The Owl Playschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff create a wonderfully calm and welcoming start to the children's day. They greet children with individual care, making them feel special and nurtured. Staff use familiar music and songs to help children feel safe and secure. They hold children's hands and chat to them about their morning. Children enjoy the responsibility of being chosen to complete routine tasks. They show pride in recording the weather and tell their friends, 'It is windy today.' Staff involve children in completing risk assessments. This helps children to feel involved and valued.

Children show excellent attitudes to learning. They explore with confidence and become highly engrossed in new activities. Younger children are captivated by sensory activities. Staff model how to spread shaving foam onto upturned plant pots. They gradually reveal 'wiggly worms' as plant pots are squeezed together. Children are mesmerised and delight in trying it for themselves. Staff respond quickly to children's emerging interests. For example, children show curiosity in packaging used for boxes of chocolates. Children collaborate together to mix paint for their own pretend chocolate. Staff encourage children to make predictions about how the mixture might change colour. They promote positive behaviour and praise children when they share spoons to stir their mixture.

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

• Staff provide a well-planned curriculum based on children's interests. They know children well and can confidently explain where they are in their development. Staff and leaders work together to monitor children's learning and put support in place. As a result, children make good progress.
• Children are very happy and demonstrate strong bonds with staff. They show boundless affection to them throughout the day and delight in snuggling next to staff to hear stories. Staff treat all children with the utmost care and respect. They use nappy changing times to build warm relationships with children. For example, staff sing familiar songs to children, which supports their social development.
• Children are well prepared for the next stage of their learning. They demonstrate independence in their own self-care. They take pride in pouring drinks and chopping fruit at snack times. Staff give gentle encouragement to entice children to master new skills. They demonstrate how to spread butter onto crackers and then step back to allow children time to practise.
• Children's behaviour is very good. They hear bells ring and comment, 'It is time to tidy up.' Children show kindness to one another during their play. They share out toys and say, 'You can sit next to me.' Where minor disputes occur, staff help children to understand how their behaviour may affect others. For example, they use age-appropriate stories to explain how sharing makes people feel happy.
• Children develop a real love of books. Staff speak clearly to children and read stories with expression. They skilfully use props and questions to help children understand the plot and characters. As a result, children sit enthralled and are keen to join in with familiar words.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress. Staff are attentive to children's developing needs and demonstrate a good understanding of what best supports children's next steps. They work with other agencies and parents to plan and share appropriate targets.
• Children are energetic and physically active. They enjoy opportunities to dig, climb and run around outdoors. Staff promote children's physical development. They initiate chasing games, such as hide and seek, and encourage children to climb low branches on trees.
• The manager is a strong leader who carefully shares her clear vision and ambition with staff. She provides effective supervisions and training to support staff in their professional development. Staff comment that they feel listened to and valued and say the playschool is 'like a family.'
• Parents comment that their children happily attend the playschool. They say that staff are kind and caring and their children are making great progress. Parents are impressed by the range of activities the playschool offers. However, some parents comment that they would benefit from more support with their children's learning at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen support provided to parents to enable them to extend their children's learning at home.