Hopscotch Playgroup

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children appear happy and content at this setting. They have close attachments with their key person and look to them for support when needed. Staff place high importance on children's well-being.

For instance, before a child starts at the setting, their allocated key person visits the family home. This helps them to gather information about the child and the experiences they have already had. It also gives the key person the opportunity to meet and play with the child in their own environment.

Once children start at the setting, settling-in sessions are tailored to meet their individual needs.Staff encourage children ...to be creative and use their imagination. For example, staff tie material onto railings outside to create an enclosure.

Children huddle underneath and staff ignite children's imagination by asking, 'Where are we?' The children say they are in the ocean and talk about mermaids and sharks. They use the musical instruments to make sounds they might hear in the ocean. Furthermore, children enjoy using their imagination in the sandpit.

They make pretend pizzas and sprinkle on their favourite toppings. Children encourage others to join in with their play. They shuffle over to make room and share out their pizza.

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

Leaders have worked hard to address the weaknesses identified at the last inspection. They provide regular supervision meetings to monitor staff's performance and training. Targets are identified to help them to further improve the quality of education for children.

Furthermore, all staff have completed safeguarding training. This has secured their understanding of what to do if they have concerns about a child's welfare.Children are provided with a rich learning environment that sparks their interest and curiosity.

Staff know the children well and generally support their learning. However, during some activities, staff do not extend or appropriately challenge all children's learning. For instance, children are provided with jigsaw puzzles, which some children find too easy to do and they do not receive any further extension to their learning.

They quickly lose interest and wander off.Parents speak highly of the setting. They comment that they receive regular updates from their child's key person.

Parents appreciate the sharing of activity ideas to do at home as well as advice and guidance offered by staff. For example, strategies are shared to support children's challenging behaviour at home. Parents say they are grateful to the setting for the experiences and care it provides, stating they would not change a thing.

Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is excellent. The special educational needs coordinator is knowledgeable in her role and ensures referrals are made promptly. She liaises with families and works with other professionals to implement strategies to help children to make the best progress.

Staff make necessary adaptations to the provision to ensure all children can access the activities provided. Furthermore, staff complete required training to ensure they are equipped with the skills they need to meet children's individual needs.Staff provide an inclusive setting.

They are respectful of children's backgrounds and understand the importance of celebrating children's individuality. Staff find out where families originate from and discuss this with the children. They use a map of the world to show the different countries.

Staff provide children with opportunities to engage in the local community. They get involved with church celebrations and participate in the local garden club, planting vegetables. This helps to build children's confidence as well as to learn about growing.

Children know the routines well. At snack time, they independently wash their hands, choose their snack, pour their own drinks, and place their used cups and plates ready for washing. Snack times are relaxing, calm and a social occasion for the children.

They use manners and help their friends to squeeze soap out of the bottle to wash their hands.Staff support children's language development well. They commentate to children as they play to help them to build a wide vocabulary.

Children have access to books. They freely choose a story and share it with staff. They listen attentively and turn the pages at appropriate times.

Staff question children to find out what they have learned and what they remember.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The manager and staff understand their responsibilities to safeguard children to keep them safe.

They have a secure understanding of the correct procedure to follow if they have concerns about a child's welfare. Additionally, staff know what to do if they have a concern about a colleague's conduct. Staff record any injuries that children arrive with and seek explanations from parents as to the cause.

They ensure the premises are secure to make sure children cannot leave pre-school unsupervised and no unauthorised visitors can gain entry. Staff complete training on e-safety and share their gained knowledge with parents to help to keep children safe when using the internet.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen the implementation of the curriculum to ensure that all children receive experiences that offer appropriate extension to their learning, so that they remain engaged.