported to manage and resolve any disagreements, such as when they both want to play with the same toy. They have very good negotiation skills and quickly come to a resolution. When children need additional support, for example, to fully engage with the group activities, staff ensure that they are close by and can offer appropriate reassurance without disrupting the activity.

Leaders have expectations for punctuality and attendance of children and generally promote this with parents and carers.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

All children have secure attachments with staff. Staff provide consistent routines and use visual aids to assist children, who need additional support with transitions, so that they know what is happening next. Staff carefully consider children's wellbeing and emotional health and help children to express and manage this when needed, for example, through regular yoga sessions.

Children thoroughly enjoy opportunities for daily outdoor play. They know how to use the outdoor equipment safely, such as the climbing frame. Children are respectful of others and wait to take their turn. They learn where to stand to maintain a safe position, from which they can then challenge themselves and experiment with climbing higher.

Staff promote good hygiene practice throughout the session. Children are encouraged to assist in cleaning the table after mealtimes so that they begin to recognise the importance of good hygiene themselves. Staff provide a healthy snack and encourage children to try the different fruits on offer. They are aware of children's dietary needs and preferences. Although leaders provide information for parents and carers about expectations for lunch boxes, they do not consistently encourage this to ensure that children enjoy a healthy balanced diet at each mealtime.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

There have been significant improvements to the provision since the last inspection and leaders are continuing to work on changes to improve the quality of the provision. The newly formed team are skilled, knowledgeable, experienced and passionate. Leaders ensure that new processes and procedures are meaningful and used well to support children's development. Leaders are skilled at evaluating all aspects of practice and identifying where it needs to improve. They undertake careful analysis of information to support them in establishing whether there are any emerging additional support needs or barriers to learning for children.

Leaders make good use of support from external agencies, for example they have implemented a training matrix to ensure that training is matched to children's needs. They work in partnership with parents and carers, sharing useful information, to ensure there is consistent support for children's learning.

Staff fell well supported and benefit from targeted professional development. When leaders implement new processes, they ensure staff receive guidance on how to use these effectively to support children's learning. Leaders make good use of their own ongoing professional development to broaden their knowledge and skills and to review and strengthen the policies and procedures.