Vicarage Road Playgroup

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff help children to develop positive self-esteem and feel secure in offering their contributions in a group. For instance, children are confident to lead group singing sessions. Staff prepare children well for their move on to school. Children's days are well structured, and the consistent routines help to build their confidence. Children wear their playgroup uniform with pride. This helps them to view playgroup as a step in their journey towards school. Children develop positive attitudes towards their play and learning. Staff help children to understand their expectations. They are quick to offer praise for children's achievements and step in swiftly to help them resolve frustrations. As a result, children behave well and begin to understand how their behaviour affects others.

Staff read to children often throughout the day, helping them learn to love books. Children enjoy gathering around staff to listen contentedly to stories. Staff involve children in choosing their favourite stories to read. They discuss the content and ask questions to check children's understanding. This helps to build on children's vocabulary and communication skills. Staff help children to consider their own safety. They discuss how to climb safely as children look forward to outdoor play.

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

• Leaders consider children's physical development well. Staff support children to balance and climb in the outdoor area. They help children to develop small-muscle control by carefully stacking objects, for example. Staff teach children to hold a pencil correctly as they develop their artistic skills too. This helps children to develop coordination and precision, giving them a firm basis on which to build their skills.
• Leaders prioritise children's developing independence skills. Children learn to put on their own coats and know where to put their lunch boxes. Staff help children to gain confidence in their self-care skills and learn to respect each other's privacy. Children learn and practise key skills as they work towards their move on to school.
• Staff help children to learn about healthy lifestyles. Children brush their teeth daily at playgroup and are keen to show their parents how to do this correctly. They understand why and when it is important to wash their hands. Children begin to develop healthy habits for life.
• Staff help children to understand how they are each unique. For instance, they discuss different hair and eye colours and different types of families. Staff include some cultural celebrations in their planning but they do not always help children to develop an understanding about the wider world.
• Leaders' relationships with parents are supportive and friendly but strategies to engage with parents are not all well embedded. For example, leaders do not always manage to gather enough relevant information from parents about children's development and experiences. This can hinder their ability to plan precisely for children's learning from the outset and to bridge gaps in children's experiences effectively.
• Staff use their own knowledge to assess children's progress. They get to know children well and understand their individual needs. Staff understand how to sequence and build on children's understanding and skills. This helps children to make good progress in their learning across the curriculum.
• Leaders work effectively with other professionals to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders use additional funding effectively. Children with SEND make progress from their starting points.
• Leaders are dedicated to providing a positive experience for children. They demonstrate an ongoing commitment to the playgroup and regularly evaluate their practice and provision. Leaders source training to improve staff's knowledge and skills. This benefits children's learning and helps them to enjoy their time at playgroup.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop more ways to introduce children to other communities and lifestyles to help them begin to understand more about the wider world
• develop ways of engaging with parents to gather relevant information about children's achievements and experiences to support staff to plan accurately for children's learning.