Playplus

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are welcomed warmly by staff who show enthusiasm and excitement for the day ahead.

There is a wide variety of resources available, and the children quickly become engaged. The environment supports children to explore and learn freely. From searching for worms in the 'discovery garden', to large scale mark making, the children have their ideas valued and validated by staff's responses.

All staff know the children well. They are fully responsive to the children's ideas, communications and needs throughout the session. Key persons ensure that they are aware of children's specific needs and interests and use these... to support development as well as build close bonds.

These strong relationships with staff help the children to feel safe, secure and happy. Staff role model positive and respectful relationships. They support children to share, take turns and resolve issues, resulting in a calm and friendly environment.

Children are confident in accessing and using resources in their own way. Staff interact with children to help extend these learning opportunities, such as introducing mathematical language during sand play, or using books to help children to explore their ideas further. There are high expectations for all children, which are identified through staff's observations and interactions.

These are supported by a curriculum that is reflective and progressive.

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

There is a clear vision of intent in the curriculum, supporting every child to achieve, develop and be prepared for the next stage of learning. Children's starting points are gathered through observations and information shared from the parents and carers.

All children are given high expectations, and staff work with each child's unique interests to support and inspire learning. Assessment of progress is made through observations and discussions with the children. This information is used to influence the individual children's next steps, and also the entire provision, ensuring that there is sufficient and appropriate challenge for each child.

The children's voices are acknowledged as a priority in planning for the setting.Children are fully supported in developing their independence. Provision is in place to support self-care, ensuring that equipment is age- and stage-appropriate and readily available.

Staff offer sensitive coaching to children who are less confident. Snack time is used effectively to build self-confidence and independence, allowing the children to make choices from foods offered. Children are then supported to prepare their snack, with staff either offering verbal or physical support as is relevant to the child's own level of development.

Children are confident when asking for support. Staff are responsive to the needs of individual children, being adaptable to meet these in positive and reassuring ways. Key persons know their children well and understand their emotional needs.

Staff provide good role models for building positive relationships, using friendly language and good manners. The children demonstrate good behaviour. They willingly help each other, such as finding additional resources and sharing ideas.

Partnerships with parents are strong. The setting ensures that it communicates with families regularly, and key persons are freely accessible during drop-off and collection times. The setting is flexible in meeting the needs of the children and their families.

It is particularly supportive during the settling-in process, offering varying methods of supporting the transition. Staff work closely with parents, particularly for those whose children have diagnosed or emerging needs.The setting offers support with home learning through a book lending scheme.

Children can select a book bag with accompanying resources for them to share with their families at home. The setting also offered sessions to share story sacks and how these can be used to support home learning.The setting offers children a wide variety of activities to develop their curiosity and meet their needs.

This includes the 'discovery garden', which provides a natural environment where children can explore and investigate freely. The children enjoyed hunting for worms in the mud, comparing the lengths of the ones they found, even adding water to the mud to make the worms think it was raining so they would come to the surface. Children also enjoyed some imaginative play, pretending to be on boats and exploring the seas.

Staff within the setting use lots of language throughout the session. They encourage children to explore books and sing rhymes. Staff repeat back words to the children to support correct formation and will often extend language by adding in descriptive words to objects, such as 'the big pink chalk'.

However, sometimes, staff ask questions that do not encourage more than one-word answers or allow children the time to process and consider responses before they interject again.Staff quickly identify potential risks to children, such as steps from one area to another or using equipment safely when others are nearby. These risks are reliably shared with the children, highlighting what they are.

However, staff do not use such opportunities to extend children's ability to assess and manage risks independently.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.All staff have access to safeguarding training.

They understand the signs that a child may be at risk of harm and are confident in the actions to take. Staff are also aware of the necessary actions should they have concerns about a colleague's conduct. Safeguarding is embedded throughout the setting.

This includes distributing leaflets to visitors and parents on entering the premises, having a safeguarding section in each newsletter to maintain awareness, and highlighting safe preparation of healthy snacks. Staff continuously monitor the environment to ensure the safety of the children, taking action when potential risks are identified.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: support children to recognise risks, the impacts of their actions and the consequences of these on themselves and others nensure staff are consistent in supporting language development through the use of open-ended questioning and allowing children enough time to process their thoughts and responses.

Also at this postcode