Richmond Playgroup

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enjoy this warm and welcoming playgroup. They quickly settle and enjoy the well-thought-out activities on offer. Children chat to visitors with confidence, asking questions and telling them what they enjoy at playgroup. Children develop independence by cutting up their own fruit and vegetables for snack and putting their coat on to enjoy outdoor play. They show enthusiasm during circle time as they use a large piece of material to bounce balls, counting them as they fall onto the floor and guessing how many bounces it will take next time.

Children enjoy outdoor play, regardless of the weather. They find vegetables in the mud pit and cut them up, bringing them inside to make soup. Staff reinforce children's listening skills. They encourage them to join in with a familiar story. Children act out the scenes of the book with enthusiasm, tiptoeing through the cave and swishing through the grass. Children take delight in mixing flour and paint together. They use their hands to make marks in the trays. Staff support children's small-muscle skills by encouraging this and providing additional resources, such as paintbrushes. Children behave well and play cooperatively with their peers. They chat to each other as they stand at the water tray, filling and emptying containers and bringing sea animals in to the tray to make an aquarium.

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

• The staff team have constructed a curriculum that gives children the knowledge to succeed. The curriculum builds on children's interests and what they already know. Children benefit from engaging and exciting opportunities to learn through play.
• Children benefit from being outside; they have free-flow access to the playgroup garden. They use climbing apparatus and wheeled toys, and they dig in the mud. This develops children's large-muscle skills.
• Parents speak highly about the playgroup staff. They praise their children's key person and the information they receive about their child's day at playgroup. They are familiar with what their children are learning and can talk about how the staff have supported their children with settling in and learning new skills.
• The manager ensures she monitors staff practice and shares ideas for improvements with her staff team. This supports staff to engage well in communication with the children. For example, staff engage effectively in dialogue with children as they make pretend pizza in the home corner. They join in with their conversations, model language and ask questions. However, sometimes, staff answer questions they have asked the children. As a result, at times, children do not have the opportunity to process questions and answer them.
• The manager and staff liaise with the school staff situated on site. Children benefit from learning about the school and have books and photos of the school to share in the book area. Children have regular visits and are familiar with the surroundings before they start. This has a positive impact on children as they prepare for their move onto school.
• All playgroup staff are suitable to work with children in their care. The manager has a robust recruitment procedure and staff benefit from a thorough induction, which means that they have an understanding of all playgroup procedures. However, one member of the management committee, although having a Disclosure and Barring Service check, has not had the required checks completed with Ofsted to ensure they are suitable. The committee member has no involvement in decision-making or safeguarding and does not have contact with the children, to minimise any risks.
• The staff have a good understanding of how to help children who speak English as an additional language. For example, they use visual prompts and sharply focused activities to support language acquisition and development.
• The manager ensures that additional funding is used effectively. For example, they highlighted that the children did not have as many opportunities to use technology in the setting. The children now benefit from a range of opportunities to use technology, which enhances their skills.
• Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. They work together to ensure the management of behaviour is consistent. As a result of this, children respond well to the routines during the day and are kind and respectful to their peers.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to improve the consistency of questioning techniques to further enhance children's language and communication skills.