St Nicholas Playgroup

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Families are warmly welcomed at this home-from-home happy playgroup. Staff offer regular cuddles and comfort to support children's emotional well-being. Children excitedly explore the activities set up for them, based on their needs and interests. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are provided with stimulating and engaging experiences to support their development. For example, they delight in using sponges to explore making bubbles, remaining highly focused and involved. Staff immediately respond to their needs, joining in with them to extend their learning. This successfully supports their concentration and understanding.

Staff successfully prioritise children's communication skills. They provide a well-planned curriculum which supports children's next learning steps effectively. For example, all staff know their children very well. They plan one-to-one sessions and small groups to support children's skills. Children enjoy listening to rhymes and stories. These help to promote their speech and language well. Staff help children to manage their behaviour by being good role models and showing care and kindness towards them. When children need support to manage their emotions, staff are swift to remind them of the expectations and help them take turns and share. Children develop positive attitudes to learning and make good progress from their starting points.

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

• Leaders and managers have worked hard since their last inspection to make significant improvements. They have sought effective support from the local authority which has impacted successfully on their practice and provision. They offer good quality care and education and are committed to continuing to do so in the future.
• Children behave well. Staff help by providing cues and actions. For example, children respond immediately when the tambourine is rung and stop and listen. Staff praise them for knowing the routines as they quickly go to wash their hands before mealtimes. Staff model good manners and children share tongs to help their friends to choose snacks. This effectively encourages their personal and social skills.
• Staff support children's emotional development positively. They provide cosy spaces for children to retreat to when needed. Staff are calm and consistent in their approach, explaining gently to children, where needed, to help them manage and understand their feelings.
• Children with SEND are supported effectively. Staff are well trained to identify individual needs and provide tailored support. Children benefit from individual plans to target gaps in learning. Staff immediately respond to their needs. This means children feel secure and make progress.
• Staff ensure children are fully involved in learning. Children delight in creating ice creams in sand, talking about trips to the beach. Staff skilfully extend conversations, explaining about different castles, capturing children's interest, and supporting their vocabulary well.
• Children confidently choose what they want to play with, demonstrating they feel comfortable in the setting. However, at times, staff do things too quickly for children that they could attempt themselves. This means children do not always benefit from opportunities to further develop their independence skills.
• Staff have effective partnerships with the church and local community. They provide children with daily experiences to explore their surroundings. Children delight in posting letters at the post office and making presents for nearby shop keepers. This supports children's understanding of the world around them.
• Children benefit from staff who encourage them to learn and develop. For example, staff support children to count when exploring items in the role-play area, supporting their mathematical understanding. Staff also provide a range of large play equipment, which children enjoy climbing on together, developing their physical skills.
• Leaders and managers are passionate and proactive, they support staff well in their roles, encouraging them to take on additional qualifications to enhance their knowledge and skills. Staff are highly valued and work very well as a team.
• Communication with parents is strong. They are provided with daily updates about their children's progress and ideas to support learning at home. They appreciate the support they receive and the flexible arrangements to help their children to start school. They report that their children love attending and are very happy.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to recognise when to offer children further encouragement to try to do things independently.