Tiny Tots Pre School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enjoy their time at this welcoming playgroup. On arrival, they access a wide range of activities that interest them and ignite their curiosity. Children develop their small-muscle skills as they explore play dough. They squash and roll the play dough into cake cases and place candles on top. Children are encouraged by staff to develop their mathematical skills as they think about their age and put the corresponding number of candles on top of the cakes they have made.

Children use their imaginations as they go on a bear hunt and pretend to look for bears. Staff take on board this interest and introduce the story 'We're Going on a Bear Hunt'. Children explore the environment with magnifying glasses. They then use their listening skills as they gather for the story and join in with the familiar words and actions with enthusiasm.

Children are offered ample physical challenges outdoors. They take turns to scramble up steps and quickly slide down the slide. Children practise their coordination skills as they throw and kick balls to each other and balance carefully on small stilts. Children enjoy construction play. They carefully and skilfully build towers with wooden bricks, controlling their movements carefully, using their small-muscle skills to balance the bricks on top of each other, then proudly name their creations.

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

• The staff have created a curriculum that is relevant and ambitious for the children at the playgroup. They prioritise communication and language development in their programme of learning. Overall, the staff promote children's communication and language development well. Children enjoy actively participating in stories and engage the staff in meaningful conversations. However, there are times when interactions are not consistent. For example, during stories, children are asked direct questions and are not always given time to answer. This inhibits children's early communication and language development.
• Staff have embedded familiar routines that support children to develop good habits. For example, staff shake a tambourine before snack time and children know what this means. They respectfully form a line before going to wash their hands. This helps children to understand routines and good hygiene practices.
• Partnerships with parents are good. Parents comment that children make good progress at the playgroup. They say they are happy with the 'friendly and caring' approach that helps their children to settle quickly. Parents comment that information is shared regularly and children grow in confidence while they are at the playgroup.
• Staff encourage children to persevere during activities. Staff explain and demonstrate how children can lift their feet when using stilts to increase their skills. However, there is a little inconsistency. At times, some staff do not recognise children's interests, for example in how cars travel down the slide. Rather than developing this play, staff move the children away from the slide.
• The team of staff comment that they are very happy at the playgroup. They have respectful relationships with their colleagues. Staff say that they benefit by gaining essential knowledge through ample training opportunities. However, the way in which staff are monitored to support their professional development is still being developed.
• Children are respectful and behaviour is good throughout the playgroup. For example, children say 'excuse me' to get staff's attention during the session. Children are gently reminded to use their manners and in return, they are warmly praised and encouraged throughout. For example, as children achieve small milestones during their play, staff say, 'Good try, you can do it.'
• Staff want children to learn about their community and the people who live there. They arrange for children to visit nearby residential homes and shops. This helps children to understand about the different people in their community and builds their tolerance and respect for others.
• Children's independence is promoted throughout the session. For example, at snack times, staff select children to help to serve the nutritious snack. Children independently pour themselves drinks and are encouraged to dress themselves as they put on their coats to go outside.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to develop their interactions with children further to extend children's vocabulary and thinking skills
• help staff to better understand how to maximise learning based on the interests of children as they play
• refine the programme of support to staff to raise their understanding and confidence in delivering strong educational practices.