Margaret Lloyd Playgroup

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy as they separate from their parents and are welcomed into this warm and friendly setting. They quickly follow the routine and sit down on their mats, ready for their carpet time. They benefit from warm interactions from nurturing, familiar staff and they demonstrate close attachments. As a result, children are confident. For example, they speak to visitors about what they are doing and are eager to involve staff in their play.

Children demonstrate a positive attitude towards learning, as they become fully engrossed in activities. For example, they hurry to tables with games that they have chosen. They choose their resources and begin to talk about taking turns with a staff member. This helps to promote their sharing and turn-taking skills.

Staff offer strong and consistent support to develop children's speech and communication skills. They model language and use actions and signs to reinforce their messages, and ensure that children understand. Children listen well and are keen to learn. They proudly give answers about the day of the week and tell staff what shapes they can see on a board. They enjoy songs and eagerly join in with action rhymes in the soft playroom.

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

• All children make good progress. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who need additional help are well supported. Leaders and staff work closely with the special educational needs coordinator (SENCo). They give high priority to working with other professionals, identifying and carrying out interventions to enable children to achieve their potential.
• Staff act as positive role models. In return, children behave well. Children are imaginative and make pretend coffees for their friends. Staff provide children with opportunities to make decisions for themselves and as a group. For example, staff use a visual timetable, where children can point to photos of equipment and toys to show what they would like to play with. This helps them to understand concepts such as democracy, and makes them feel valued.
• Children are happy to take on challenges and do things for themselves. They proudly choose their own activities and invite others to play. They tidy and put things away after group time, carrying their mats to a member of staff. However, staff do not consistently encourage children with other tasks, such as getting their bags or taking their coats off when they arrive at the setting. Additionally, at times, staff do things for the children instead of encouraging them to try for themselves, such as pouring their own drinks and handing them fruit at snacktime. This means that children's sense of responsibility and self-care skills do not develop as much as possible.
• Staff support children who speak English as an additional language well. They use visual aids to encourage children to be able to communicate with others. Staff gain useful information about children's home language when they join the setting, so that they can use keywords to help them to settle.
• Children have lots of opportunities develop their physical abilities. They enjoy being in the outdoor space, pedalling on bicycles and climbing. Indoors, they use a soft playroom where they dive into a ball pool, and take part in a yoga session once a week. Children use crayons to draw roads onto a paper and follow the lines with their pretend cars.
• The long-standing staff team work well together. They have regular meetings to share ideas and plans about the coming weeks. Staff morale is high. The manager has introduced a well-being policy to support staff and families following the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, staff say they feel well supported both personally and professionally.
• Parents speak highly about the setting and staff. They report that staff make them feel welcome in the setting and their children make good progress. Parents say they appreciate the support they receive from the SENCo and staff to provide consistency for children at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• make the most of opportunities to encourage children to do things for themselves and develop their independence further.