Jack and Jill Playgroup

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy to attend this nurturing setting. They leave their parents at the gate and enter with a smile. Children settle quickly and are keen to explore the activities set for them by the welcoming staff. They move freely between the indoor and outdoor environments. Children who find it difficult to separate from their parents are supported well. Settling-in procedures are effective and tailored to children's individual needs. As a result, children form strong bonds with the staff, who are kind and caring in their approach. They readily seek staff out for cuddles and reassurance. This helps to promote children's emotional security and confidence. Children are confident to approach and speak to new people. They tell visitors about their friends.

All children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make good progress from their starting points. The special educational needs coordinator monitors children's needs. She has good links with external agencies to ensure that all children are supported, to enable them to reach their full potential.

Children behave well. They respond positively when adults remind them to share and take turns, such as taking turns when playing a shopping game. Clear, gentle and consistent reminders help children learn what is expected of them. Children are encouraged to use good manners and say 'please' and 'thank you'. They listen and follow simple instructions.

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

• Staff regularly observe children in their play and make assessments of their learning. They follow children's interests and plan stimulating activities. This encourages children to engage in their learning for a length of time. For instance, children concentrate hard as they count out bricks to build a tower.
• Children's independence and self-care are well supported. For example, staff encourage children to go to the toilet by themselves, wash their hands and butter their toast.
• Staff work closely with the parents of children who speak English as an additional language to support their learning and development, both at the pre-school and at home. They share strategies, ensuring continuity of care. For example, staff and parents use picture cards to support children's understanding and help them communicate in English and their home language.
• Overall, partnerships with parents are good. Parents comment that they are happy with the care their children receive at the pre-school. They remark on the good progress their children are making in their development and learning. Parents attend dedicated 'parent morning' meetings twice a year. This enables them to meet their children's key person and discuss their learning and development. However, in between these times, staff do not regularly provide parents with information to help them build on what children are learning at pre-school.
• In general, children's language and communication skills are supported well. Staff continuously speak to children, who are encouraged to answer and join in the conversation. They repeat answers back using correct pronunciations. However, staff do not always take advantage of effective questioning to challenge and extend children's learning, nor do they allow children enough time to process and respond to questions asked of them.
• Staff offer children a range of opportunities to develop their physical skills. For instance, young children learn to climb steps and travel down a slide, while older children learn how to pedal and steer a tricycle and scooters. Staff support children's development of fine motor skills. For example, children are offered different-sized beads to thread.
• Staff are complimentary of the managers. They feel supported and comment that they feel part of a 'family' while they are at work. Generally, staff well-being is supported well. However, at times, the managers are not fully aware of the stresses of workload on the staff. For example, staff do not always have enough time to complete the paperwork required of them at the setting and resort to doing so outside of working hours. This can have an impact on staff morale.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to improve their interaction and questioning skills to further challenge and extend children's learning and development
• improve partnerships with parents to ensure parents are provided with more regular information that helps them support children's learning further at home
• support staff with their workload in order to avoid unnecessary strain and achieve better work-life balance.