Kingswinford Methodist Church Playgroup

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Staff prepare the room daily with a good range of activities for children's interest and enjoyment. They know the local community, families and their children well. Staff are attentive and place a key focus on welcoming children and working with parents to help children settle.

Children are safe, happy and confident in their environment. They know the routine well and happily get ready to move to another room to use further activities. Children behave well and easily follow instruction.

For example, when asked, they wash their hands and sit at the table to eat their snack. Staff use this time well to talk to children a...nd develop their communication skills. Children are curious and enjoy exploring the new experiences provided.

For example, they explore natural items such as conkers, leaves and twigs as they use them with the trucks and tractors. Children particularly enjoy active games. They roll a die which has pictures of insects on it and learn to jump like grasshoppers.

Staff use books well throughout the session and during small-group work. Children especially enjoy the large books and are eager to talk about the pictures and link them to their experiences. They enjoy familiar stories and enjoy predicting what will happen next.

The most able and older girls, in particular, show a real interest in making marks, writing activities, number recognition and counting.

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

The manager is supported well by the committee to ensure the smooth running of the playgroup. The staff are clearly committed and enthusiastic about the care and education of children.

They provide a good variety of experiences based around interesting topics and children's interests during the session. Teaching is good and staff help children to make good progress from their starting points.Staff benefit from ongoing staff supervision and training to help update their knowledge and skills.

However, the manager does not rigorously monitor the use of children's assessment information to help staff provide the very best level of challenge during activities.All children move on to nursery from the playgroup and staff place a clear focus on preparing them for this next stage of learning. They provide the older and most able children, who are ready, with experiences to help promote their mathematical and literacy development.

However, these activities do not consistently motivate the older boys, and consequently, they do not make as much progress as they could in these areas.Staff place a clear priority on promoting children's communication and language. They skilfully use group work to encourage children's listening and attention skills and support them to speak.

Singing sessions are popular with children as they enthusiastically use the musical instruments and follow instructions.Staff work closely with parents to find out what their children enjoy and can do.They use this information to quickly identify any gaps in children's learning and provide tailored support to help them progress well.

Promoting children's good health is a clear priority. Children benefit from fresh fruits and vegetables at snack time and have ample opportunities to be physically active indoors and outdoors. Staff offer clear advice to parents on how they can promote children's physical development, potty training and the importance of good oral hygiene.

Staff prioritise promoting children's personal, social and emotional development. Children form close relationships with staff and new children quickly settle and increase their confidence. Staff help children learn about their own and others' families and teach them how to be kind and respect each other.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff risk asses the premises each morning to ensure that all areas are safe, clean and suitable to receive children. There are clear recruitment procedures in place to ensure staff are suitable to care for children and their ongoing suitability is assessed.

Any visitors are supervised and parent helpers are vetted to help keep children safe. Staff have a good understanding of child protection issues. They know the possible signs of abuse and neglect and the procedure to follow if they have a concern.

They help children learn how to keep safe at nursery and on outings. Children learn about role of the emergency services, road safety and how to keep safe in the sun.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: focus more sharply on supporting staff to make the very best use of children's assessment information, to help them provide highly challenging activities that help children make the best possible progress provide a more motivating range of experiences to capture the boys' interest in mathematics and literacy, to raise their achievement to a higher level.