Playdays Pre-School (Woolston)

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff form close relationships with children and their families. The longstanding staff team works well together to provide good care and education for children. Children access a large outdoor space where they are supported to develop a range of physical skills. A smaller space provides a quieter area for children who thrive in a calmer environment. Children behave well. They listen carefully to staff and respond well to instructions. For example, when it is time to tidy up, all children join in enthusiastically. They show great pride in taking care of their environment. Staff consistently promote and value good manners, resulting in a kind and welcoming environment.

Staff set up activities that are inviting, which encourages children's curiosity and engagement. For example, children explore water with a variety of tools and develop their creativity through painting. Children develop friendships with one another. Staff encourage children to develop the skills they need to play collaboratively. For example, children experiment by building block towers as high as they can. Staff encourage children to measure their towers and count the bricks. Children continue working together on their task independently for an extended period of time. Staff implement a broad curriculum that supports children to make good progress in their learning. Children are ready for school. They show strong independent skills, such as putting on coats and washing hands.

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

• Staff skilfully adapt their teaching to meet the needs of individual children. For example, as children explore paint, staff understand that some children benefit from modelling of painting techniques, including how to hold the brush. They also recognise that some children benefit from the sensory experience and engage for an extended period of time. This helps children to make progress at a rate that meets their individual needs.
• Staff provide strong support for children's early mathematical development. For example, staff teach children about shapes as they explore dough. Children join in counting songs, learn to measure towers and explore volume through water play. This helps children to gain a sound understanding of early maths concepts.
• Staff help children to understand their own feelings. During circle time, children skilfully articulate how they feel and why. They express they are happy to 'play with their friends' and 'have cuddles with mummy'. This helps children to develop strong personal and social skills.
• Staff are aware that children hear and speak other languages at home, but do not know what these languages are. This means staff are not able to make good use of strategies and provide high levels of support for children's communication and language development.
• Staff use positive strategies to encourage children's good behaviour. For example, children are motivated to earn a 'bee teddy' by following the mantra 'bee happy, bee kind'. This helps children to strive towards the high expectations staff set for them.
• Staff support children to develop strong early literacy skills. For example, songs and books are used frequently to support learning. At story time, children discuss the title, the author and the blurb of the book before they read it. This helps children to understand the value of reading and print. Children remember what they have learned over time. For example, children enthusiastically sing songs about days of the week and months of the year. This helps children to retain information and develop a wide range of knowledge.
• Staff do not always understand enough about children's cultures and heritage. For example, while the setting is diverse, children do not always learn about their differences and what makes them unique. This means the curriculum does not fully support children to learn about and celebrate their differences.
• Additional funding is utilised well to support the most disadvantaged children. For example, an outdoor area has been created to provide a quiet space for children to play and explore their senses. This helps all children to have a range of opportunities to learn and grow.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive good support. Staff use a range of strategies, such as sitting close by and holding hands for reassurance. They work with relevant agencies to source extra support. Children with SEND blossom.
• Staff complete all statutory training, including safeguarding, paediatric first aid and food hygiene. However, there is less focus on a range of other professional development. This means that staff's development is not robust enough to ensure that practice continually improves over time.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop a deeper understanding of the languages children are exposed to at home to enhance support for their communication and language development
• develop teaching of what makes people unique to further help children recognise and learn about diversity in the setting
• strengthen professional development so that staff's practice continually develops and supports children's development.