Melbourn Playgroup And Out Of School Club

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive at the playgroup happy and confident. They separate from their parents or carers with ease, greeting staff and their peers. Children show a strong sense of belonging. They independently hang their bags, coats and lunch boxes on the hooks and shelves. Staff work closely with parents to see what children enjoy and can do. This starts with home visits. Then, settling-in visits are arranged to meet each child's needs. Communication between the setting and parents is consistent. Staff use an online programme, weekly emails and chats during drop off and pick up times, to keep parents informed about their children's time at the setting.

Staff set up engaging activities that help children settle and focus. For instance, children wash toy cars in the garden. They take turns and share with each other. Staff sit alongside children, extending and supporting their play when using play dough and letter shapes, praising children when they recognise the letters within their name. Staff ensure the curriculum prepares all the children for their next stage. Staff support children's early literacy development well. They provide children with name cards that display familiar pictures to help them recognise their names. Children are confident communicators. They talk to visitors, for example, about the various fruit they have in their snack pots.

Children's needs are met and supported, especially those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders thoughtfully use additional funding for disadvantaged children, ensuring they are supported and able to flourish while attending the setting.

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

• Children benefit from familiar daily routines that encourage their independence and help them understand behaviour expectations. For example, during snack time, they wash their hands, pour their own drinks and carry them to their table. However, the children engage in many routine transitions. For example, play is sometimes interrupted when staff announce it is time to get ready for lunch, which disrupts children's concentration and engagement in activities they are enjoying. This makes the activities less meaningful for the children and makes it hard for them to remember what they learn.
• Children who require additional support are quickly identified, and action is taken to provide the right support. They receive excellent support in this setting. Staff take part in multi-agency meetings and use strategies to help these children. Any extra funding the setting receives is used effectively for each child's needs. For example, staff have completed British Sign Language training to improve communication with children with SEND.
• The managers demonstrate strong leadership by prioritising staff well-being and reflecting on their practices. They recognise their strengths and areas to improve. Staff are supported to reach their full potential through an in-depth induction process and frequent appraisals. This creates a supportive setting, where the team feels valued and heard. They also feel empowered to grow. They feel able to challenge decisions if necessary. Staff retention is good, which has a positive impact on children's care and learning.
• Parents feel positive about the nursery. They say the staff create a happy, caring environment and are keen to make changes that help children thrive. However, staff have not established ongoing links with other settings that all children attend. This makes it harder to provide consistent support for the children.
• Leaders and staff plan to support children's language development in the setting. Rich language surrounds the children. They enjoy listening and responding to familiar stories, rhymes and songs. This shows in their conversations during small-group sessions. As children move into the Garden Room, staff raise expectations. This helps deepen their learning and prepares them for school. Children take part in a physical education (PE) session. They learn to follow instructions. They also change into their PE clothes independently, which significantly supports them ready for their move to school.
• Children develop their physical skills. Staff provide a range of activities to support the development of children's large and small muscles. Outdoors, they pour and dig in the sandpit and use musical instruments. Indoors, they enjoy yoga activities and use a variety of resources to make marks. This develops useful dexterity in readiness for early writing.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• consider the organisation of activities and daily routines to enable children to engage more deeply in learning opportunities
• strengthen communication with other early years settings for all children who attend more than one setting, to provide a stronger and more consistent approach to children's early years care and education.