Kids N Co Dragons Playgroup

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children settle quickly on arrival. They are eager to explore the exciting environment and well-prepared activities. For example, children start creating collages, selecting materials and independently using scissors. They enjoy mark making in dry sand, drawing shapes and letters. Children explore using magnifying glasses and explain how it makes things bigger. They happily come together for their morning circle time, where they enthusiastically join in with familiar songs and routines, such as counting how many children are present. Snack time is a very social event, with children sitting at tables with cloths. They gain good independence and physical skills as they pour their drinks, butter their crackers and chop their fruit. Children develop good manners and understand what is expected of them.

Staff plan well, using children's interests, so they become engrossed in the learning. For example, through their fascination with bugs, children use books to look at small creatures. They find out about bees laying and hatching their eggs and notice a wasp's stinger. Staff extend children's vocabulary, for example, naming a praying mantis. In addition, children learn how to use technology to gain information, such as zooming in to look at a spider's eyes. Children then thoroughly enjoy creating their own creatures out of clay.

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

• The manager has an ambitious curriculum for all. Staff focus on and embed children's prime areas of development to prepare them well for school. Children become confident communicators, asking and answering questions and recalling previous learning. Staff encourage conversations and recast mispronounced words, supporting children's language skills successfully. Children thoroughly enjoy stories; they freely use books and concentrate fully at group story time, excitedly responding because the manager engages them well.
• Staff observe and monitor children effectively, so they know what they can already do and what they need to be learning next. With the good support of the special educational needs co-ordinator, they quickly identify where children may need additional support and ensure that families receive the help they need. The manager makes good use of early years pupil premium funding to help narrow any gaps in children's development. For example, there is a higher staff ratio to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). In addition, they have purchased book bags for all children to take home.
• Children are active learners and teaching is consistently good. Staff engage well in children's fascinations, extending their knowledge successfully, such as by naming butterflies while they watch their shadows. However, on occasions, staff solve problems for children, so they do not consider their own solutions and find out if they work.
• Since the COVID-19 pandemic, staff have had training in emotion coaching and focused on supporting two-year-olds. Overall, children behave well. When squabbles happen, staff intervene and talk about how others might feel. However, sometimes they are quick to find solutions, such as providing alternative resources. Therefore, they are not consistently supporting older children to resolve conflict for themselves.
• Children have daily opportunities to be outdoors and be active. They put on hats and sunscreen to protect them from the sun and learn good hygiene practices. Children play and eat in clean premises and staff have a good understanding of their dietary requirements. Children are eager to go to their allotment, where they plant and grow their own produce. This helps children to understand where food comes from and why healthy eating is important.
• Parents confirm how well the manager and staff work with them, exchanging good information. They comment on the rapid improvement in their children's language skills and confidence. Several confirm how children with SEND receive good support, and how the manager and staff ensure that when children go to school they flourish.
• The manager observes staff and holds supervision meetings with them to discuss their welfare, successes, development needs and any concerns. They are all involved in evaluating their practice. They assess their activities and discuss practice at team meetings. Staff ask parents for feedback at their children's progress reviews, to help them ensure continuous improvement.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop consistency in helping older children to manage and resolve conflict
• help children to think of ways to solve problems and find out if they work, to extend their critical thinking even further.