Warden Bay Playgroup

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happy and confident. Parents and carers are invited into the playgroup to settle their children and pass over information to their key person. Children wave their parents off with ease. They have strong attachments with staff, who know them well. The environment is planned daily to meet the needs of the children. As a result, children are eager to explore with their friends. For example, they are excited to see what sensory resources are hiding in the 'dark den' and ask staff about the 'Hungry Caterpillar' activity, where they investigate the fruit from the story with interest. Children begin to explore a range of mathematical concepts, from shape and size to counting and numbers.

All staff help to plan an effective and ambitious curriculum that focuses on promoting children's independence and speech. Children actively explore the environment, both inside and outside, choosing where they prefer to play. For example, children enjoy using the outside area to mark make on a large scale. They select their own paint and chalk independently. Staff ensure that they are deployed well to meet the needs of the children, and they talk in a calm and gentle manner to support all children in their learning and development. Children show good levels of concentration at activities. Children generally behave well. Older children are good role models for the younger children and show patience and kindness.

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

• The new manager and committee have made lots of improvements and created a harmonious staff team in a short space of time. For example, physical changes have been made to the large indoor space to create an enabling environment. Staff say they feel valued and appreciate that their suggestions are taken on board. Together, the staff team has designed a new and ambitious curriculum that builds on what children know and can do. Staff make good use of popular stories to ignite children's interests in learning and to further develop their vocabulary. Children make good progress from their starting points. Staff understand what they want children to learn and why.
• Early years pupil premium funding is used well to support disadvantaged children and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders and staff look carefully at what children need and then decide how to spend the funding. They have recently used funding to hire large resources, such as climbing frames for inside. This meets the developing needs of the children based on their next steps and interests. Children show confidence with their physical development as they climb. The resources across the provision meet the needs of the children well.
• Parents speak highly of the playgroup. Staff regularly share progress information with parents through parents' evenings and an online app. They hold regular 'coffee mornings' for parents to attend. This provides opportunities for staff to speak to parents about what the children are learning and how this can be further developed at home. Furthermore, it gives parents a voice and opportunities to feed back their ideas and thoughts on the running of the setting. This allows the new leaders to fully understand what parents want for their children and how they can work in partnership together effectively.
• Children with SEND are generally well supported. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) has a good understanding of the children who need additional support. Children are identified quickly when they show delays. Staff communicate with parents, outside agencies and other provisions that children also attend to help them understand and cater for children's needs. However, staff do not always use strategies consistently to work on children's next steps.
• Staff use positive ways to promote children's good behaviour. For example, they remind them of the rules, such as to use 'walking feet' and 'no shoes, no outside'. However, staff do not always provide clear and consistent guidance about their expectations. For instance, when children explore the climbing frame and want to climb up the slide, staff tell children 'no'. Consequently, children are not always sure about what they are allowed to do and why.
• Leaders and managers provide good opportunities for children to learn about the diverse community in which they live. They take the children out to the local park and beach. Staff from the children centre visit the setting regularly to cook with the children and teach them about their oral health. The new committee recognises that it is very much an integral part of the community and continues to strengthen this aspect of the provision.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• improve the provision for children with SEND to ensure that agreed strategies are consistently implemented
• improve teaching to make sure children understand why some behaviour might not be appropriate.