Highview Playgroup

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children arrive happy and enjoy their time at this friendly playgroup. They benefit from warm interactions with staff and demonstrate close attachments towards their peers.

Children feel safe and secure. Staff use children's interests and their next steps in learning to build a curriculum that stimulates their development. For example, children play with chalk and draw fish on the floor outdoors.

They base this on their previous learning and use their acquired vocabulary to communicate about their drawings. Staff cleverly extend their learning by teaching them new words and by showing them how to draw different shapes.... Children use their creativity and imagination as they take part in singing activities.

They express their understanding of the lyrics in the songs they sing by copying and creating different actions and dance moves. Children behave very well. They demonstrate a positive attitude towards their peers and enjoy taking part in activities together.

For example, staff lead a group discussion about children's families, and children extend this by asking to make cards for those whom they love. Children concentrate well and become fully engrossed in activities. For example, staff call the home corner 'the social area', as children engage in playing together and talking about things they and their family do at home.

All children, including those who speak English as an additional language (EAL), develop their speech at a good pace. This includes those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff help children to develop their social skills and build friendships.

Children fully benefit from a playgroup that has an important community feeling and where they develop their skills in readiness for school.

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

Teaching is good. Children benefit from activities planned to provide them with opportunities across all areas of learning.

For example, staff ensure that children can access different areas, such as the mathematics area. Children enjoy learning about numbers through a variety of games, using calculators and visual aids. They enjoy counting and learning mathematical concepts through play.

Children enjoy regular trips to the park and the local community. For example, they learn about the weather and look for autumn treasures in natural areas. This helps to develop their listening, communication and understanding of the world.

Children then celebrate their learning with beautiful artwork, such as the twig painting and displays that they create about the autumn season.Staff expose children to a language-rich environment. Children develop their vocabulary by learning new words through play and interactions with staff.

For example, they learn the names of the fruit they enjoy for snack and the names of equipment and tools they use for their artwork. Staff are very attentive in preparing all children, including those who speak EAL, in developing their ability to communicate their needs and wishes, to prepare them for their future learning at school.Staff support children to learn about religious festivals and celebrations.

However, children do not fully benefit from opportunities to learn about their own backgrounds and of those in their communities. Staff do not teach children about the similarities and differences that make them unique, to deepen their knowledge of equality and diversity.Parents praise the services provided to children at the playgroup.

They are engaged in sharing and receiving information with staff about what their children enjoy and learn at the playgroup and home. Children benefit from continuous support for their well-being and learning.Staff offer children a range of opportunities to develop their physical skills and to learn about healthy living.

For example, children exercise and enjoy nutritious snacks. However, staff do not fully promote children's independence. They provide too much help to children during daily routines, such as taking their coats off and putting them on.

Staff serve children's drinks and snacks and help them to wash their hands. This means that children do not have enough opportunities to learn to do things for themselves.Staff ensure that children with SEND receive appropriate support.

They set individual targets to ensure children make progress that is achievable and relevant to them. Staff and parents work together to provide children with continuous support.The manager implements procedures to offer staff regular supervision sessions and opportunities to discuss their roles and key children.

This helps to extend staff's professional development, helping to raise the quality of education.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Since the last inspection, staff developed their knowledge about the signs and symptoms that may indicate a child is at risk of abuse.

They understand how to report any concerns they may have about a child's welfare. In addition, they know how to report any allegations they may have about an adult working with children. Staff have completed training about safeguarding and first aid, in order to keep children safe.

The manager extended support for staff so that they develop their knowledge and skills in safeguarding. The team has developed risk assessment procedures to ensure that the premises and outings are suitable for children's safety.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nincrease the opportunities for children to become more independent during activities and routines provide more opportunities for children to celebrate their own backgrounds and those in their community so they learn about diversity.