St Johns Green Playgroup

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff create a warm, welcoming and nurturing environment for children. They are kind, caring and attentive to children's needs. These positive relationships help children to approach their learning and play with confidence and enthusiasm. Children enjoy playing outdoors in the fresh air. They use their imagination and pretend to make dinner from the mud, leaves and sticks. Staff consider children's interests to promote their continued learning. For example, staff observe children enjoying playing with toy cars. They help the children predict what might happen when they push the cars down the slope in the garden. Children excitedly guess which car will travel the furthest.

Staff support children to engage in meaningful play. For instance, when children notice that the toy animals are dirty, staff help the children to bath the toys. Children enjoy washing and drying the animals. Staff help children to look for similarities and differences in the toy animals. Staff teach children that baby kangaroos live in the mother's pouch until they have grown. Staff encourage children to develop a love of books and reading. Children readily choose books to curl up with in the cosy spaces or sit on cushions to share with staff.

Children are beginning to understand the rules and play alongside and with each other. Staff help children to share and take turns. They give children clear and consistent reminders and explanation to help them understand behaviour expectations. Staff concentrate on the positives and remind children what they need to do. For example, they remind children to use their 'walking feet'.

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

• The manager and staff have worked hard since the last inspection to ensure they follow the safeguarding procedures. Recent training has helped staff to feel more confident about reporting concerns and talking openly about safeguarding children.
• The manager and the staff team have made improvements to the playgroup. The manager regularly conducts training, supervision and observations of the staff's practice to support the staff to improve their teaching of the curriculum. However, the manager recognises that, on occasion, some members of staff do not always implement children's learning as effectively as others and the manager is aware that they need further coaching to enhance their practice and skills.
• Children develop independence from an early age. They know they need to collect a chair and plate before preparing their own snack. Staff support children to use a knife to cut their banana and butter their toast. Children confidently pour their own milk or water.
• Children learn how to keep themselves healthy. They develop their physical skills as they explore the climbing equipment, balance on the see-saw and ride tricycles in the garden.
• Staff support children to develop their mathematical skills. Staff count from one to five and they use language such as 'big' and 'little' to talk about size. Children receive praise and recognition from staff, which helps to build their self-esteem.
• Staff place high emphasis on developing children's communication and language skills. They communicate well with the children, including children who speak English as an additional language. Staff model the correct use of words and introduce new vocabulary. Occasionally, there are times when staff ask too many questions and children do not always have the opportunity to respond. This means that they do not consistently learn about the flow of conversations or have that opportunity to further extend their speaking skills.
• The manager and staff identify any children that will benefit from additional support. They plan individual targets and share these with the parents to help meet the children's individual needs at playgroup and at home. The manager spends additional funding effectively to meet the needs of individual children. For example, the manager has additional staff to provide children with further support to help with their learning.
• Parents are extremely happy with the playgroup. Parents comment that staff provide a family feel and get to know their children and families well. Parents feel well informed about their child's development.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to continue to develop their knowledge and implementation of the curriculum, including their teaching skills
• support staff to strengthen their questioning techniques to give children time to think about and respond with their answers.