First Steps Playgroup

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is inadequate

Children are cared for by some staff who have not had their suitability checked with the Disclosure and Barring Service. This may compromise children's safety and welfare because these staff are supporting children's personal care routines, such as toileting, on their own.

Despite this, children are supported well so that any gaps in their learning are closed. For instance, staff ask children to join small social and communication group activities. During these activities, staff help children to become familiar with their peers and communicate their needs.

Children are keen to explore musical instruments. Staff h...elp them to identify the difference in sounds and how they can be made. For example, younger children play drums loudly and quietly.

They understand that if they hit a drum hard, it will make a loud sound. Staff adapt their teaching to meet the different ages and abilities of the children. For example, they ask younger children to take it in turns to choose building blocks and work as a team to build a tower, helping them to learn how to play cooperatively.

Older children have opportunities to develop their listening skills as staff ask them to identify the different noises animals make when they are played on electronic devices. Children recognise the sounds of sheep and chickens.

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

The provider does not ensure that all staff who work with the children have had a Disclosure and Barring Service check to establish their suitability.

This may compromise children's safety and welfare.Staff offer children plenty of opportunities to be confident when they are physically active. Younger children and those who are less confident ask to hold staff's hand as they balance on stepping stones.

Older and more confident children manage this on their own.Staff are supported to develop their knowledge of how to provide for children's care and learning. For instance, they have an allocated space in the playgroup and are given time to complete coursework when they study for formal childcare qualifications.

The management team monitor staff's practice and help them to build on their skills and interactions to support children's development.Staff share photos with parents to highlight the activities their children take part in. However, staff do not help all parents to understand how they intend to support their children's next steps in learning in the playgroup.

Furthermore, they do not offer all parents ideas and suggestions about how they can contribute to their children's individual learning at home.The management team has made improvements to the routine at snack time. These changes have helped to promote children's independence.

For instance, staff ask children to use knives safely to butter bread. Children use tongs to select fruit, and they pour their own drinks.Overall, staff support children's communication skills well.

For instance, they help children to build on their vocabulary when they introduce names of tools children use in their play, such as a pizza cutter. Children who speak English as an additional language learn words in English. However, staff do not implement the management team's expectations for them to use key words in children's home language.

This is intended to support the language development and transitions for children when they move between home and the playgroup.Staff talk to children about the playgroup's 'golden rules' to help to promote positive behaviour. They show children how to use 'kind hands' when they ask them to turn to the person next to them to give them a 'high five'.

Children remember that they need to use their walking feet indoors and that their mouth and teeth are for biting food only.The management team and staff implement a curriculum that supports children to build on their knowledge. This includes planning activities to help them understand changes in the seasons.

Children learn that leaves turn from green to brown in the autumn and that some leaves are still green because they stay on trees for longer.Children understand the routines during the day, helping them to settle and feel secure. However, not all large-group activities are fully effective.

For instance, when staff want all children to sit and listen to a story, they do not manage to maintain all children's focus and attention. Therefore, children are not able to learn as much as possible from the opportunity available.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

There is not an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage, the provider must: Due date obtain Disclosure and Barring Service checks for all staff who work with children.28/10/2024 To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen partnerships with parents to help them understand what children need to learn next and how they can contribute to this at home support staff to gather and use key words in children's home languages to build on their language skills and transitions when children move from home to the playgroup help staff to maintain all children's focus and attention during large-group times.