Rawlins Under 5's Playgroup

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders and staff provide a welcoming and inclusive environment. They identify where children may need additional support, including those with emerging needs and/or special educational needs or disabilities. Staff make effective referrals to other professionals and agencies and work together to devise targeted plans and strategies for children. They implement small-group and one-to-one activities to support children's ongoing progress. However, at times, staff do not consistently maximise their interactions to further extend all children's learning.

Leaders identify where children may be eligible for additional funding. They use this effectively to meet children's individual needs. For example, funding is used to purchase an online subscription to create resources such as visual picture boards, to support children's understanding and communication skills.

Staff signpost parents to other areas of support, such as communication groups, to promote children's speech and language. They regularly share assessments and provide parents with strategies and suggestions on how to promote home learning. This helps to provide a consistent approach to children's learning and development.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders and staff identify children's starting points through observations, assessments and close partnership working with parents, carers and other professionals. They implement a curriculum based on children's individual needs, interests and next steps.

Children's communication and language development is a focus within the setting. Staff use a variety of communication methods, including rhymes and stories, to support children's understanding and expression of language. During story time, staff revisit new vocabulary with older children as they learn the word 'biodegradable' and what this means.

Staff promote children's physical skills as they teach them to turn the pedals on tricycles and sensitively support them as they climb up and go down slides. Staff provide opportunities for children to develop their personal skills. For instance, staff encourage children to access tissues independently to blow their noses. They promote children's health by encouraging them to wash their hands before eating and after using the toilet. Staff provide children with new and interesting experiences. For instance, they capture a recording of a badger visiting the garden at night. Staff use this to help children learn about the natural world around them. However, the teaching of mathematics through everyday play, activities and routines is not consistently embedded to further support children's knowledge and understanding of mathematical skills and concepts.

Achievement: Expected standard

Typically, all children, including those with emerging and special educational needs and/or disabilities, build knowledge and skills across all areas of learning and development. They develop the necessary social skills to build friendships and to be caring and compassionate. For example, children help their friends to put their hoods up for outdoor play. They put their own hoods on and say 'See, you're just like me,' demonstrating their understanding of similarities.

Children begin to understand the importance of healthy lifestyles. They confidently share their knowledge with staff, explaining that toothpaste helps to keep their teeth strong. Children show dexterity and develop their physical skills as they use tools to cut and manipulate play dough with secure hand-eye coordination. They become increasingly confident communicators, eagerly contributing their ideas during group activities. Children of all ages develop independence skills, such as dressing, handwashing and blowing their noses.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders and staff frequently praise children to acknowledge and promote their positive behaviours. They acknowledge when some tasks are difficult for children and use encouragement with clear directions to support them with these tasks. For example, staff encourage children to attempt tasks such as dressing for outdoor play. They explain to children that putting on wellies is tricky ,and clearly explain that they should hold on to staff and push their feet in. Staff praise children and say 'Great job,' supporting their sense of achievement.

Leaders have procedures to monitor and follow up any incidents of children's non-attendance within the setting. This helps to ensure children's welfare and promotes the importance of children's attendance on their learning and progress.

Staff support children to understand the expectations within the setting effectively. For instance, staff play a tidy-up song and encourage children to help them put their toys away. Overall, they support children's routines well, such as handwashing at appropriate times. However, on occasion, there are inconsistencies in staff practice when supporting children through the routine transition from mealtime to playtime. This means that children do not consistently benefit from quality staff interactions and support during this time.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Staff promote and celebrate children's sense of identity effectively. For instance, they encourage children to share photos of themselves and their families during circle time. Children proudly and enthusiastically talk about the people in the photos, confidently sharing information about their home lives and experiences. These opportunities help children to develop a sense of belonging, while supporting their self-esteem, confidence and communication skills.

Staff build warm and nurturing relationships with children. New children to the setting settle well and form close relationships with their key person. Children, including those with emerging and special educational needs and/or disabilities, develop positive relationships with staff. Children demonstrate that they feel safe, secure and emotionally supported in the setting. For example, they happily sit alongside staff to share stories, lean into them for comfort and seek them out for cuddles and reassurance when needed.

Overall, staff promote children's wellbeing effectively. They provide a 'calm area' where children can relax and access resources to help regulate their feelings and emotions. Children listen attentively and contribute enthusiastically during stories that help them to explore a range of emotions, such as feeling happy, sad, excited or grumpy. Staff support children's emotional wellbeing by practising breathing exercises with them. However, they do not explain the purpose of these strategies effectively or consistently remind children when they can use them independently. As a result, opportunities to deepen children's understanding of how to recognise and manage their emotions are not fully maximised.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders strive to continually improve the care, education and overall experiences provided to children. They work closely with local authority teams to support quality improvement and inclusive practice. Leaders support staff practice through one-to-one meetings, team meetings and observations of practice. They implement regular professional development opportunities for all staff. Leaders identify the setting's strengths and acknowledge where some inconsistencies in staff practice can be further supported to enhance children's educational experiences. The established staff team expresses its enjoyment of working in the setting and states that leaders have been amazing in supporting them.

Leaders have oversight of and monitor children's attendance within the setting. They work closely with parents to promote regular attendance. Leaders and staff regularly share information about children's development with parents and carers. They encourage them to share their own knowledge and observations of children's achievements. Staff provide families with useful information to support children's health and wellbeing, for example on healthy packed lunches and oral health. Parents and carers say that 'the communication from staff is great' and comment that children love pre-school and cannot wait to bring items from home for show and tell.

Leaders and staff work closely with the schools that children will move on to. They share transition reports with the school to ensure a clear understanding of each child's progress, individual needs and interests. Leaders facilitate visits from teachers; this enables children to begin to build positive relationships with them and feel more comfortable about their move to school.