Lees Hall Playgroup

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Lees Hall Playgroup is a welcoming setting. Children are happy and confident to explore. Children feel at home and demonstrate pride in their achievements as their creations are displayed on the playgroup walls. Staff are supportive and respond to children's needs. Children show that they feel safe and secure. For instance, they lie down in the indoor garden when they feel tired and staff join them for a story.

Staff provide activities inspired by children's interests. For example, a voting station is set up to decide where the role-play plane flies to next. Staff understand the learning expectations of children. They know what children can do and build on this to strive for children to be ready for school.

Children interact well with staff and enjoy playing indoors and outdoors. Outdoor physical games are role modelled by staff. Children practise their physical skills as they use hula hoops and kick footballs. Staff are consistent in their behavioural expectations. They encourage children to take turns.

Children's early mathematical and literacy skills are developing well. For instance, children count pebbles on painted numbers and write their names on a whiteboard. Children learn about and compare how people live. They create models of different houses and find them in the local community. They compare these houses with those around the world, such as mud huts.

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

• Leaders are passionate about providing quality care for all children. There is a well-planned curriculum for each child. Staff ensure children have the skills for their next stage in learning. For example, children begin by learning cutting skills with dough. This progresses to cutting squares to make pictures. This sequenced learning ensures that all children make good progress in all areas of learning. Additional support and targeted learning is provided for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
• Leaders create an environment for learning that engages children. Children excitedly find fish and dolphins in the water tray, and wash the car's wheels. Staff think carefully about the resources they provide to ensure they are inclusive for all children. For example, numbers are represented around the room with adaptations for various abilities and ages.
• Links with parents are strong. Staff share activities to extend learning at home. Parents speak about how they feel supported with their child's needs and learning. Families feel involved in their child's learning. The playgroup has become like an extended family for children.
• Staff provide plentiful opportunities to support the speech and language development of children. However, at times, staff do not adapt their discussions to ensure that younger children get the best chance to use and practise their language skills.
• Engaged children listen well and show positive attitudes to learning. All children enjoy airport role play and pretend to put on their seatbelts. Staff explain the reasons for wearing a seatbelt, helping children to understand safety and build upon their knowledge and understanding of the world.
• Leaders have a well-embedded key-person system. Children understand their own feelings and sign in showing how they are feeling. This can change throughout the day. Staff are responsive to children's needs. For example, staff use children's interest, such as playing in the sand to support their transition into playgroup.
• Healthy snacks are available along with a range of physical activities. There is a variety of snacks and children choose between fruits and toast. Children learn independence skills as they take themselves to the toilet and wash their hands for snack time.
• Leaders have good relationships with staff, offering support with workloads and well-being. This caring and supportive nature flows throughout the setting. Children are confident and care for each other.
• Leaders work with staff, meeting on a regular basis. Leaders support the learning and knowledge of staff. They are passionate about improving and developing staff's skills. However, at times leaders do not consider the impact of training on improving staff knowledge and providing them with the skills to do their role.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• consider how training is embedded in practice to improve staff knowledge and skills
• develop staff knowledge of how to support all children with their early communication skills, particularly younger children and those with limited speech.