Victoria Playgroup

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are confident, happy and settled at the setting. They enthusiastically participate in challenging and motivating activities that staff plan for them.

For example, children learn about the life cycle of an acorn as they roll acorns in paint to make pictures. Children are excited to learn about nature. They are eager to watch the birds visit the bird house.

They excitedly recall when they saw a nest of robins, stating, 'I saw eggs in the robin nest. It made me jump.' Children are polite and behave well.

They have good social skills and are kind and caring to their friends. Children learn about the impor...tance of healthy lifestyles. They plant healthy produce of their own, such as green beans.

There are lots of opportunities for children to respect and understand others, including the traditions of other countries. For example, they learn about the celebration of Ramadan. Children develop good physical skills in relation to their age and stage of development.

Children explore different ways to move their body during dance activities. This includes marching, galloping, skipping and walking backwards. Staff use additional funding effectively to meet the individual learning needs of children.

For example, they have purchased resources to create a cosy and calm area for children to relax in and extend their interest in books.

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

Staff establish secure and trusting relationships with all children. They get to know each child and their individual personalities well.

This includes their likes and dislikes. This helps staff to plan motivating learning experiences that they know will engage all children and support them to make good progress. Children have a good sense of belonging and positive well-being and self-esteem.

For example, they enjoy the company of staff and respond positively to the praise and encouragement that staff give them.All staff have a good understanding of all areas of learning. Overall, they help children to gain skills to support their future learning.

For instance, children are encouraged to count and discuss quantities during water play. However, staff do not extend children's opportunities to be independent even further. At times, they do not consistently encourage all children to try and complete tasks that they are capable of.

The manager closely monitors the good quality of education and care that staff provide. She regularly observes staff teaching children and provides helpful feedback to support their future performance. Staff make good use of training.

They have recently learned about the different ways to support children to understand their emotions and feelings. Staff have also learned about the benefits of more open-ended and natural learning experiences. As a result, children have more opportunities to problem solve and be curious.

For instance, they explore what happens when they add coloured foam to water. They enjoy investigating what happens when they pour water down guttering tubes into a 'rock pool' at the bottom.Overall, parents speak fondly of the staff and they are happy with the level of care that they provide their children.

Staff speak to parents daily and discuss what activities children have enjoyed. However, staff do not consistently ensure that all parents have regular, up-to-date information about the learning and progress their children make.Staff support children to develop good communication skills.

Children are confident to share their thoughts and views as they play. For example, they give their friends a running commentary of what they are doing during role-play activities. Staff ask children good, thought-provoking questions and give them time to think and then respond.

Children are imaginative and confidently make up stories to share with their friends. This includes selling ice creams and becoming hairdressers and police officers.All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are well supported by staff to make good progress.

Staff liaise closely with outside agencies, including a speech and language therapist, to share helpful strategies and ideas to support children. For example, staff use simple signing to communicate with children, alongside the words they speak.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The manager and staff have a good knowledge and understanding of safeguarding and child protection. They know who to contact to seek advice and how to follow up any potential concerns. Staff talk about safeguarding at each team meeting and during individual staff discussions.

They complete routine training to ensure that they maintain a good understanding and keep their knowledge up to date. Staff complete detailed risk assessments to help keep children safe. Children take part in challenging activities that require them to manage risk safely.

For example, they climb on stacked tyres confidently. Children understand and follow the rule that they can only climb a maximum of three tyres at any one time to help keep them safe.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nensure staff encourage children to complete tasks that they are capable of carrying out themselves to help them to be consistently independent support staff to build on the already good partnerships with parents and talk to them about their children's achievements more routinely to ensure they feel fully involved and informed.