Sale and Davys Playgroup

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happily at the setting. When they arrive, children hang up their coats and wash their hands. They find their name cards and put them on the snack board. Children quickly choose what they would like to do. A small group of children join in with puppets and actions to familiar rhymes, such as 'Five little ducks'. The caring staff support less-confident children with cuddles and reassurance. This helps children to feel safe and secure.

Children progress well and learn to behave well. For example, they develop their small-muscle skills as they poke, roll and stretch play dough while listening to songs and music. This helps to promote their small-muscle strength before they learn to write. Children understand the daily routines and what is expected of them. They stop what they are doing and raise their hand when they hear the bells ring. Children have opportunities to explore the local community. They help to grow tomatoes and pumpkins at the nearby allotment, and visit the alpacas who live locally. Children enjoy visits to the local school to watch sports day and school concerts.

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

• Children listen and behave well. Older children know to put their hands up to answer questions. They listen and respond well to the playgroup rules, such as using walking feet inside. Staff support younger children in understanding their feelings. For example, during a minor conflict, staff talk with them about children's feelings and the need to be kind.
• Children are learning to keep healthy and become self-sufficient. For example, staff provide children with healthy snacks, such as apples, bananas and crackers. Children take turns sitting at the table in small groups, and are encouraged to wash their hands before eating. Older children help to chop the fruit safely and confidently serve themselves. Children learn to pour milk from a jug into open cups with support from staff. Once finished, they wash their plates in soapy water and put them on the draining board to dry. Leaders encourage parents to provide a healthy lunch box.
• Children have lots of opportunities to be active in their play. They learn to put out their arms as they balance on tyres, planks and crates. Children join in group dancing activities with the enthusiastic staff. They laugh with delight as they pretend to 'zoom to the moon'.
• Staff promote speech and language well. They talk about the colours of children's clothes as the children guess who they are describing. Staff read children stories such as 'The Colour Monster'. Children listen intently as they sit on cushions and cuddle teddies. However, older children are not always encouraged to extend their understanding and problem-solving skills. For example, while outside, children notice an icy puddle, which staff have covered with a safety cone. Staff do not explain why children need to be careful or why the cone is there. On another occasion, when children discover that a ramp is too steep for them to climb, staff do not help them to think of ways to rectify this.
• Overall, the staff know the children and their home background well. They support younger children with their emotional development. For example, staff support children who are upset, and encourage them to wash their hands before eating. However, some staff plan for more-complex learning before they ensure that children's more relevant next steps are achieved. For example, some older, quieter children do not receive enough support to join in activities.
• Parents state that they feel supported by the playgroup. Staff provide information regarding children's learning during face-to-face discussions, online messages and emails. Parents speak highly of the kind staff. They are happy with how their children have settled and progressed. Staff provide information to help parents to support children's learning at home. For example, they offer advice regarding children's speech, toilet training, and moving on to school.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• monitor how staff identify and plan for children's next steps to ensure that they are more clearly linked to the prime areas of learning and children's individual needs
• enhance the planning and support for the most-able children to ensure that they are suitably challenged.