Tywardreath Pre-School Playgroup

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive eager to share their stories with the warm and caring staff. They settle quickly, exploring the inviting range of toys and activities on offer. Children concentrate and are very involved in their play. For example, older children share a book and talk about what is happening in the pictures. Younger children construct using magnetic blocks. They are fascinated when the blocks pull together. Children make good progress across all areas of the curriculum, especially those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff expertly observe and assess children. They use this knowledge to plan activities that offer challenge and support. For example, children learn about numbers. Older children cut out numbers one to 10 to make spikes for a dinosaur collage. Staff help them to sequence and think about the quantity for each number.

Children feel safe and secure. Staff ensure the environment is free of hazards for the children. Children develop good self-help skills. They independently put on wellington boots and coats to explore the garden. Children enjoy the fresh air as they develop their physical skills. They show a can-do attitude as they climb, slide, cycle and dig. Children stay focused for long periods of time during activities. For example, two-year-old children explore play dough for a long period of time. They relish making patterns in it.

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

• Children develop good language skills. Staff noted that the COVID pandemic has had a negative impact on children's communication skills. As a result, they now focus on modelling language well. They introduce new words to the children. For example, staff introduce words to describe dinosaurs, including 'camouflage'. Children repeat this when they describe the colour of the dinosaur. Staff use open-ended questions to extend children's thinking and promote conversation.
• Children develop a good understanding of the importance of a healthy lifestyle. Staff promote good oral hygiene through innovative activities. For example, they sent each child home with a toothbrush. They also gave them a chart to record the times they brushed their teeth. This promoted positive conversations with the children at home. Staff promote healthy eating through their healthy eating policy.
• Children behave well as staff model calm and kind behaviour. Staff support children to understand their feelings and model words for these. Sometimes, staff are focused on helping a small group of children with activities. This means they miss situations where other children need support with their behaviour. Therefore, children do not receive consistent messages about being kind or how their behaviour impacts on others.
• The manager is very diligent about her role and aims to provide children with the best learning opportunities possible. She is working with the staff to develop an effective routine for the day. Children follow parts of the current routine well. However, during transitions, staff are not always clear about expectations. For example, children gather for a circle time. Some children continue playing and are disruptive. Children with SEND become upset, and learning opportunities are then missed. Children who are sitting calmly cannot hear what the staff are saying.
• Partnerships with parents are very effective. The manager and staff invite parents in to share a 'craftanoon' with their children. They share ideas with parents and help them to understand how their children are learning in the setting. Staff share each child's progress and next steps well with parents, and they value this feedback.
• The manager and staff have developed excellent relationships with other settings. When children attend more than one setting, staff share targets and progress with each other. This ensures that children make consistent progress. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) works well with outside agencies. This ensures that children with SEND progress well.
• The manager is supported well by the committee. She is very ambitious for all children to achieve the best they can. She continually trains to develop her knowledge and skills. She shares this passion and commitment with the staff. All staff want to develop their practice. The manager uses effective supervision meetings to support them with this.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop the routine to ensure it is consistently implemented to help children to know what is expected and learn to follow instructions
• support children to understand how their actions can affect other people's feelings.