Sharpness Playgroup

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are welcomed by caring, friendly staff as they begin their day. They settle quickly and happily join in with routines, such as registration. Staff know all children well and develop trusting relationships with them. Children clearly enjoy their time at the playgroup and look to staff for reassurance if needed.

Staff design and plan an ambitious curriculum that builds on what children already know and can do. They know what they want children to learn and experience during their time at the playgroup. This focuses on children's interests and staff plan exciting activities for children to take part in. For example, children enjoy learning about minibeasts and staff plan snail craft activities that support children to learn about why snails have shells and what snails like to eat.

Children are independent and confidently choose what they want to play with. Generally, most children behave well, however, staff's management of behaviour is not always consistent.

Staff work in partnership with the local school to support children with their transition to school. All children make good progress, including those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and children are well prepared for the next stage in their learning.

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

• The strong management team have a good oversight of the playgroup. They have a clear vision for the care and education they want to provide. They ensure that all staff share and implement this. Staff carefully assess children to identify any gaps in their learning and development. Staff then plan activities to support children with achieving their next steps. All children, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds and in receipt of additional funding, make good progress and are ready for the next stage in their learning.
• The playgroup is very inclusive. Staff meet all children's individual needs well. They skilfully differentiate activities to ensure that all children can complete them. The special educational needs coordinator is very knowledgeable. She works closely with a range of multi-agency professionals, and the local authority, to ensure that children with SEND have the right support in place to access the curriculum and meet their needs.
• Staff support children's communication and language very well. Children have plenty of opportunities to read stories and sing songs. Staff encourage children to listen to and say a wide range of vocabulary, including mathematical language. Children sit in small groups at snack time and staff have high-quality interactions with children. Staff skilfully ask a range of questions to extend children's learning and support their critical thinking. For example, staff encourage children to learn about the world around them and ask them what plants and living things need to grow.
• Routines are used effectively to help all children know what to expect. Most children generally behave well and staff give children regular praise. However, when children display unwanted behaviour, staff do not always help these children to understand the consequences of their actions and how others are feeling.
• Parents give positive feedback about the playgroup. They are actively involved and support with fundraising, and some are also members of the committee. The playgroup gets involved in the local community and children have opportunities to go on local trips.
• The committee ensures that safer recruitment procedures are followed. Leaders and managers provide staff with a supportive induction process, effective supervisions and opportunities for professional development, which ensures the ongoing quality of teaching is good. All staff, including students, feel well supported by leaders and managers.
• Leaders continually evaluate the playgroup. They know what the strengths are and have identified areas they would like to improve. Leaders want to enhance the outdoor provision to further develop the outdoor curriculum, particularly for those children who prefer to learn outdoors. They want to continue to embed their new behaviour policy, so that all staff manage behaviour in consistent ways.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• continue to support staff to be consistent in their behaviour management strategies, to better help children understand behaviour expectations and the impact of their behaviour on themselves and others.