Holyrood Playgroup

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children separate happily from parents as they arrive at the setting. They quickly gather for a story on the carpet, seeking comfort and reassurance from adults if needed. Most children are emotionally secure and those that need more support swiftly settle as the staff support them to manage their emotions. Staff are attentive to the children's needs and preferences and the children feel safe in the familiar routine. They enjoy exploring the wide range of activities on offer and demonstrate high levels of engagement for extended periods of time.

The setting provides a rich offering of resources, which focuses on language. Staff skilfully model sentences, vocabulary and sounds, supporting the children to develop their communication skills. Children engage in rich and meaningful conversations with the adults. For example, while sharing a book, children learn about different birds and their features. This supports their understanding of the world around them as well as teaches them new vocabulary, such as 'beak'.

Children behave very well and play together harmoniously. They demonstrate excellent manners, patience and understanding of the expectations at the setting. Children enjoy engaging with adults and many choose to play games with them of their own accord. Similarly, when invited to complete an activity, children happily engage in the learning, listening and taking turns very well.

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

• The playgroup offers settling-in sessions, so that they can cater for children's individual needs and learn about their family, likes and dislikes, for example. Staff complete frequent assessments to identify children's progress and next steps in learning. These are shared frequently with parents, to help them support their child's learning at home. Children make good progress from their starting points.
• Parents speak positively of the setting. They feel well informed and are confident to ask for support and advice if needed. Parents agree that their child is making good progress. The setting provides information via daily conversations, sharing of the children's learning journals and through the use of online platforms.
• Children have opportunities to be outdoors to support their health and well-being. On occasions, children go for walks in the local community and learn about the flowers and waterfalls, for example. Children learn about the importance of a healthy diet and eat a wide range of fruits and vegetables at snack time. Staff also facilitate children's learning at this time. For example, children are invited to bring in snacks of different colours to support their learning about colour. Mealtimes are a lovely social gathering. Children and staff enjoy eating at the table, chatting about the things they have done and are going to do next.
• Staff support children well in their personal development. They learn about other faiths and cultures in age-appropriate ways. They develop their understanding of festivals and celebrate children's similarities and differences. The setting provides a range of resources, which support the children in developing their self-esteem and confidence. For example, books and figures ensure that children of different ethnicities are represented. The setting has strong links with the local community and engage in frequent fundraising events to provide new resources for the children.
• Children enjoy leading their own learning and making choices about what it is they play with. They are confident and independent in their play. However, opportunities to develop their independence around self-care are not as plentiful as they could be. For example, when preparing to play outside, staff do not encourgage children to get their own coat and wellies.
• Staff read books in an engaging way to the children, who listen intently and join in with making relevant sounds and comments. Books support the children in learning about how characters may be feeling and story conventions. For example, children say 'the end' when a story finishes. This supports children to develop a life-long love of reading and provides them with early literacy skills. However, there are limited opportunities for children to engage in a variety of activities to explore making marks and develop their fine motor control and writing skills as well as they could.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support children to develop their independence skills when taking care of their personal needs
• enhance the opportunities for children to explore making marks and develop their fine motor and writing skills.