Mudeford Wood Playgroup

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Warm and welcoming staff greet children and their families on arrival.

Children arrive happy and eager to join in with activities. They show positive attitudes to their learning. The manager has high expectations of children and plans a curriculum that reflects their individual needs.

She is ambitious for children to make good progress and be ready for school.Staff support children's behaviour with positive praise and encouragement, which promotes their confidence well. They model the behaviour that they would like to see, such as saying 'please' and 'thank you'.

Children's behaviour is good. Staff offer suppo...rt when needed and encourage children to have a go and keep on trying. Younger children concentrate intently when they use malleable dough and moulding tools to create shapes.

Older children show excitement when they explore and identify different musical instruments and the sounds that they make. The manager plans opportunities for children to hear a range of stories, songs, and rhymes. Older children look at books independently.

They snuggle up to their key person to listen to a story. Younger children enjoy listening to familiar stories and singing rhymes in small groups. All children develop a love of books and reading.

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

The manager has a clear intent for the curriculum, which she discusses with all staff effectively. The staff team work together to carefully plan a curriculum that builds on what children already know and can do. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are included in all the learning on offer.

This supports all children to make good progress.A well-implemented key-person system helps children, including those with SEND, to form warm and positive relationships with staff. Key persons plan activities and opportunities that meet children's individual needs.

The special educational needs coordinator closely works with parents and other professionals to ensure that children receive the best possible start.Staff support children's communication and language development well, overall. They use their interactions to introduce new vocabulary, such as 'tambourine' and 'storm', during group activities.

They engage children in conversations and ask meaningful questions. However, on occasion, the conversations move on too quickly for some children to have time to think, which means that they do not always get to talk about their ideas.Staff encourage children to be independent as well as learn how to look after themselves.

Older children persevere as they use tongs to self-serve their crackers, apples, and cucumbers at snack time. Younger children learn to wash their hands and independently use the toilet, with the knowledge that staff are close by for support if needed. They develop a good understanding of their personal hygiene routines.

Staff plan and offer a wide range of activities for children to practise working on improving their physical development skills. They understand the importance of developing children's core strength to enable them to use their bodies more effectively. Staff regularly support children to use equipment, such as obstacle courses and exercise balls.

Staff teach children about risk and safety and allow them the independence to have a go and explore things for themselves. This helps children to flourish in their physical and personal development.The well-established team of staff work well together, and morale is high.

Staff use online training to keep their knowledge up to date. However, systems in place for providing staff with supervision and coaching are not yet fully effective in promoting their teaching skills.Parents speak favourably of the pre-school and how friendly the staff team is.

They welcome the advice and guidance that they receive from staff, particularly those parents who feel anxious about leaving their child in a setting. Parents say that their children are 'excited' to come to the pre-school. They say that they appreciate that staff recognise the needs of each child and go above and beyond to help children to feel secure.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The manager and staff have a good understanding of the signs and symptoms that may indicate a child is at risk of harm. Staff are aware of the procedures that they need to follow and who to contact, both inside and outside of the pre-school, should they have concerns regarding a child or adult.

All staff have completed safeguarding training and regularly update their knowledge and skills. Staff supervise children effectively, and suitable first-aid arrangements mean that any injuries or illnesses are responded to quickly.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nextend opportunities for children to talk about their ideas and find their voice, to develop their communication skills further strengthen existing supervision and coaching arrangements for the staff to support their ongoing professional development and teaching skills.

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