Trinity Methodist Playgroup

Inclusion: Expected standard

Staff gather detailed information from parents before children start at the setting. They continue to work closely with families to identify any changes to children's needs. Overall, staff have high expectations for children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who may face barriers to learning. They identify, assess and monitor children's progress through regular observation and interactions. This helps to determine what children need to learn and develop next. All children are included in the experiences and activities staff provide.

Staff implement strategies to support children's needs. For example, they use visual aids and simple sign language throughout their interactions. This particularly helps children who speak English as an additional language and nonverbal children. However, staff do not always provide enough opportunities for children to celebrate and develop the languages they speak at home.

Leaders ensure additional funding is used to support the needs of individual children. For instance, staff create book bags to support children's listening and attention skills. Furthermore, children take the book bags home so parents can support children's learning and development further.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have designed a clear curriculum that builds knowledge and skills from children's starting points. They prioritise children's personal, social and emotional development. Positive, trusting relationships underpin learning for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, disadvantaged children and those facing barriers to learning and/or wellbeing. Leaders and staff demonstrate a commitment to inclusion by ensuring all children participate fully in all aspects of the curriculum. Staff adapt activities to meet children's interests and needs. This helps children to get the right support quickly and achieve well.

Typically, staff have a secure knowledge of the curriculum and interact well with children. They provide a narrative as children play, and they use sign language to support communication. However, during some group activities, children are not always given sufficient time to think, respond or engage in conversations. This means the development of some children's language, thinking and understanding is not consistently extended to a higher level.

Children enjoy their time in the garden. They share ideas and play cooperatively at the 'water wall'. They use their small hand muscles to turn the outside tap on and off to collect water. Children fill up jugs and pour water down funnels, developing their hand-eye coordination. Furthermore, children's mathematical development is supported as they match jugs to the same-coloured funnels and compare volumes of water.

Achievement: Expected standard

Overall, children make appropriate progress from their starting points. This includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities or those who face barriers to their learning. For example, children who were nonverbal when they first started at the setting begin to use single words and simple sign language to communicate.

Children enjoy daily play outside, which contributes to their good health. They fill and pour water from containers into funnels, which helps to strengthen their hand muscles. Children access learning that is age- and stage-appropriate. This helps them to build knowledge and learning over time so that they can move to the next stage of learning with confidence.

Children develop early mathematical understanding as they learn to count, name colours and compare different sizes during activities. For example, during a ball-rolling game, children compare different sizes of balls, saying whether they are 'smaller' or 'bigger' and whether they move 'faster' or 'slower'.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Children behave well and develop positive relationships with their peers and staff. They play cooperatively, share resources and are kind to one another. Staff model calm behaviour and remind children of simple rules. Children respond positively to reminders, such as using 'walking feet' when they run inside. Staff give children lots of praise and encouragement. They congratulate them on their achievements with a 'high five' and 'well done'. This builds children's confidence and self-esteem. Children begin to recognise their own positive behaviours. For instance, during group activities, children say, 'I'm sharing.'

Children confidently follow familiar routines throughout the day, such as washing their hands before meals and helping to tidy away resources. Staff use visual cues and a tambourine to alert children when there is a change in routine. This is particularly helpful for younger children. These well-established routines help children develop independence, confidence and positive attitudes to learning.

Staff recognise the importance of regular attendance and work closely with families to promote this. They have clear procedures for following up absences and supporting children to attend regularly.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Children benefit from individualised settling-in sessions to help them feel safe and develop close bonds with their key persons. When children need longer to settle, attendance is gradually increased, helping them develop secure relationships at their own pace. Leaders and staff work with families to understand children's individual routines and health needs.

Children's emotional wellbeing is supported through warm relationships and consistent routines. Staff help children to recognise and manage their emotions using visual prompts. For instance, when children arrive at the setting, staff gently support them to find their photo to display on the self-registration board. They engage in discussion about how they are feeling and why. This helps children to feel safe, valued and ready to learn.

Effective hygiene practices make sure that the personal needs of all children are met appropriately. Children independently wash their hands before snack and after using the toilet. Leaders demonstrate awareness of oral health concerns in the local area and support children's oral care and self-care skills. They provide parents with information about dental health and give out toothpaste and a toothbrush for children to take home. Furthermore, staff plan experiences that help children learn how to care for their teeth. For instance, they engage in dental role play and arrange for a dentist to attend the setting.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders and staff have worked hard to meet the action and recommendations raised at their last inspection. They have strengthened their safer recruitment processes to ensure the required suitability checks are completed for any newly recruited staff. Leaders are reflective and committed to providing a high level of education and care for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or those who face barriers to their learning. They work alongside external professional agencies, including schools, to ensure that children receive a targeted approach during their time at the setting and beyond.

Staff report they feel valued and that their wellbeing is a priority for leaders. Leaders recognise the importance of supporting staff in their day-to-day work. They monitor staff performance through regular supervision and peer observations. However, staff supervision sessions are not yet fully embedded. Staff do not always receive targeted support and coaching to help them to further improve learning outcomes for children.

Leaders and staff work very closely with parents to establish a firm partnership. Parents speak positively about the high level of communication they receive regarding their children's progress and wellbeing. Staff regularly share children's next steps with parents, along with ideas for activities they can do at home to support children's learning further.

Staff provide activities to widen children's experiences and help them feel part of their community. For instance, they link closely with the church and regularly visit the library. Furthermore, leaders involve families in local charity work they do, such as donating baby equipment and toys.