Riverside Playgroup

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are happy and confident to leave parents when they arrive. Some children run into the playroom, excited to see staff and to play with the toys and resources offered.

Children are keen to play alongside their peers and staff, sharing their learning experiences with them. They show kindness, such as when they pass play dough to others, and receive praise from staff for their good sharing. Older children show empathy towards younger children, giving them a comforting rub on their arm and a cuddle when they are upset.

Staff know the children well and support their development. Children have opportunities to be phy...sically active. They develop the muscles in their hands in preparation for early writing.

For instance, children use tweezers to pick up small, soft balls. Outdoors, children develop their spatial awareness. They move in and out of obstacles while being chased by staff who pretend to be a 'flying fairy'.

Children show excitement as they try not to get caught. Children learn about cultural traditions, such as Shrove Tuesday. For example, they use play dough to make pretend pancakes.

Children learn about what ingredients to mix together to make pancakes and use frying pans outdoors to learn new skills, such as flipping a pancake in the air. Children show a positive attitude to trying new experiences.

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

The special educational needs coordinator has a good knowledge of how to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

She makes referrals to other professionals to promote the needs of the individual children. Frequent meetings with parents enable her to share information with them about how she intends to support their children's progress.Staff encourage children to complete tasks on their own, helping them to learn skills for the future.

For example, children are encouraged to put on their coats to play outdoors and to use safety knives to cut up their fruit at snack time.The manager uses additional funding effectively to provide children with opportunities to broaden their experiences of local attractions. For example, she arranges for children to go with a familiar adult and staff to farm parks and the seaside.

This provides children with opportunities to share their experiences with familiar people.The manager and staff focus the curriculum on helping to close gaps in children's learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes staff using specific assessments to help them identify how to support children's communication and language skills.

Staff provide small-group activities to encourage children's listening and attention skills. However, staff have not fully considered how incorporating children's home languages will support language development for children who speak English as an additional language.Staff help children to develop a love of stories, adapting their interactions to the different needs of the children.

For example, staff tell a story to some children and provide them with opportunities to use straws, sticks and bricks to build pretend houses for pigs in a story. Other children say the end of familiar sentences in favourite books. However, when staff plan some group activities, these are not as effective.

This results in children not concentrating and therefore not benefiting from the learning experiences being offered.Staff model good manners, such as saying 'thank you' when they receive play food from children. This encourages children to be polite.

Staff help children to be emotionally ready for transitions between routines during the day. For example, they use a sand timer as a visual aid to help children know when it is time to tidy away toys outdoors. This helps children to understand what is expected of them.

Staff share information with parents about their children's learning and achievements. This takes place, for instance, during daily discussions, stay-and-play sessions and parents' evenings. Children have opportunities to borrow books to encourage parents to read stories to them at home.

This partnership working helps to promote a united approach to supporting children's development.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The manager ensures that her staff are able to identify the signs and symptoms of abuse.

For example, she asks them to complete quizzes and discusses safeguarding at staff meetings. The manager and staff know the procedure to follow if they have concerns about a child's safety or if they are worried about a colleague's behaviour with the children. The manager follows a thorough recruitment procedure when she employs new staff.

She checks their ongoing suitability to work with children. Staff maintain a safe, clean and secure environment to promote children's safety.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen staff's understanding of how to extend language development for children who speak English as an additional language support staff to plan group activities to ensure that all children are fully engaged and benefit from the learning offered.