Jigsaw Playgroup (Burscough)

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children play happily in the setting. They feel safe and secure in the company of familiar, and friendly staff. Children's communication and language skills are progressing very well. They enjoy lively conversations with others and are confident to use new vocabulary to describe what they are doing. Children are creative and imaginative. They use toy curling tongs as a fishing rod and create a boat out of cardboard boxes. Staff know the children well and tap into their interests to successfully extend their learning. Children are confident to express their thoughts and suggest new ideas. For example, how to make the boat bigger. The new curriculum, and assessment system help staff track the children's progress. These are still in their infancy but are improving the quality of learning provided to children.

Children are generally well behaved. They understand the flow and routines of the setting and are respectful of one another. Children usually play well alongside others, sharing resources and learning to take turns. Children have daily opportunities to get fresh air and exercise. The outdoor area is well equipped but is cluttered and this impedes children's learning.

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

• The manager streamlined the curriculum and reintroduced set activities as well as child-led, 'in the moment' activities. This linked to the new tracking system that supports children to gain the most from the activities. Although, this needs to be fully embedded into practice.
• Children rush into the setting and are keen to see their friends. They call out 'there's my friend,' and encourage them to join in. Children are confident to explain to others what they are doing and why. They generally work well together and learn from one another. However, on some occasions children struggle to share resources and staff are not consistent in their response.
• Children are thriving in a language-rich environment. Staff are skilled at introducing new words to the children, such as bigger, smaller, heavy, light, and delicious. Staff ask open-ended questions, which help children to think and solve problems, such as how to build a taller tower.
• Staff effectively support children's creativity and imagination. A discussion in the construction areas leads to a magical exploration of under the sea. Children learn new skills, such as using scissors, glue, sticky tape, and different pens as they make a boat and fishing rods. This builds muscles in their hands needed for pre-writing activities and hand-to-eye coordination.
• Staff incorporate counting into everyday activities. Children begin to understand what 10 is when they play hide and seek or build towers with blocks. Staff smoothly introduce mathematical concepts. Children are encouraged to 'pay' for their shopping, 'read recipes' and 'make smoothies'.
• Children develop a love of reading and are beginning to understand that books can be used to find out information. Children remember what comes next in familiar stories. They enjoy using puppets and 'trip trapping' over the bridge with the Billy goats gruff. They confidently join in with songs and rhymes. This successfully promotes their early literacy.
• Children's large physical skills are progressing. They learn to climb over, and balance on logs. Outdoor play lacks direction and does not take into consideration the needs of children who learn best outdoors. The area has many large resources, which can make it challenging for children to move around freely.
• Children learn to be independent from a young age, they put on their coats, wash their hands, and see to their own toileting needs. This helps prepare them for school. Children are skilled at using a range of tools, such as using a teaspoon to fill a bottle. They concentrate intently as they complete their task. They use different containers to fill and pour sand.
• Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is good. The staff work in partnership with parents and other professionals to ensure children have the right support. For example, to help them acquire new vocabulary. Consequently, children make steady and sustained progress.
• Parents are complimentary about the setting. They comment on the progress that their children are making and the kind and caring staff.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to firmly embed the new curriculum, so that they can focus more clearly on what children need to learn next and help them to gain the most from the available learning opportunities
• support staff in ensuring that those children who prefer to learn outdoors have opportunities to develop their knowledge and skills further in their preferred learning environment
• provide a more consistent approach to managing children's behaviour.