Playdays Preschool Holiday And After School Club

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Practitioners create a warm and welcoming environment where children thrive. Early years and school-age children enjoy the opportunity to play and make new friends during the school holidays. They settle into the routine and form positive relationships with the practitioners. Children are happy and safe as they play, explore and learn in this secure setting. The manager is passionate about all children achieving. She implements a curriculum that teaches children across all areas of learning with a focus on communication and language skills and school readiness. Practitioners deliver the curriculum through child-led and focused activities that support children to meet their next steps.

Children make good progress and develop a range of useful skills that prepare them for their transition to school. Children are confident and communicate well with their friends and practitioners. Children's behaviour is good. They listen to instructions, understand boundaries, and show respect for each other and their environment. Practitioners are good role models, they communicate well with each other, showing respect and good manners. They give children gentle reminders to reinforce the rules and expectations. For example, they repeat children's sentences with 'please' or 'thank you'.

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

• The manager and practitioners consider the individual next steps for children. They carry our regular assessments of children to identify any gaps in learning. The manager and special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator (SENDCo) work well together to support children who need additional support. They seek advise from other professionals and work closely with parents and teachers to support children's transitions to school. Practitioners observe children and together with the SENDCo devise individual plans that support children to make good progress.
• The manager ensures that additional funding the setting receives is used effectively to meet individual needs and improve outcomes for children. For example, the manager uses funding to purchase sensory resources and outdoor equipment that meet specific needs identified in observation and assessment.
• Practitioners support children with their communication and language development. They repeat children's words and sentences to model correct pronunciation and add new words to extend their vocabulary. Practitioners ask questions while children play to help children think about what they are doing and engage them in conversation. However, at times, practitioners do not always give children enough time to think and respond before the question is repeated or the answer is given.
• Children are encouraged to be independent. Children confidently choose what they want to do and lead their own play. Practitioners support children to tend to their own care needs, such as wiping their nose and washing their hands. They also provide PE kits for older children to learn how to dress and undress. This supports children for their transition to school.
• Practitioners use information gathered about children's cultural background to develop positive attitudes and respect for others. Children learn about different cultures through various celebrations that represent the children in the setting. Children have access to resources, such as books and dolls that represent people from different backgrounds and religions.
• Practitioners promote children's healthy lifestyles. Children benefit from a well-resourced outdoor space which offers a range of opportunities. For example, children enjoy climbing and balancing on the climbing frame and using the slide. Practitioners remind children how to use the equipment safely and teach older children how to jump safely from the climbing frame. They adapt the resources according to the needs of the children present. Practitioners talk to children about good oral hygiene and healthy food.
• The manager understands the importance of updating skills and knowledge for herself and her team. She provides practitioners with opportunities to further their continuous professional development to help enhance their teaching skills and practice. They use supervision meetings to identify any training needs and discuss prospects to take on more responsibilities or higher roles.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• encourage practitioners to give children more time to think and respond when asked questions, to support their thinking and language skills.