Moatfield Playgroup

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are full of smiles and excitement as they arrive at the playgroup. Staff greet them warmly, showing they know the children and their families well. Children display positive attitudes to learning as they quickly engage in play with staff or their peers.

Children's behaviour is good. They display caring attitudes towards each other. Children show they are making strong friendships with their peers.

For example, they eagerly wait for others to arrive and group hugs are shared and enjoyed. Children benefit from the ambitious curriculum that the provider puts in place. Staff build on what children already know and... can do.

Children gain the important skills they need to be independent learners and capable communicators. This helps them to be well prepared for when they start school. Staff use an array of different techniques to help promote children's communication and language development, including sign language.

Children are confident to speak to visitors and show a keen interest in what they are doing. They talk about their favourite activities and it is clear that children thoroughly enjoy being at the playgroup.

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

The key-person system is strong, staff know their key children well.

They understand what children know and can do and plan clear next steps in learning for each child. Staff use effective assessment and planning systems to help children to learn across all areas. They share termly summary reports with parents to help them to know how to support learning at home.

They ensure that learning is sequenced, and this supports children to make good progress.The special educational needs coordinator, provider and staff are passionate about supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They make prompt referrals to other professionals, where necessary, and work closely to support parents.

Small-group sessions are extremely beneficial for children, including those who speak English as an additional language. Staff support them to develop their concentration, understand directions and extend their speech and language skills.Children are developing a love for books and enjoy activities based around favourite stories.

They show what they have previously learned, as they recall events and repeated refrains from 'The Three Little Pigs' story. At other times, children freely choose books and sit quietly with their friends. They use the pictures to tell their own stories, showing their developing imaginations.

Parents' comments about the playgroup and staff are highly positive. They state that they feel well informed about their children's development and know how to support their learning at home. Parents state that their children feel safe and that staff know and understand them as individuals.

Children enjoy exploring different materials during creative activities. They are beginning to understand the properties of materials, explaining that some are stronger than others. For example, they talk about bricks making a good house, while straw will blow away too easily.

Children are learning how to safely use tools. They explain how to carefully use the tape cutter as the blade is sharp.Staff promote children's health well.

For example, they remind them to wash their hands before eating and after using the bathroom. Children have daily access to large play equipment, either indoors or outside. Children are learning how to balance, understanding that putting their arms out will make them more stable.

Staff work hard to ensure that parents understand the importance of providing a healthy packed lunch for children.The provider has rigorous recruitment procedures in place to help ensure staff are suitable to work with children. Staff have many opportunities for ongoing professional development.

They talk about how this has a positive impact on their knowledge and understanding of how children learn. The provider holds some informal discussions with staff to review their practice and teaching skills. However, the monitoring of staff practice is not fully embedded to help all staff improve the quality of teaching to the highest level.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen the monitoring of staff practice to help promote more consistently high-quality teaching.