The Reddings Playgroup

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are warmly welcomed into the playgroup by the kind and caring staff, who know the children and their families well. The children quickly settle into their chosen play. Each day, staff prepare the learning environment around children's individual needs and the curriculum intentions. They place a strong focus on supporting skills for future learning, such as promoting children's independence and communication and language skills.

Children enjoy looking at books and display positive attitudes during group story sessions. Staff provide children with individual mats to sit on. This helps them to sit comfortably and supports their listening and attention skills. Staff engage them in meaningful discussions as they explore the illustrations in the book. Children recall the story and make connections with their play. They quickly recognise that the gingerbread man's buttons match the colours of traffic lights.

As children grow in independence, staff encourage them to take on small responsibilities. They learn healthy habits, such as washing their hands before snack time. Children collect their plates and cups before sitting down at the table. They find their coats and hats for outdoor play, attempting to put them on independently. Staff adjust their level of assistance based on children's individual needs. They support older children to have a go at zipping their coat up by themselves.

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

• The quality of teaching and learning children receive at the playgroup is good. Since the last inspection, new leaders have been appointed, and they, along with the staff, are building a strong team. They have worked closely with the local authority improvement adviser and have attended training to improve children's experiences. In addition, committee members recently attended training to support their understanding of their roles and responsibilities.
• Leaders have implemented some ways to monitor the quality of provision. The staff meet regularly to share ideas and discuss best practice. They also meet with leaders to identify professional development opportunities and to talk about their well-being. Staff report they are happy and content in their roles. However, leaders are yet to fully embed the ongoing evaluations to drive continuous improvement and further improve outcomes for children.
• Children make good progress in their learning and development. Staff regularly assess children's development and set them half-termly individual next steps in learning. They use these next steps, along with children's interests, to plan engaging learning experiences that support overall progress. However, for some children, the targeted next steps in learning lack precision and are not specific enough to support them to make even better progress.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) make good progress from their starting points. Staff work closely with parents and external professionals, such as health visitors, to regularly review each child's progress toward their learning goals. Leaders ensure that any additional funding they receive is used effectively to meet children's individual needs. For example, leaders recently purchased resources, such as fidget toys, to improve children's engagement and concentration during group activities.
• Children have daily opportunities for fresh air and exercise, promoting physical development and understanding of the world. Staff set up activities, such as wheeled toys and cones, to help children develop spatial awareness and learn the meaning of road safety signs. As they navigate the outdoor area, children consider their speed and movements, being mindful of their peers.
• Staff have established effective partnerships with professionals from other settings that children attend. They have introduced a policy to ensure smooth communication and seek parental consent during induction to discuss children's learning and development. This helps promote consistency and continuity in children's care and learning. For example, staff regularly communicate with managers at other settings to share key information and discuss children's progress towards developmental goals.
• Staff regularly share information with parents about their children's learning, inviting them into the setting for in-depth discussions on progress and achievements. They also provide updates and photos through online learning journeys, enabling parents to extend learning at home. Parents praise the care and education their children receive, highlighting improvements over the past year. They commend the staff for meeting individual needs and report that their children are very happy to attend.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to plan even more precise next steps for children's learning to help them make the best possible progress in their learning and development
• build on procedures for monitoring the quality of the provision to ensure recent improvements are sustained and the playgroup continues to develop, ensuring the best possible outcomes for children.