The Old School Playgroup

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The manager and staff have worked hard to address the concerns raised at the last inspection. Staff have completed safeguarding training and leaders regularly check their safeguarding knowledge and understanding. Risk assessments are in place and measures have been put in place to ensure that children are well supervised indoors and in the outside learning environment.

There is a clear vision for the curriculum which has a strong focus on supporting children's personal, social and emotional development as well as their communication and language skills. Leaders describe their vision of building children's resilience and supporting them to be happy, confident learners for the future. Staff invite children to come and join them in activities which have been planned to support their interest and next steps in learning. As a result, all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who speak English as an additional language make good progress and are keen to learn.

Children are happy at the setting. They behave well because staff tune into their needs and swiftly offer support if they think they are struggling to regulate their behaviour. Staff encourage children to talk about how they are feeling. In addition, they help children notice when others might not be feeling happy and how they might be able to help cheer up their friends. They are kind and helpful towards each other.

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

• Interactions between staff and children are warm, staff are interested in what children are saying and doing. Children snuggle up on staff's laps if they are feeling unsettled. Staff position themselves at key points around the room so they can engage with children, they ask questions about the colours of the aeroplanes. They repeat the words children say, modelling the correct pronunciation when children mispronounce colour names.
• Children sit together on cushions and look at books. They turn the pages as they look through the book and carefully put the book back on the rack when they have finished. Children point to a picture on the board to choose the song they want to sing during carpet time. Toddlers enjoy joining in with the actions for their favourite rhymes and songs.
• Behaviour is good overall. However, sometimes staff do not make the expectations clear to children for key routine activities such as tidying up or lining up to wash their hands. As a result, some children continue playing in small groups, leaving their friends and staff to tidy up. As a result, some children do not learn to take responsibility for tidying up after themselves.
• Staff support children's mathematical development well. They count with groups of children, asking them what number comes after nine. They help children to use tape measures to develop understanding of larger numbers. However, sometimes staff do things for children which they could do independently. For example, when testing which car travels fastest down a pipe, staff position the pipes and adjust the angle to ensure the cars don't get stuck before they start testing. This means that children's exploration and problem-solving skills are not always challenged.
• Children are supported to to be active and healthy. Staff support toddlers to carefully climb the equipment outside and to safely move down the slide. They remind children to pull up their sleeves before they go to wash their hands ready for a snack and help those who find this difficult. They talk about their healthy snacks as they eat together, commenting on the juicy watermelon.
• Parents are happy with the setting, they feel well informed about what is happening in the nursery through discussions with their children's key person and updates on the online application. Staff provide a folder of photos of activities children have been doing at nursery which they can look at while waiting to pick up their children. Staff regularly invite parents in for events. They share ideas for parents to help their children's learning at home.
• Leaders work closely with the local authority. They form good relationships with the schools that children will attend after the setting, which supports children's transitions. Staff comment that the recent training provided has been supportive in enhancing practice and strengthening their understanding and skills.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review the arrangements for tidy up time so all children take responsibility for looking after their learning environment
• support staff to consider ways to allow children to independently problem solve and further develop their critical thinking skills.