Milkyway Preschool Playgroup

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are happy and safe in the playgroup. They are supported very closely by caring staff. The playgroup has a real community feel.

All children, even those who are new starters, display strong levels of self-esteem. For example, staff provide flexible settling-in sessions. Children bring in favourite toys from home, which helps to support the transition process.

Children are aware of what makes them unique. They have a strong sense of belonging. For example, staff speak fluently in children's home languages, as well as English.

Leaders have high expectations for children and generally provide a well-desig...ned curriculum. They offer activities based on what children need to learn next. Overall, staff think about how they can build on what children already know.

For example, they praise children for counting in sequence as they build towers with coloured blocks. This helps younger children to be confident and recite numbers as they play. Children build on their prior knowledge as they lead their own play.

For example, they pretend that one object represents another during animated role play. They use a metal pan lid to represent a musical instrument that looks similar. Children hold pencils with precision and make marks.

They use their small-muscle skills to paint with brushes and squeeze icing onto gingerbread. Activities such as these help to prepare older children for writing when they move on to school.

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

Enthusiastic leaders and staff strive to make continuous improvements that benefit children and families.

They have worked hard to address the areas for development raised at the previous inspection. Detailed action plans are used well and as a result, they have achieved a good standard provision.The curriculum is well planned and overall, helps to develop children's skills.

Children make typical and good progress. However, occasionally, staff do not adapt teaching as necessary and build on opportunities to challenge children's individual learning to the highest level.Staff plan some interesting activities that enthuse and excite children.

For example, staff take children on various outings, including to theme parks, ice-cream factories and to a centre designed to teach visitors about sea creatures. This helps children to benefit from new experiences, outside of their home and the playgroup environment.Partnerships with external agencies are well established.

This helps to ensure consistency in supporting care and learning for children who speak English as an additional language. All children, even those with less than typical levels of development on entry, receive the support needed to allow them to access good-quality provision.Parents praise the homely and inclusive atmosphere.

They commend the staff team. Parents comment that the staff are like family members. Staff share regular updates on children's progress with parents and use different strategies to involve parents.

For example, staff hold regular coffee mornings which parents attend to receive formal updates on children's progress.Leaders provide staff with regular professional development opportunities. They use different methods to help staff to strengthen their good-quality teaching practice, including video observations and peer-on-peer observations.

Staff feel well supported by leaders. However, some staff are not as effective at managing their workload, which sometimes impacts on their free time.Children's behaviour is very good.

They demonstrate high levels of self-control and quickly demonstrate that they understand the behavioural expectations. They play cooperatively with others and readily share musical instruments with their peers. All children display a positive disposition towards learning.

Friendly staff provide a welcoming environment. They interact with children with positivity and respect. Even new children are confident and happy.

Higher than required staff-to-child ratios help staff to provide strong levels of support and care. Overall, staff know the children very well. However, sometimes, they do not build on children's individual interests during planned activities.

Children follow positive hygiene routines, such as handwashing, with little or no prompting. They brush their teeth and enjoy active play. Children expertly manoeuvre through a tunnel and climb steps to the large outdoor slide.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.All staff know the signs that may indicate a child is at risk of harm. They understand how to identify and report concerns about a child or the conduct of a colleague.

Staff are aware of some of the wider aspects of safeguarding, such as how to identify children who may be at risk of radicalisation. Staff know the appropriate steps to take to keep children safe. Leaders ensure staff keep their child protection knowledge up to date.

Since the previous inspection, staff have attended paediatric first-aid training. Staff are confident and suitably trained to deal with any minor accidents.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: support staff more effectively and help them to manage their workload even more productively nadapt teaching as necessary and build on opportunities to challenge children's individual skills and learning to the highest level make the most of opportunities that arise to follow children's lead and build on their interests during planned activities.