Newborough Pre-School Playgroup

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders and staff know children well and this helps them to identify any emerging or changing needs in learning and development. Staff work in close partnership with parents and carers to understand how to support their children. Leaders ensure that staff receive appropriate training to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those with any specific medical requirements. They work with other professionals to ensure children's needs are met well and any barriers to learning are reduced effectively. Leaders check and review children's progress and ensure that parents are kept updated. Typically, children with SEND, and those who may face other barriers to their learning, make steady progress and show they have a secure sense of belonging in the setting. Leaders make effective use of any additional funding children may receive. They involve parents in decisions and identify appropriate use, such as providing additional hours and one-to-one support. This helps children make the most of their time at the setting and benefit from the individualised approach and adaptations staff make.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders reflect on and establish a curriculum that is focused on building children's knowledge and skills across all areas of learning and helps prepare them for the move on to school. They provide children with a wealth of experiences that build on their emerging interests and inspire their curiosity. Staff assess children's progress regularly and accurately, to identify what they need to learn next. Staff carefully adapt teaching to meet children's individual needs, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities or who may face barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing.

There is a focus on helping children establish secure relationships with staff and their peers. Children learn how to share, take turns and to be kind. Staff encourage children to gain a love of books. Children choose a book each day to take home and share with their parents and carers, who say that this has become an established routine that they look forward to. Staff talk to children as they play, showing genuine interest. Sometimes staff interactions with children lack the ambition to introduce new words and extend knowledge and understanding. Staff encourage children to count as they play, however not all staff have a sharp focus on helping children learn early mathematical concepts, such as measure and capacity, that arise naturally throughout the day.

Staff plan effectively to build children's physical development. They plan activities that support children's large muscle movements to build coordination and balance. Small muscle development helps children develop pencil grip and control to secure coat fastenings and use cutlery, for instance.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children gain increasing levels of self-esteem. They start to build friendships with their peers and enjoy sharing play and discoveries together. Children are confident to talk and share their ideas. They enjoy conversing with each other, although their vocabulary and understanding could be extended further. Children make links in their play to the books they take home to share with their parents, showing that learning is embedded.

Children show control in their movements as they run, crouch and balance outside. They enjoy making marks using a variety of media, including chalk, paint and pencils. Children gleefully build obstacles for toy frogs to jump over. They work together towards a shared goal to make the toy frogs jump. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or those who may face barriers to learning and/or wellbeing, typically gain the skills and knowledge they need to support the next stage in their education.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders and staff create a positive environment where children are truly valued. They lead by example as they promote kindness and respect towards children, parents and carers and each other. Children settle well and form secure bonds with staff, showing that they feel safe and are confident to seek reassurance should they need it. Children listen to staff and respond positively should they need a gentle reminder about behaviour expectations. This helps children to build peer friendships and start to work collaboratively with each other, to achieve shared goals and interests. Staff tailor their approach to ensure all children understand what is expected and begin to learn the impact their actions may have on others. On occasion, staff step in too quickly and do not always give children time to resolve minor issues for themselves.

Leaders and staff foster positive relationships with parents, which help to promote the importance of children's regular and prompt attendance. Children arrive eagerly and are greeted warmly by staff, which further supports their regular attendance. Leaders and staff generally give children plenty of time to practise and gain new skills. This helps to build positive attitudes to learning. Children show increasing levels of concentration, such as when they are determined to make a toy frog jump.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders and staff establish secure bonds with children. They are attentive to children's needs and quickly notice when they require help. Staff understand the differing needs of all children and make appropriate adaptations to ensure their individual needs are promptly met. Children receive timely support and encouragement to manage their hygiene needs. Staff teach children how to wipe their nose and wash their hands. They promote healthy lifestyles as they talk about which foods are healthy to eat and not harmful for their teeth. Children revisit this learning at lunchtime as they talk about the healthy foods included in their packed lunches. They enjoy the social aspect of eating together with their friends and staff.

Leaders ensure that children learn about the benefits of being physically active and how to keep themselves safe. They provide a range of wheeled ride-on toys that help children develop balance and negotiate movement in a specified space. Sometimes, staff step in too quickly, such as if children trip over on grass. This hinders how children learn to do more things for themselves and build their resilience. Staff encourage children to talk about and identify their emotions. They have children's best interests at heart and are eager to help them build a positive sense of emotional wellbeing.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders have worked hard to promptly address the weaknesses identified at the last inspection. They have swiftly put procedures in place to ensure that Ofsted is notified of new committee members and that suitability checks are completed in a timely manner.

Leaders have a clear vision for what they want children to experience at the setting. The decisions they make have all children's best interests at heart. Leaders are committed to continue to strive for improvement, to ensure all children receive the high-quality care and education that they deserve. However, leaders have not identified where some aspects of staff practice need more support, to enhance the quality of teaching even further. Staff say that they are well supported in their roles and that their workload is manageable. They say that they now have regular supervision meetings that are focused on helping them to maintain a fair work and life balance.

Parents and carers are very positive about the setting and the staff. They typically comment on the progress they notice their children make and appreciate the staff team who are welcoming and supportive. There is a firm sense of community at this long-standing setting.