Field Lane Playgroup Limited

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children behave well and understand what is expected while attending the playgroup because they know about the rules for working together and respecting one another.

Children settle well at the playgroup; they feel at ease very quickly and soon start to explore and play.Children enthusiastically take part in group singing and dancing time. They scream with delight as they sing and dance to familiar songs with their friends.

The children copy staff as they demonstrate how to stretch and move their bodies in different ways. For example, they learn how to stand up, sit down, touch their toes and bounce on their knees in t...ime with the music. Children have strong relationships with staff.

Children are confident to explore a dark tent and hide inside with staff. They are excited to use torches in the tent and talk about the shadows they make with their hands. Children are interested and motivated to choose what they want to play with.

Children are eager to try new experiences and they respond to the encouraging and positive involvement from staff in their play.

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

Staff work with parents and other professionals to provide support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language. Effective communication promotes a consistent approach for these children.

This contributes to children's individual needs being met and any gaps in their learning being identified quickly and plans put in place to help them catch up.Leaders recognise that not all children who attend the setting have the opportunity to own a pet. The playgroup has their own rabbit called Dash, for children to develop their knowledge and understanding of how to care for animals.

Children feed the rabbit themselves by collecting dandelions from the outside garden.Parents are very happy and describe staff as being 'amazing'. They talk about how their children have made progress in their confidence to speak to and play with other children and to interact with adults since starting at the playgroup.

They comment that the staff kept in touch with them when they were not attending due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic and gave them ideas for activities they could do at home with their children.The leader and staff know the children well and plan activities effectively for individual children that build on what they already know. For example, staff encourage children to develop friendships by helping each other as they work together.

They use a pump to put water into a bucket. Staff help children to share during role play games. They work alongside each other, passing the tools so they can 'fix the car'.

The staff support children's understanding of a healthy lifestyle. A 'snuffle station' is available for children, and staff show them how they can use the tissues to independently wipe their noses and wash or sanitise their hands. The children talk about the healthy foods they eat at snack time and staff ensure that drinking water is available throughout the day for children so they do not become thirsty.

Most children concentrate and become fully engaged when taking part in playgroup activities. However, occasionally, staff do not adapt activities quickly enough for children of different ages or abilities and children become distracted.Staff are good role models for children and through discussion help them learn to manage their feelings.

Staff know when some children need additional support with their behaviour and they are effective in using distraction to guide children to alternative solutions.Leaders provide staff with supervision and encourage them to take part in training courses. However, there is less focus on developing staff's knowledge of how children learn and to be confident to adapt activities from the planning to ensure they consistently meet each child's needs during play.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The staff team have a good knowledge of how to keep children safe. They understand the safeguarding arrangements for recording and reporting any concerns.

They all access safeguarding training and most hold a current paediatric first-aid certificate. The leader has effective risk assessments in place to ensure the site is safe and secure. Leaders and staff are vigilant and carry out regular checks to ensure that doors and gates are closed and locked during the session.

When playing outdoors, staff ensure that children are always supervised appropriately. There are appropriate systems in place to check the suitability of staff working with children.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nextend the supervision and support for staff to focus on improving their confidence and knowledge of how children learn nimprove how staff interact with children and adapt activities to ensure they are meaningful for all children taking part.