Warren Playgroup

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children develop secure relationships with the warm and nurturing staff team. They call staff 'auntie' and enjoy playing with the adults who care for them. Children play cooperatively with their friends. Younger children copy their older peers and delight in playing with them. For example, they put on fancy dress costumes and pretend to be different characters. During activities, children work together on their shared ideas. For example, they use spades to dig mud in the woodland area. Children excitedly explain that they are digging a 'pot hole'. They talk to their friends about their ideas, encouraging everyone to get involved and help.

Children enjoy exploring the natural world. For instance, staff give children magnifying glasses to hunt for bugs under logs. Children spend lots of time outside in the fresh air. They benefit from physical exercise to burn off energy. For example, children use ride-on cars to push themselves around the garden. The manager and staff want the best for all children. They know each child well and focus their activities on what children are interested in and enjoy.

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

• The manager develops a curriculum that focuses on the skills that children need to learn to prepare them for the next stage in their education. For instance, she prioritises children becoming independent and developing strong gross and fine motor skills. As a result, children demonstrate good control when they draw and practise writing letters.
• Children are happy to spend time at the playgroup. They show high levels of engagement in the activities that they choose. For instance, children build towers out of large foam bricks. They are eager to have a go and challenge themselves to build the tower as high as they can.
• Children complete self-care tasks independently. For example, they wash their hands by themselves and communicate the need to go to the toilet. During snack and mealtimes, staff provide children with lots of opportunities and encouragement to do things for themselves. For example, children pour their own drinks and open the packets in their lunch boxes.
• The manager provides staff with regular supervision. She holds team meetings and encourages staff to reflect on what is working well and what they would like to improve. The manager has created a positive working environment where staff feel valued.
• Children enjoy helping adults to complete tasks. For example, they work with an adult to complete the daily register, checking which of their friends are present. Children understand the daily routine well. When staff use a tambourine to signal it is tidy-up time, they help to put the toys away before sitting on the carpet. Children sit and listen well while recapping the expectations for their behaviour, such as to have 'listening ears'.
• Parents report that they are very happy with the care and education provided to their children. They feel their children are making good progress. Parents are included in their children's education, and they receive regular feedback about their development. Staff also provide parents with ways that they can support their children's learning at home.
• Staff deploy themselves well and interact with children during their play. However, they do not always consider how to use their interactions to introduce new language to children to broaden their vocabulary, such as when children are participating in creative activities.
• The role of the key person is fully embedded, and staff know their key children well. Staff identify what individual children need to learn next. However, sometimes, they do not always consider how to precisely include individual children's learning needs into their planned activities.
• Staff help to teach children about traditions that are celebrated throughout the world. For example, they talk to children about Chinese New Year and provide related activities. Children confidently recall that it is the Year of the Rabbit as they curiously explore cooked spaghetti.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• focus on improving staff's teaching in order to extend and broaden children's vocabulary to further develop their communication and language
• refine how staff plan activities to ensure that they precisely support individual children to achieve and make the best possible progress.