Tollerton Playgroup

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and safe in the welcoming environment created by staff. They have close bonds with staff, who greet them with a smile. Children happily seek a reassuring cuddle or help from staff when needed. This supports children's well-being and ensures they feel secure enough to explore the wide range of resources available.

Children are confident and enjoy having conversations with others. They listen to others and wait for the appropriate time to speak. Children learn about emotions with staff and talk positively about what makes them unique. They laugh as they practise making faces in the mirror. Children show their caring nature, explaining they could 'give someone cuddles', if they looked sad. With staff they look at pictures of a variety of people. Staff help children to use their imagination and share ideas on how the people are feeling and why. Children are curious, asking questions about things they have not seen before, including braces on a person's teeth. They listen carefully to staff as they explain what they are for. Children discuss with staff things that make them similar to others in the pictures, including skin and hair colour.

Children are keen to try things for themselves. They persevere, with staff's encouragement, to cut cucumber and other healthy foods for snack. They know the routines during the day and what staff expect of them. Children hang their coats on their peg and place craft items they have made into their draw, ready to take home.

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

• Staff interact with children well, asking them appropriate questions and making sure they have enough time to respond. They develop children's communication and language and teach them the importance of stories. When staff ask what all good stories start with children reply, 'Once upon a time'. Staff repeat key words and phrases from books and allow children time to suggest what comes next. Children draw pictures of the story and tell staff what they have drawn, using information they recall.
• Staff encourage children to share resources with each other, reminding them of how to ask politely using the words please and thank you. Children respect each other and the resources in the setting.
• Staff help children to learn how to do things for themselves and how to keep themselves healthy. They encourage children to wash their hands and wipe their nose without support. Staff talk to children about the food they eat and what is healthy.
• Staff know their key children well. They observe children throughout the day, assessing what they know and can do. Staff identify what children need to learn next, and any potential gaps in children's learning and experiences. This includes those children who may need additional support. Staff do not always effectively share information with each other about what aspects of learning they are supporting children with. Therefore, staff cannot always focus their support during activities and some children do not make the most progress they are capable of.
• Staff plan learning opportunities for children based around their interests. Children develop their ability to share and their physical skills as they use ride-on cars to negotiate around the outdoor environment. They exclaim 'traffic jam', and staff help them understand how to use their legs to move in a bigger 'turning circle'. Occasionally, staff do not give children enough support to be able to make choices when they are free to choose where they play. Therefore, at times, some children wander around the environment without engaging in play.
• Staff help children learn about the world around them. They teach children how to plant and take care of seeds, and link this to the book they have been reading. Staff teach children new vocabulary about capacity and support them to develop their hand muscles when digging and moving soil with spades.
• Leaders provide high-quality training for all staff that improves the experiences for children. For example, staff undertake training to provide them with further knowledge and skills to help children who struggle with verbal communication. They work together to share good practice and ideas to improve the playgroup.
• Parents and carers are complimentary about all aspects of the playgroup, including staff's 'phenomenal attention and care'. They say that communication is excellent, and they feel included in all aspects of their child's learning and development. Parents explain that staff make great efforts in supporting children to be school ready.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• make the most of information gathered about what children know and can do to consistently focus support on what children need to learn next
• provide children with further support during child-led play to help them focus more on their chosen play.