Green Dragon Playgroup

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy in this nurturing, diverse playgroup. They come into the setting full of smiles and enthusiasm. They separate from their parents easily and are eager to explore what is on offer. Staff are warm and caring and help children feel safe. Children who are new to the setting are given lots of reassurance and are comforted by staff. Children who have been attending less than two weeks have already built secure, positive relationships with the staff.

Staff have high expectations of children. Children are confident to make their own choices. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) or who are not yet verbal use signs and visual aids to communicate. This means they can also express their preferences. Children take risks, for example, balancing on blocks without adult help. They develop their coordination and balance by filling containers with sand and riding bicycles. They play happily alongside their friends and show patience when waiting for their turn. Staff are positive role models and are respectful to the children. They gently remind the children to say 'please' and 'thank you'. Children learn to behave well as a result.

Children develop positive attitudes to learning. They learn to sit and listen for increasingly long periods of time. They delight in hearing a story read and look at books independently. This helps to develop their love of reading.

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

• The manager values staff well-being and invests heavily in their happiness. There is a clear sense of teamwork and a positive culture. As a result, staff state that they feel supported and are highly motivated. This means that children thrive in a warm and caring environment.
• The driven staff team continuously learn new skills and access training. A particular strength of the setting is staff knowledge of working with children with SEND and communication and language needs. The staff skillfully assess children's needs, even before they have been seen by other professionals. As a result, all children, including those with SEND, make good progress from their starting points.
• There are highly effective partnerships with other professionals. Staff are quick to recognise when children need additional support and help parents access this. They work with professionals to make targeted plans to support children. This helps staff to narrow any gaps in the children's learning.
• The manager has created a well-sequenced curriculum for communication and language. Staff use engaging and well-structured teaching strategies. Children show high levels of concentration and can take part in group activities for long periods of time. As a result, children build on their listening and attention skills and expand their vocabulary.
• Staff build positive relationships with parents. All parents spoken to report that their children are happy and thriving. Parents of new children are reassured by how excited their children are to come to the setting. They believe their children are safe and well cared for.
• Staff know the children well. They gather lots of detailed information from parents and use this to establish accurate starting points for the children. They also use this information to quickly learn about new children and help them feel comfortable. However, they do not consistently provide children with opportunities to use their home language in their play.
• Children learn to keep themselves healthy. For example, they enjoyed receiving toothbrushes and toothpaste to take home as part of an oral hygiene programme. Staff used the opportunity to talk to parents about oral hygiene.
• Children enjoy lots of time outdoors in the fresh air. They wash their hands before eating and are supported to do this independently. They learn important skills for later life.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide more opportunities for children to use their home languages in the setting and in their play to further value the children's cultures and individual backgrounds.