Allen Gardens Playgroup

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children arrive at the playgroup and separate from their parents with ease. They engage in the activities on offer.

Children are close to their key person and seek them out for comfort and support. They demonstrate that they feel safe and secure. Children are confident, and speak and communicate with visitors.

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), receive a good curriculum. The manager and staff use children's current interests to further develop children's knowledge and skills. Staff prepare children for their next steps in learning.

Children understand the b...ehaviour that is expected of them at the playgroup. They have plenty of opportunities to learn from and with each other. Children share resources, such as buckets and brooms, when they clean ride-on cars.

Children take turns during their play. For example, children wait their turn and choose songs during rhyme-time sessions. This impacts positively on children's behaviour.

The management team understands the local area. It works with the local authority to continually risk assess the premises, including the area immediately outside the setting to reduce rubbish and other hazards. This has an impact on the quality of education.

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

Children take part in a variety of activities with skilful staff. For example, children and staff use musical instruments and sing nursery rhymes together. Staff pause and wait for children to continue the rhyme and fill in the missing words.

In addition, children tap out rhythms with instruments as they sing. They use their large muscles to stomp and clap to beats. Children have good opportunities and experiences across the prime areas of learning.

Caring staff understand children's abilities and know how to keep them safe. All children confidently explore the playgroup environment. For example, children use a water butt to fill buckets and containers.

They decide to push heavy buckets of water rather than carrying them. These experiences help to promote children's critical thinking and problem-solving skills. This has a positive impact on children's creative development.

Staff plan a group activity at the end of each day, which usually begins with a story. Staff extend children's learning and encourage them to reflect on their day and listen to each other. However, at times, staff do not encourage all children to listen and actively take part.

Furthermore, they do not provide resources to enhance all children's learning. This means that children do not make as much progress in their language development and communication skills during these activities.The provision for children with SEND is a strength of the setting.

Children with SEND show a desire to engage in meaningful sensory experiences. For example, when children mix soapy water and leaves, they explore and make babbling sounds. Staff copy these sounds.

This has a positive impact on children's personal development. For example, it helps children to express themselves and form good relationships.Children who speak English as an additional language, such as Bengali, have the support of Bengali speaking members of staff.

They help children to speak and learn English alongside Bengali. As a result, most children develop English rapidly. Staff have a good partnership with the local school to enable a smooth transition from playgroup to school.

This helps children to settle quickly into their next steps in education.The management team has a strong partnership with parents. Parents speak very positively of the manager and her staff, and the experiences of their children.

The manager shares information about their children's individual progress in line with the early years foundation stage, and how to support their children at home. In addition, staff use termly workshops to enhance parents' knowledge. For example, parents recently attended a workshop about supporting children's oral health.

This supports children's quality of education.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The manager and staff demonstrate a good awareness of safeguarding practice.

They understand the importance of recognising any cause for concern. They know how to report any concerns, including allegations against those working with children. Staff are trained to understand the provider's safeguarding policies and procedures.

They discuss safeguarding at every staff meeting. The recruitment and induction of staff is thorough, and individual suitability assessments are completed.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nensure that staff give all children plenty of opportunities to listen, to further enhance their language skills plan activities more effectively so that sufficient resources are available to enhance all children's learning.