Horsley Playgroup

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children clearly enjoy their time at the playgroup. They are enthusiastic and display positive attitudes to their learning. Children enjoy participating in weekly sessions with staff at the forest school site. This helps them to develop an interest in the world around them. Children learn about risks and how to keep themselves safe. For example, staff explain the importance of wearing high-visibility jackets and to look both ways for cars when they cross the road. Children are beginning to understand that some plants may be poisonous and not to touch them.

Children behave well and freely explore all areas of the forest school site. They develop good physical skills as they carefully negotiate the uneven ground. Children excitedly look at the interesting displays for information about snails. They are fascinated as staff read the facts to them. Children proudly recall this information at the end of the session and tell their friends that snails have teeth on their tongue.

Children are creative and enjoy drawing pictures. They demonstrate an awareness of letter sounds and, with support from staff, young children write the letters of their name. Children relish opportunities to listen to stories. They become absorbed by sounds that rhythm and rhyme make and eagerly point to key characters in familiar books.

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

• Staff help to prepare children for the move to school. They support children to manage their own self-care and teach them how to take off their waterproof trousers and coats when returning from outside. Staff develop strong links with the neighbouring school and take children to visit for one afternoon each week. Children meet with old friends who have moved up to the Reception class and become familiar with their new learning environment. This helps children to feel prepared for their eventual move to school and supports their emotional well-being during these transitions.
• Staff have high expectations for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They get to know children's individual needs and interests well and use this information to plan appropriate activities to help children move forward in their learning. Managers and staff form effective professional relationships with outside agencies. Children are swiftly referred for extra support where needed.
• Staff support children to become independent learners. They use effective questioning techniques to help children to work things out for themselves. Staff encourage children to make links to previous learning. Children display good communication and language skills. Through meaningful discussions with staff, they work out that a soft toy monkey, named 'Beat Baby', did not hatch from an egg because she does not have feathers like a bird or scales like a reptile.
• Children learn the importance of adopting a healthy and balanced lifestyle. They understand the need to wash their hands before eating and sit well at the table to enjoy nutritious snacks prepared by staff. However, staff do not make the best use of the bathroom facilities they have. As a result, children do not benefit from daily opportunities to practise hygiene routines in the most purposeful way.
• Children are settled and content at the playgroup. They demonstrate familiarity with the playgroup timetable and have opportunities to view a visual timetable throughout the day to support their understanding of what is coming next. At snack time, staff support children to do things for themselves and children carefully pour their own drinks. However, on occasions, the organisation of some daily routines does not always maximise children's learning. Children do not always receive high-quality interactions with staff because they are busy with other tasks and are not always deployed in the most effective way.
• The management team involves parents and children in the ongoing evaluation of the playgroup to make sure that future improvements meet their expectations. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, parents have not been able to come into the playgroup. However, now that restrictions have eased, the management team is addressing this. Parents state that they are happy with the care and education their children receive and praise the 'wonderful staff'.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review handwashing procedures to fully support children to develop their understanding of purposeful hygiene routines and the importance of a healthy lifestyle
• review staff deployment during daily routines and transitions to promote high-quality interactions and support children's learning to the highest level.