The Playroom

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and play well with their friends at this lively setting. Children learn to choose their own activities and develop their own interests. They are excited to explore the wide range of resources available. Staff are nurturing and responsive to children's needs. They give children lots of cuddles and reassuring words, which helps children to feel safe and secure. Babies beam with pride as staff praise them for developing new skills, such as pulling themselves up to standing and using a spoon to feed themselves. Older children enjoy playing outdoors. Staff support them to take turns on the bikes and join in with simple ball games. Children learn about the community around them. They enjoy regular visits to local parks and the library, which extends their knowledge of the world.

Leaders and managers are ambitious for children's learning. The curriculum provides children with a broad experience across the early years foundation stage. Staff plan fun opportunities for children to build on what they can already do. For example, babies use their finger muscles to explore the texture of foam, and older children develop further muscle control by learning to stretch and roll play dough.

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

• All children have a key person, who knows them well. Children develop secure relationships with all staff and seek comfort when they need it. For example, younger children hold up their arms for a cuddle when they get tired. Staff respond with smiles and kind words that support children's well-being.
• Staff plan experiences that are based on children's interests, which means children are highly engaged in their play. Children develop good levels of concentration and persevere in their chosen activities. For example, they spend long periods of time digging in sand and filling and emptying containers.
• The quality of teaching is good. Staff join in with children's play and demonstrate how to use resources, such as fitting construction blocks together. They chat to children about what they are doing and ask simple questions that extend children's thinking and learning. This helps children to make good progress.
• Children generally behave well and learn to follow simple instructions. They are polite and kind to each other. For example, older children learn to share and say, 'it's your turn', when they have finished using a toy. Staff teach children to say 'please' and 'thank you' and encourage babies to use signs to do this.
• There are times when routine tasks take staff away from interacting with children and supporting their needs. This means some children become bored and struggle to control their behaviour, which leads to minor incidents such as snatching toys. However, staff help children to resolve these sensitively.
• Older children have opportunities to hear other languages, such as Spanish, during extra classes. They are enthusiastic to join in with the songs and rhymes. However, children who speak English as an additional language do not have opportunities to hear and use their own language in the setting.
• Staff teach children to develop independent self-care skills. Babies learn to feed themselves, and toddlers learn to clean their hands with sanitiser when coming in from the garden. This teaches children good hygiene practice to keep themselves safe.
• Leadership and management is effective. The manager is a strong role model and works alongside the team to provide guidance on meeting children's needs. Staff say they feel well supported through one-to-one meetings and regular training to extend their knowledge of child development.
• The manager uses suitable strategies to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff liaise with parents to share techniques to meet children's needs and support them to make good progress.
• Partnerships with parents are good. Staff use a digital app to show the progress children make, sharing observations and photos with parents. Staff share ideas of what parents can do to continue children's learning at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop strategies to manage transition times to ensure children's individual needs continue to be met at all times
• extend opportunities for children who speak English as an additional language to hear and use their own languages.