Rawlins Under 5’s Playgroup

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are safe and settled in this calm environment. They develop close and trusting bonds with the staff, who have a caring and responsive manner. Children are friendly and welcoming.

They smile and wave as they say 'hello' to visitors. Children benefit from mindfulness sessions delivered by staff. This supports children to be calm, relax and learn to understand how to regulate their feelings and emotions.

Children's literacy skills are developing well. Reading areas are set up by staff so that children can access books with ease. Staff encourage children to join in with storytelling and singing songs.

For... example, children ask staff to sing their favourite, the 'bubble gum' song. They smile and giggle as they pretend to take out a piece of bubble gum from their pocket, unwrap it and start to chew. Children pull funny faces and then pretend to blow the bubble gum until it pops.

Children are encouraged to be creative. They have the freedom to express themselves through craft activities and they use their creations during role play. For example, they pretend to work at a lollipop stall, serving ice creams and ice lollipops to each other.

This supports children to develop their imagination while playing and cooperating with their friends. Children benefit from lots of opportunities to be active and develop their physical skills outside. They learn to handle tools with confidence; they use their arm muscles when using spades to dig the ground, looking for worms.

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

The management team has worked hard to address the weaknesses identified at the last inspection. They work closely with staff to support their learning through training and development. For example, staff have attended safeguarding training, which has secured their understanding of what to do if they have concerns about a child's welfare.

Links are made with other settings that children attend. Staff share information about children's successes and next stage of learning. This is beginning to have a positive impact on children's achievements.

Partnerships with parents are a key strength of the setting. Parents are overwhelmingly appreciative of the care and support they and their children receive in the setting. Staff work with parents to find out about the experiences children have at home.

The staff plan activities that take account of the information parents provide. Children benefit well from this successful partnership.Staff know what their key children can do and what they need to learn next.

Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is excellent. Staff work closely with other agencies involved with the children to design and implement targeted learning plans. These are regularly reviewed and support children's next steps well.

The setting's special educational needs coordinator fully supports parents when making referrals to other professionals and applying for additional funding.The manager has a clear curriculum in place. Generally, staff plan for the curriculum to be ambitious, exciting and interesting.

However, during some activities, staff do not extend and challenge all children's learning. For instance, during a trampolining activity, staff supervise the children but limit interaction. They do not always facilitate their learning or offer challenge.

That said, children still make good progress from their starting points.Overall, children form positive friendships with each other and enjoy talking and playing games together. Children mostly develop a suitable awareness of the behaviour expectations.

However, some staff do not consistently give children an explanation of why some behaviour is unwanted. For example, during a dispute between two children, staff ask one child to leave the other child alone. Moments later, the same incident happens again involving the same children.

Children grow in their independence. They put on their coats, wellies and wet suits when it is time to go in the garden. Children sit nicely during snack and mealtimes as they chat to their friends and staff.

They are encouraged to open up the packaging of foods that are in their lunch box themselves. Staff remind children to eat the 'good' foods first. They discuss the tomato plants that are growing in the garden and that fruit and vegetables make you big and strong.

Once their mealtime is over, children place appropriate food waste into the compost tub. This is then put inside the compost container in the garden.The manager leads the staff team effectively.

The staff are passionate, dedicated and committed to providing a high-quality service. The management team supports and encourages staff to continue to build on their skills through training and regular discussion. Staff comment that they feel valued, and that managers pay close regard to their well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The manager understands her safeguarding role and responsibilities. Staff can identify the signs and symptoms that may indicate a child is at risk of harm.

They have recently updated their knowledge on how to report concerns to professionals outside of the setting. This includes, if necessary, how to report allegations against members of staff. The manager has effective procedures for the recruitment and induction of new staff.

Staff's understanding of safeguarding is frequently checked through questioning and discussions. The setting is secure, and staff undertake daily checks to ensure that children play in a safe environment.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: support staff to consistently implement the curriculum with more precision in order to challenge children appropriately during all activities develop staff's awareness of how to provide children with consistent messages and support so that children can understand the staff expectations for their behaviour.

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