Whitton Playdays

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happily at the setting. They feel safe in the calm and nurturing environment. Children have plenty of opportunities to engage in activities. For example, they sing songs in a group. Children laugh together as they join in with the song of 'Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes'.

Children enjoy spending time playing with the toy cars. They label different colours while they play. Staff support this by asking questions such as, 'What is your favourite colour?' Children and staff talk about different colours, such as turquoise. This enables children to develop their understanding of colours. Children play exceptionally well together. They behave well and spend long periods playing in groups. Children enjoy playing together in the water area. Staff support children to share by using phrases such as 'sharing is caring'. Children respond well to this.

Children develop their imaginations. For instance, they collect suitcases and pretend to go on an aeroplane. Children engage in conversations and talk to each other about making a cake with the sand as they play. They develop their mathematical understanding. For example, children play with numbers in the water tray in the garden. They pick out numbers and staff support them to identify the correct number.

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

• Staff talk to children consistently about their own experiences outside of the setting. They talk about recent trips to the beach that children have enjoyed. Staff also talk to children about different family members. This supports children to feel comfortable and valued in the setting.
• Children have opportunities to develop their independence skills. For instance, they make their own choices about activities that they would like to join in with during their time at the setting. Children enjoy taking part in creative activities and staff encourage them to choose resources for themselves. During snack time, staff support children to become independent. For example, they encourage children to prepare their fruit independently.
• Children benefit from engaging story sessions. They independently choose to look at books. Staff join children in reading a variety of different stories. They introduce children to new ideas. For example, staff explain to children what an ark is when reading the story of 'Noah's Ark'. After reading a story, children reflect on what they have read and are asked questions about the book. This enables them to develop their recall skills. However, children are not consistently supported to develop their understanding. For example, staff do not use different techniques to help children to develop these skills. This means that children do not always know what is expected of them. For example, some children are not always aware of what comes next in the daily routine.
• The manager is reflective. She can identify areas in the setting that she would like to develop. Parents speak positively about the setting. They express how they work together to ensure that children learn new skills. Staff know children well. They respond to children's individual needs throughout the day. Staff can identify children's starting points in learning and make plans to support all children to develop.
• Overall, children develop their communication and language skills. Staff talk to children, ask them questions and give suggestions. For example, they ask children, 'Would you like to make a car?' Although children have opportunities to develop their communication skills, staff do not consistently give children enough time to process and respond before repeating questions.
• Staff speak to children about different concepts. For example, they explain about oranges growing on a tree and strawberries growing on a bush. Children engage exceptionally well. Staff expand on this by adding new ideas, explaining that coconuts grow on a tree and have coconut milk inside. This helps to develop children's understanding of the world.
• The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) ensures that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well in the setting. She works alongside parents to create individual targets for children to be able to develop and achieve.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to increase their awareness of different techniques to support children to develop their understanding
• develop staff's understanding to ensure that children are given enough time to process and respond to questions.