St. Nicolas Playgroup (Taplow)

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children especially enjoy playing outside in the well-resourced and carefully planned outdoor space. Staff offer them exciting opportunities to practise their physical skills and to explore and investigate the natural world. Children delight in planting daffodil bulbs and are excited to watch them grow. They enthusiastically dig in the mud and pour water carefully as they explore the two textures. Staff thoughtfully organise resources and equipment so that children can make independent choices and decisions. Children are supported well to take reasonable risks and learn how to handle real tools, such as hammers. They delicately pick flowers using scissors. They learn how the colours of the flowers transfer onto white cloths as they bang them with the hammers. Children are in awe of the patterns they make and proudly display their creations on a line.

Staff take time to get to know children and their parents when they first join the setting. They gather relevant information and use this to plan carefully for children's individual care and learning needs. As a result, children are supported to make good progress from the outset.

Children's behaviour is good. Staff sensitively support them to share, take turns and to negotiate any minor disputes. Children play together cooperatively, and staff support them to make friends. Staff are good role models. They encourage children to be respectful and kind to each other.

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

• Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make a strong start to their learning in this warm and nurturing setting. Children who are new to the setting are very well supported by skilled and knowledgeable staff, who help them to feel quickly at home in their new surroundings. Children make good progress overall and are well prepared for the next stage of their learning, including starting school.
• The manager is passionate in her approach towards delivering strong and purposeful leadership. She has led staff in developing a clear and focused curriculum to help children to progress in all areas of their learning. The curriculum is based on a deep understanding of the community the setting serves. Staff morale is high. Staff say they are supported well to access a wide range of training and feel their contributions are valued.
• Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the care their children receive. They comment on the warm, welcoming, home-from-home ethos of the setting. Parents say their children make good progress, particularly with their communication and social skills. Parents value the emotional support from staff, who take the time to get to know their children as unique individuals. This includes parents of children with SEND.
• The manager and staff have developed a curriculum that is well sequenced. Key persons understand how children learn. They differentiate learning to meet the needs of all children. They know the stages of development that children are at and what they want them to learn next.
• Children enjoy group time and independent play. They eagerly join in with story time and offer their ideas when asked questions. However, during some group times and transitions, staff do not always limit distractions around children in order to support their listening and attention skills.
• Staff promote healthy lifestyles. They talk to the children about healthy foods and the importance of washing their hands before snack and after planting daffodils. Children are beginning to understand how to make healthy choices. Staff follow local recommendations on key issues within the community, such as oral health. Children learn about the importance of regularly brushing their teeth and discuss how many times a day they do this. Props, such as model teeth and toothbrushes, allow children to experiment and practise effective brushing techniques.
• The manager and staff are very reflective and have strong systems in place for gathering the views of children, staff and parents. The manager and her staff are committed to providing a quality provision and ensuring children achieve positive outcomes.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• improve the organisation of group times and changeover times to take account of the needs of all children and ensure learning is always maximised fully.