Tansor Playgroup

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are excited to start their day at playgroup. They settle quickly and are keen to engage with staff, who interact positively with them. For instance, children become interested in an abandoned bird's nest. Staff encourage children to gently touch it and describe its texture. They help children to use non-fiction books to look at facts about birds.

Children feel safe as they confidently select from a wide range of activities and resources. Outside, children improve their small hand muscles as they dig in mud and manipulate dough. They practise their physical skills as they learn to hold their arms wide to help them balance as they travel across an assault course. Staff offer lots of praise and encouragement, supporting children's confidence and well-being.

Children behave well in this playgroup. Staff support children to learn how to share, take turns and manage their own conflicts. For example, staff interactions help children to work together as a team as they make a rocket from magnetic shapes. Staff use mathematical language to extend children's learning, introducing names for 3D shapes, such as 'cube' and 'pyramid'.

Staff help children develop their problem-solving skills. They encourage children to experiment with the effect that height has on speed. Children are excited as they learn to increase the height from which they let their cars travel down a slope to make them go faster.

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

• The manager and staff have designed a broad and well-sequenced curriculum that includes all areas of learning. They use their knowledge of children's skills and interests to plan engaging and purposeful activities that promote children's development. However, at times, staff are not deployed effectively to support all children's engagement in their learning.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are very well supported in the playgroup. They develop a close bond with their key person, who demonstrates a deep knowledge of children and their specific needs. Staff work closely with parents and other professionals to ensure the environment and activities promote children's good progress in all areas of learning.
• Communication and language are very well supported by staff. They engage children in conversation during play and model clear pronunciation. For instance, they encourage children to hear and sound out the letter 'B' when blowing bubbles. Furthermore, additional funding is used to pay for a speech and language therapist to work with children who need additional support.
• Children enjoy exploring different media and materials to create their own pictures. This helps to support children's creativity and imagination, as well as their fine motor skills and dexterity. Children are happy to display their own creations and show pride as staff offer praise for their efforts.
• Children get to know their local community as visitors are invited into playgroup. For example, the vicar helps children to collect food for the harvest festival. The farmer brings lambs into visit, and the police community support officer talks to children about keeping themselves safe. In addition, children's experiences are further enhanced as they attend weekly forest school sessions. They learn to manage risks as they begin to use tools and develop knowledge about nature and the world around them.
• Staff support children to be independent in leading a healthy lifestyle. Children have lots of freedom and opportunity to be outside, whatever the weather. Staff encourage them to manage hygiene routines with minimal support. Children help themselves to a variety of fruit for their snack, learning to chop and peel fruit. They tidy away their cups and wash their plates once they have finished. This prepares children well for routines at school.
• Parents speak highly of the playgroup and value good relationships with staff. They value the termly meetings they have with staff about their child's progress. Staff speak with parents and carers at drop-off and collection times to keep them updated on the children's care and learning. They provide information about daily activities to help parents continue children's learning at home.
• The dedicated manager is extremely well supported by the playgroup committee. This partnership continuously improves the provision for children. Staff are happy in their roles and benefit from many opportunities to continue their professional development. For instance, training about understanding autism spectrum disorder has helped staff implement new strategies to support children.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• organise staff deployment effectively so children who are quieter or less confident are consistently engaged.