Playmates Pre-school

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children confidently enter the pre-school and are quick to settle. Staff successfully put strategies into place to help those children who find it harder to separate from parents. Children happily engage in play and are safe and secure. They make friends and play well together. Children behave well and respect instructions from staff. Those with more challenging behaviour are closely monitored by the effective key-person system. Children know who their key person is and form a strong relationship with them. This helps to support children's personal, social and emotional development.

Staff recognise that children have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and have planned for any gaps in children's development. For example, they identify that children's communication and language skills have been impacted by the pandemic. They focus on providing opportunities for children to play and explore, while developing their speech and language. Children have many opportunities to socialise with each other. For example, in the soft-play area, children discuss how to build a tower together. Staff have also planned the environment with communication and language in mind. For instance, they have a reading area outside, which has increased its use, and small-world play to support imagination and conversations. Staff implement many other interventions to further support the development of communication and language. All children make good progress, including children who speak English as an additional language and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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

• Staff identify children's physical development as a focus. They implement strategies to help support this. Children enjoy daily physical play and fresh air and exercise. For example, they eagerly access the large outside space. Children have the use of many resources to help encourage larger physical movement, such as ride-on cars, a slide and a hill to run down. This helps to build up their stamina, strength and coordination.
• Most children begin to develop good levels of independence. For example, they confidently self-register upon entering the pre-school and wash their own hands before mealtimes. However, occasionally, some staff do things for children which they could do themselves. For instance, staff do not consistently encourage all children to have a go at wiping their own noses.
• Staff promote healthy eating throughout the pre-school. Children know the lunchtime routine well and make healthy choices. Staff communicate with parents about healthy eating and suggest items to include in the children's lunch boxes. Staff support those children who are fussy eaters. For example, they eat their lunch with the children to spark discussions about different foods. This has led to some children trying new foods.
• Staff have high expectations for behaviour. They are quick to remind children of the rules and boundaries, for example to sit and listen at group times. Children show respect for staff and their peers and act upon instructions. Staff believe this is good preparation for starting school and gets children used to routine.
• Staff offer an inclusive environment that meets the needs of all children. This includes children with SEND and those who speak English as an additional language. Staff ensure that the pre-school meets the individual needs of the range of children who attend. This ensures that every child is fully supported and included in all areas of the pre-school.
• Staff feel fully supported by the manager. They say how they feel they can approach her at any time. Staff attend regular meetings as a team and on a one-to-one basis with the manager. This allows for discussions, such as about key children, safeguarding concerns and planning ideas. Staff always have access to training, for example online. The manager suggests face-to-face training courses when needed. Staff use every opportunity to extend their knowledge and personal development further.
• Parents are very complimentary about staff. They say staff are welcoming, approachable and happy. Parents explain how their children have made good progress in their development. They say that their children have learned to settle well and are confident learners. Parents believe that staff give regular feedback about their children's progress. They feel they can approach staff at any time with a question or query.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide more opportunities for children to complete simple tasks for themselves, to extend their independence skills even further.