Pucklechurch Playgroup

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are eager to enter this welcoming playgroup and separate from their parents with ease. They receive a warm welcome from the friendly staff and go off to seek out their friends. Children quickly settle to activities of their choosing. Children solve puzzles together, taking turns to put in the pieces. Other children sit and draw together and talk about their pictures. Staff engage the children in lots of conversations during their play and encourage them to talk about past experiences.

Children show they have developed good friendships and they play cooperatively together, recalling prior learning. Children hold hands and dance around in a circle, singing 'Ring a ring a roses' independently and complete the actions together. They are accepting of all children and when others wish to join in, they welcome them into their play. Staff praise them for their kindness to reinforce positive attitudes towards others. Children engage in activities for long periods, showing good concentration and positive attitudes towards their learning.

The manager has a clear vision for the curriculum and what skills and knowledge she wants the children to gain so they are ready for school. She carefully checks children's progress and promptly identifies where children are at risk of falling behind. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make good progress from their variable starting points.

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

• The manager is very mindful of her staff's well-being, and they report that they feel well supported by her. Some staff have recently completed qualifications, and all have kept up to date with mandatory training. The manager has started an online course with the Department for Education and has shared some of her learning with her team. For example, they are now more mindful to give children plenty of time to think and respond when talking to them, to support children's language even further.
• The manager works closely with parents when she identifies any potential delays in children's development. She signposts them to local services for advice and to check if their children need any further assessments. This has been successful in supporting children's speech and language and in identifying when further interventions are needed. The manager supports children with additional needs well and liaises with the relevant professionals to put in place prompt support, undertake observations and apply for additional funding. This shows she is proactive in ensuring children do not fall further behind.
• Children play and learn in a language-rich environment. Staff engage the children in lots of conversations, and they listen to and respect one another's voices. Older and more able children are confident speakers and are keen to share their news and ideas. Staff repeat words back to less confident children and acknowledge their attempts to communicate. Staff support children well to develop their language.
• Children's behaviour is very good. Staff help the children to manage their feelings sensitively and guide them effectively in being kind to everyone. Children show respect for their environment and eagerly help tidy the resources away ready for lunch, while singing a tidy-up song. Staff praise the children for their achievements, such as when they persevere to complete a difficult puzzle. Children show they are proud of their achievements, and this boosts their self-esteem.
• Staff provide children with regular opportunities to develop their physical skills indoors. Children use a range of equipment to practise their climbing, balancing, throwing, and kicking skills and have plenty of space to move around and negotiate space. However, children do not have regular opportunities to run around outside and engage in exuberant play, to learn about the importance of being active.
• Partnerships with parents are very positive. They say that they are very pleased with the progress their children have made since attending playgroup and that they have developed confidence and are ready for school. Parents report that communication with staff is positive and that they are welcomed into the playgroup to chat to staff and settle their children in at the beginning of the day.
• Children have lots of opportunities to develop their hand muscles in readiness for early writing. They use various tools for cutting, rolling, drawing, and painting, for example. Children choose their favourite books and are developing their early literacy skills.
• The playgroup has not informed Ofsted of a new committee member within the required 14 days. However, the impact on children is minimal as the adult is a member of staff who has undergone robust recruitment procedures. They have now provided their details to Ofsted so the appropriate checks can be carried out.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide children with more opportunities to move energetically and engage in exuberant physical activities outdoors.