Royston Playgroup

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happily, greet their friends and quickly settle in purposeful play. They have good relationships with staff and each other. Children are well behaved and cooperatively follow the daily routines. They show a good understanding of expectations for their behaviour. They share and take turns well during play and are kind to each other. For example, when children both want the same toy, they take the initiative without staff support to look for another one. This shows they are gaining skills of negotiation that will aid their future learning.

Children benefit from a broad and interesting curriculum of activities and outings that build on what they already know and what they need to learn next. Children engage in focus activities that target their individual learning needs well. As a result, all children make good progress in their learning and are well prepared to move on to school.

Children's develop their literacy skills and a love of books. For example, they use and benefit from books and stories that staff link to activities. As a result, children show a keen interest in books during indoor and outside play. They regularly look at books independently and imitate reading. Children listen intently to stories and staff use props which absorb their attention. Children join in enthusiastically saying key phrases of the story. Children also actively join in narrating the storylines when staff tell stories using only props. This successfully supports their language and literacy skills.

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

• The management committee, manager and staff team work cooperatively together and show a clear understanding of their different roles and responsibilities. The staff team has worked together for many years, providing high levels of continuity of care for families. Consequently, children, parents and staff benefit from a collaborative and supportive learning environment.
• Children enjoy relaxed sociable mealtimes, where they enjoy healthy snacks and chat about the foods they like to eat. However, staff could do more to help children and parents learn about healthy eating. For example, a few children's packed lunches from home include sugary foods, which do not promote healthy eating habits or good oral health.
• Staff support children who have additional needs exceptionally well. They know and understand children's individual learning needs, including their behaviour patterns and best ways of communication. However, children do not have a cosy space where they can rest or go to if they want time away from others, to help self-regulate their behaviour for example.
• Comments from parents that 'Communication is great' and 'The support and advice given by staff has really helped them' is typical of the views of the majority of parents. For example, they benefit from support when making applications for school or assessment processes, and general child development issues, such as toileting and managing children's behaviour.
• The manager keeps accurate records regarding the use of additional funding and the impact it has on children's progress. For example, children's communication and understanding of technology has developed through use of the new interactive board. Staff are deployed effectively, including staff who provide one- to-one support for children. This ensures all children are actively engaged in learning and make the best progress.
• Children enjoy being creative. They sing songs with staff and explore while using sand and water. They participate well in art and craft activities. For example, they enjoy painting and mixing different colour paints. Older children draw pictures and cut them out. They discuss the date with staff and show good early writing skills as they add their own name and write numbers of the date.
• Staff have improved the maintenance and cleaning routines of the premises to ensure they are safe and suitable for children.
• Children play confidently outside and develop good physical skills. They show good coordination while using climbing equipment and wheeled toys. Children play cooperatively when building tall towers of foam bricks and long train tracks.
• The manager has a good overview of the setting and the needs of all children who attend. Good systems are in place to track children's progress, share information with parents and work with parents and other agencies as needed.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support children and parents to learn more about healthy eating, to promote good healthy eating habits and oral health
• provide a cosy area where children can rest or go to if they want time away from others, to help self-regulate their behaviour for example.