Whitley Lodge Under Fives

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children come into the playgroup happy and confident. If any children are unsettled, staff are quickly on hand to provide reassurance and support. Children know the routine very well. They find their picture cards, self-register and wash their hands. Children demonstrate that they are happy, content and feel safe in the playgroup. This is evident as children keenly wave and give a warm welcome to new visitors to the setting, such as the inspector. Children relish outdoor play, where they get plenty of exercise. They take calculated risks as they jump off equipment and walk across large pillars in the well-equipped garden. Children excitedly use spray bottles and paintbrushes to make marks. Staff encourage children to mix red, white, and blue paint. Children discuss the variety of colours they make.

Children's behaviour is very good. Staff are excellent role models. Children learn how to recognise their emotions. For example, they read the book 'The Colour Monster' and use colours to indicate their feelings. Staff discuss these at circle time and support children to recognise and understand their feelings. Children have many opportunities to be creative. They practise using scissors, glue and a variety of materials to make coronation bunting and crowns. Staff support children to hold the scissors the correct way. This strengthens their small muscles in preparation for early writing skills.

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

• Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. Children behave well and are beginning to manage their own feelings. When children struggle with their behaviour, staff are on hand to provide gentle reminders about what type of behaviour is expected. This helps children to develop a sense of right and wrong.
• The manager and deputy manager are an excellent support to the team. Staff's well-being and mental health are paramount. They make good use of supervision meetings to support staff effectively. Staff are comfortable approaching the manager at any time. They attend regular team meetings to reflect on their practice and training sessions that help to support them in their role.
• There is effective partnership working with other settings. The manager ensures there is a regular sharing of information when children attend another setting. Furthermore, staff engage effectively with other professionals, such as speech and language, health visitors and local authority advisors. They share information about children's development and ensure that any referrals are made swiftly. This helps to support children's learning and development.
• The manager and her team have an ambitious curriculum. They build on what children know and can already do. Staff make effective ongoing assessments of children's achievements. They provide children with a stimulating learning environment, indoors and outdoors. This helps children to make good progress. However, at times, during planned activities, staff do not focus clearly on the most important learning they want children to achieve. This impacts on the progress children make.
• Children's communication and language skills are supported well. Staff talk to children all the time. For instance, they introduce new words, such as 'cocoon, passenger' and 'enormous'. Staff regularly introduce topics for discussion. For example, children talk about the King's coronation. This helps to develop children's speaking and listening skills.
• Children's physical development is supported well. For instance, they take part in a 'wake up, shake up' session. Furthermore, they mix ingredients as they make dough and practise spreading butter onto their bread at snack time. This helps to build up their large-and-small muscle skills, coordination and stamina.
• Parents and carers speak very highly of the setting. They comment that the setting is a 'lovely, welcoming learning space'. They commend the manager and her team for being friendly, supportive and approachable. Parents enjoy the feedback they receive about their children's activities and feel fully involved in their children's learning.
• Children are developing good independence skills. They wash their hands after toileting and before eating. Children independently wipe their own noses and place the tissues in the bin. Children identify their own coats and put them on with little support. Furthermore, children are able to ask for help when they need it. This helps to develop some of the skills needed for future learning.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• ensure planned activities focus more consistently on the intended learning, to help children achieve their full potential.