Matlock Pre-School Playgroup

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders have a clear and accurate understanding of the community they serve. They are knowledgeable about the needs of individual families and quickly identify any potential barriers to children's learning. Staff acquire relevant skills to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who may face other barriers to their learning. For example, staff complete training to support children's behaviour. They use this learned knowledge to implement strategies to help children manage their own behaviour and feelings.

Leaders and staff take action to reduce barriers through inclusive practice. For instance, visual timetables are provided to support children with communication skills and their emotional needs. Leaders promptly recognise any gaps in children's learning and development and liaise with parents and external agencies to create targeted support plans. Furthermore, they access additional funding to progress children's learning further. For example, staff have created a calming space for children to use. They share books about feelings to help them learn to regulate their emotions.

Parents have high praise for the staff who work at the setting. They eagerly share information about the rapid progress their children make, particularly with their social interactions and communication development.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders ensure that children benefit from a well-planned curriculum and identify any areas for improvement. Staff complete ongoing assessments for children from their starting points. This celebrates where children are making progress and helps staff recognise any children who begin to fall behind. Typically, staff create meaningful learning experiences for children. For instance, they spark children's curiosity as they gather around a frozen tray of ice. Staff ask children thought-provoking questions on how they will release the frozen toy insects. Children use different tools to break the ice and squeal with excitement as they set them free. Staff facilitate children's learning through discussion about how the warmth from the sun and their hands melt the ice. These high-quality interactions are not consistent. For example, during some activities, children show an interest in naming colours and counting. Staff do not consistently adapt their teaching methods to support children's learning further.

Children enjoy spending time in the outdoor area. They develop their large-muscle skills by using spades to dig in the sand pit and use their hand-eye coordination to fill up buckets.

Staff give children ample opportunities to develop their speech and language. Children enthusiastically join in with song time and confidently make suggestions about what they want to sing. Staff support children's engagement and turn taking by using props that link to their chosen nursery rhymes. Furthermore, staff use sign language to support children's communication skills. Children start to use familiar signs during snack time and singing. As a result, children are becoming confident communicators.

Achievement: Strong standard

Leaders and staff have a deep understanding of any special educational needs and/or disabilities or any other barriers to learning that children may have. This is due to high levels of engagement with parents and secure systems in place to gather information and track children's progress. Staff ensure that children make progress across all areas of learning. They use routines and experiences to provide children with the essential knowledge and skills they need in readiness for starting school. Developing children's speech and language is a high priority for staff, and children make rapid progress with their communication skills.

Staff work closely with other professionals and signpost parents to additional support to ensure that children get the help they need. This supports all children to make secure progress. Staff make links with other settings that children attend. They plan to share children's assessments and next steps in learning. This collaborative approach helps children to reach their full potential.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Children behave exceptionally well. Leaders and staff model respectful interactions to help children understand the expectations for behaviour. They know about the individual needs of children and ensure that every child is included and celebrated. Children take pride in doing things for themselves and develop their sense of responsibility well. For example, when the sand timer runs out, children know to stop their play and tidy away the resources. Children choose what they would like to tidy up, and staff consistently offer praise and encourage teamwork. This develops children's confidence and positive self-esteem.

Staff use a visual timetable display to support children's understanding of what is happening next and to embed routines. This is particularly helpful for younger children. Staff are excellent role models and use their interactions with children to demonstrate wanted behaviour. For instance, when children use their feet to roll trucks down a slope, staff show children to use their hands to push the trucks. Children observe and copy staff's actions.

Children show increasing levels of independence. For instance, they wash their hands before eating, pour their own drinks and serve their snack. Children have impeccable manners and use 'please' and 'thank you' without prompting. Leaders and staff follow the setting's attendance policy when children are absent. They are mindful of how gaps in attendance can impact children's learning and wellbeing.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Leaders consistently prioritise children's welfare and wellbeing, placing it at the heart of the setting's ethos and daily practice. Children thrive within the secure attachments of their key person. They enjoy cuddles with staff and sit close while sharing stories and singing songs. Relationships between staff and children are warm and trusting. Parents value how quickly children settle and feel reassured that they are cared for in a safe environment.

Staff sensitively help children to learn about their emotions and build strategies that support them to gain self-awareness and with how to self-regulate. They ensure that children have daily opportunities for outdoor play and exercise. Staff provide a broad range of equipment that helps stimulate children to be physically active. For example, when children work hard digging in the sand pit, staff encourage them to feel their heartbeat as they breathe faster.

Embedded and well-structured routines help children to develop healthy habits and emotional wellbeing. Staff provide children with healthy snacks and fresh drinking water or milk. Children show they are developing effective hygiene practices, for example washing their hands at appropriate times. Younger children's care needs are handled sensitively by staff. For instance, they gently ask children before changing their nappy and help them to manage their emotions effectively.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders strive to provide high standards of education and care for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who may face other barriers to their learning. They ensure that additional funding is used in the best interests of children to support their wellbeing and development.

Leaders demonstrate a deep understanding of the setting's strengths and areas for development. Leaders create a culture of continuous improvement by involving all staff to share ideas to help children to achieve and thrive. Staff report they feel valued and that their wellbeing is a priority for leaders. Leaders monitor staff performance through regular supervision, peer observations and meetings. They reflect on their own professional development to ensure that they have the expertise to support staff to deliver a high-quality childcare provision.

Parents comment they are delighted with the progress their children are making, such as in social interactions, using their manners and taking turns. They generally know their children's next stage of learning and comment that staff share ideas for activities they can do at home to support children's learning further. Leaders are acutely aware of this area for further development and are already taking steps to ensure that all parents have comprehensive information about their child's learning.