Marldon Pre-School Playgroup

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children develop strong attachments with staff. They arrive happy and settle quickly as staff take time to greet them and help them to feel safe and secure. Staff know the children and their families very well. They use their knowledge of each child's development to target their teaching to the children's interests and individual learning needs. Staff focus on helping children to be confident and sociable and to develop good communication skills. Throughout the day, children listen to stories, join in with songs and to develop the language that they need to enable them to hold conversations and to share their views and ideas.

Children are confident at making their own choices about what they would like to play with, and they like be involved in activities that staff provide. For instance, children crowd around to take part in craft activities where they use stamps and stickers to add to their drawings. Children enjoy painting their arms and hands to make prints and playing with the dough, using the scissors to snip and cut. This helps children to develop the muscles in their hands and arms to support their future learning.

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

• Partnerships with parents are strong and well developed. Staff take time to speak to parents and carers to find out about children's development and their experiences away from the setting. This helps them to build relationships with the children and their families. Parents say that the staff are friendly and welcoming and that their children are happy at the pre-school. Staff work with parents to support them with meeting children's changing needs, such as giving them advice and guidance on helping children with toilet training.
• The new manager and staff team work very well together to create a broad and sequenced curriculum, considering what children already know and can do. Staff target their teaching to children's needs and focus activities around their interests. Overall, children are motivated and keen to learn. However, at times some of the older children need more challenge to spark their curiosity and focus on learning further.
• The manager and staff monitor children's progress closely. They identify any gaps in children's learning and work in partnership with other professionals to implement strategies of intervention for children with delays in their learning or special educational needs and/or disabilities. The manager and staff use the information that they receive from other professionals to provide children with more targeted support, and they ensure that those in receipt of additional funding make good progress in their learning.
• Staff set clear boundaries and behavioural expectations so that children know what is expected of them. Staff help children to learn the rules. Children talk about having listening ears and kind hands at the start of the day. However, at times, some staff are not consistent at implementing the rules during the day to help children to manage their feelings and behaviour appropriately. The manager recognises this and the team is taking part in training to learn how to help children with their personal, social and emotional skills, as they recognise that this is an area where some children struggle due to COVID-19.
• The manager and staff have a good understanding of their responsibilities to keep children safe. They know how to follow the setting's safeguarding policy and their training is up to date. Staff can recognise the signs and symptoms that would cause them to be concerned for a child's welfare, and they know how to record and report any concerns they have about any children or adults.
• Children enjoy having opportunities to be physical and to use the ride-on cars and bicycles. They chase each other and follow instructions as staff play games encouraging them to speed up and slow down.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide more challenge for the older children to help them to develop their focus and engagement further
• provide children with more consistent messages about how to manage their feelings and behaviour.