Barwell Village Hall Playgroup

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children in this playgroup settle quickly.

Staff gently encourage children to separate from their parents on arrival and begin to play. Staff carefully consider the support they provide to improve children's independence. For example, they encourage children to hang their coats up, collect their lunch boxes and put on their shoes.

Staff plan activities to support children's interests. Children are encouraged to make choices and develop their own ideas. For example, staff offer children different-coloured paint and craft materials to help them create pictures in the art area.

They offer lots of praise and encou...ragement as they teach children how to use glue sticks and make marks with different tools. This support helps children to recognise their own achievements and feel proud to show off their work.Staff help children to extend activities and further develop their imaginations.

For example, staff encourage children to build ramps when playing with the toy cars. They provide chalk and offer ideas as children draw roads, rivers and grass to drive around. This helps extend children's learning and motivates them to concentrate for longer periods of time.

Staff support children's good behaviour. When children make mistakes, such as taking a toy from a friend, the staff help them to understand how their behaviour affects others. They help children to consider how they might make different choices next time.

Children develop physical skills outside as they climb obstacles. Staff provide climbing equipment to encourage them to manoeuvre under, over and through. Children learn different ways to jump and how to land safely on mats.

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

The staff communicate effectively with the children and their parents, which helps to develop good relationships. They gather information from parents regarding children's learning at home. Staff use this information to help them plan activities and expand children's experiences.

For example, staff provide activities outdoors. They help children share and learn about taking turns as they use the equipment. They teach children to climb, balance and complete obstacle courses.

Staff assess children's development to help them understand their capabilities. They plan activities that generally help children to learn new skills. However, staff do not always carefully consider what they want individual children to learn from activities.

This means children are not always fully supported to build on what they already know and can do.The staff set high expectations for the children to learn about themselves and develop relationships with others. They set expectations that are based on the individual child's age and ability.

For example, staff teach older children to use mirrors to identify parts of the face and then teach them about emotions. Younger children are supported to sing songs to learn the different parts of the body.Staff generally support children's communication and language.

They encourage children's conversations and actively listen to what they say. However, some staff ask children lots of questions in quick succession without providing them with enough time to think and respond.Staff carefully consider a range of ways to support children's learning during routines.

They teach children to count as they select different foods for snack. Staff teach children about healthy eating and why they follow good hygiene routines. For example, they teach children why they need to wash their hands thoroughly and to sit still for snack.

The newly appointed manager is keen to drive improvements. She and her staff are working together to improve the curriculum for the children. For example, during staff meetings, they are focusing on developing knowledge and sharing good practices.

Skills are shared to improve consistency when managing behaviour and children's attitudes to learning.Staff support children with additional needs and those who require additional support effectively. For example, staff help children to communicate by offering them simple words for them to copy.

The manager works with local agencies to gain extra support for children and their families.Parents speak highly of the staff. They know their child's key person and understand what their children have been learning during their time in the playgroup.

They praise how the staff prepare their child for the next stages of learning. For example, parents state they work closely with local primary schools and teach children to make new friends.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders and staff know the main signs and symptoms of abuse. They use this knowledge to help keep children safe from harm. Staff understand the need to work with other agencies to report concerns or gain advice.

They know how to report allegations. Leaders and staff are well trained in safeguarding. For example, they understand the risks associated with county lines, being online and the 'Prevent' Duty.

Staff understand the playgroup policies and procedures. Leaders and staff know how to keep records of their concerns.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: develop clearer links between the intent and delivery of activities to shape these to the learning needs of each child give children enough time to process their thoughts, to enable them to respond to questions and express their ideas.