Grangehurst Playgroup

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and confident. Staff offer a warm and friendly welcome to children and parents at this nurturing playgroup. Children quickly settle into the session and are eager to see the staff and their friends. There is a clear curriculum that prepares children for school. It reflects what children need to learn next and their interests. The curriculum focuses on developing children's communication and language skills, as well as their personal, social and emotional development. Staff encourage children to begin recognising their emotions using books and picture cards. For instance, they talk about what the word 'disappointed' means as they discuss characters' feelings during story times.

A key strength of the playgroup is its strong partnership with the host school and their staff. The playgroup supports children's transitions to school superbly. For example, they invite prospective teachers into the playgroup for storytelling sessions. As the playgroup utilises various areas of the school, children become very familiar with the staff and their surroundings. Staff provide many opportunities that help support children's growing independence and boost their self-confidence. For example, children self-register upon arrival, hang their coats and bags on pegs and put their belongings in a drawer. Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. They encourage children to tidy up, share and take turns. Staff encourage good listening skills and the importance of following instructions. For instance, when staff ring the bell, children recognise it as a signal to stop what they are doing and pay attention.

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

• The playgroup benefits from strong leadership and their passion for continuous improvement. Leaders effectively utilise the support available from the local authority and other training providers to meet the individual needs of children. For example, staff attend Makaton and speech and language training to support children's communication skills. Staff feel happy and supported in their roles and they work well together as a team.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive good support. Staff know their key children well. They use assessments to identify gaps in children's learning and work in close partnership with professionals and parents to provide children with additional support. Individual support plans ensure that children receive the targeted support they require and enables them to be fully included in all aspects of the playgroup. As a result, they make good progress from their starting points.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. Parents comment on the 'truly nurturing environment' created by the staff team. Staff share lots of information about children's progress, for instance through daily conversations, stay and play sessions, learning journals and reports. The playgroup actively works with parents to support children's learning. For example, they provide parents with activity ideas to help them continue and support their child's learning at home.
• Routines are clearly established, and children understand what to expect. Staff support children's learning through child-led play and some adult-led activities, such as group time with their key person. However, at times, adult-led activities are not organised effectively. This is because staff sit in close proximity to one another as they lead different table-top activities. Consequently, some children can become distracted, which makes it difficult for them to concentrate fully.
• Children have numerous opportunities to engage in physical activities. For example, they practise a range of movements, such as crawling, running, jumping and hopping while playing group games using a parachute. Children develop their small-muscle skills in various ways, such as in the junk modelling and craft area. They use scissors to cut out cards, make marks with felt-tip pens and use glue sticks to attach ribbon and paper.
• There is a strong emphasis on supporting children's communication and language skills. Staff support children with dual language and speech delays by modelling and repeating key words. They use picture clues and visual timetables to enhance children's understanding of speech. Staff introduce children to a rich variety of words, such as 'wiggle' and 'giggle', when reading stories. To reinforce children's understanding, they copy the actions when they hear the word.
• Staff's interactions with children are good. They engage in conversations with children as they play. Staff comment on what the children are doing, ask questions and encourage children to think critically. Most children remain engaged in activities for long periods. However, some children require more support from staff during free play to maintain high levels of engagement.
• Staff support children in understanding how to maintain a healthy lifestyle. For instance, staff promote healthy eating at snack times and provide parents with information on healthy items to include in children's lunch boxes. Children enjoy spending plenty of time outdoors. They take great pride in planting their seeds and learning how to care for them as they grow.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review the organisation of adult-led activities to ensure children's learning is maximised
• strengthen opportunities for all children to sustain high levels of engagement and curiosity as they play.