Playwam

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children show that they are happy and feel safe here.

They arrive in good spirits, eagerly greet the staff and quickly become engaged in activities. Children are confident to choose what they want to play with, and their behaviour is good. They respond to consistent and positive reminders from staff about what is expected.

Older children learn to resolve disagreements with their friends. Children exhibit great interest in the wide range of activities on offer, and are consistently engaged and active. They concentrate well as they practise developing their writing skills.

For example, children enjoyed pretendin...g to be teachers; they made marks or formed letters to represent children's names as they 'took the register'. Children's curiosity and different senses are promoted as they explore natural materials in their 'mud kitchen' and the outdoor digging area. They exclaimed with excitement as they removed soil to reveal hidden 'treasures'.

Children enjoy taking part in physical play opportunities indoors and outdoors. They develop good strength and coordination as they dig, climb, cycle and ride scooters. Children demonstrate that they are learning to assess risks and keep themselves and others safe.

For instance, younger children showed great care when climbing the ladder to the slide, and older children reminded their friends to cycle carefully around obstacles.

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

Staff observe children and have lots of conversations with them throughout the morning. This helps them get to know the children well.

Staff speak knowledgeably about what the children enjoy and what they need to learn next. They provide a good range of experiences to support all aspects of children's early learning. However, they do not routinely ensure that they extend and challenge children's learning during activities.

Children are happy, confident and independent learners. They regularly take part in activities that contribute to their understanding of number. For example, children were playing in a pretend shop.

They counted the items in their shopping baskets and discussed how much money they would need to pay.Children develop good communication skills. They enjoy singing and are very eager to speak out when staff ask them questions about stories.

Staff introduce children to a wide range of words during their play, which helps them to develop a broad vocabulary.The manager and staff are long-serving and provide consistent, high-quality care for children throughout the nursery. Parents commented that staff create a 'warm community feel'.

For example, parents are welcomed into the nursery each day, and accompany staff and children on outings. Parents play an active role in the nursery committee, which oversees the management of the setting.Staff are caring and nurturing, and they develop positive relationships with the children.

Adults provide children with plenty of praise and encouragement, which boosts their confidence and promotes a positive attitude towards learning.Children are sociable and responsive. They play harmoniously and develop good friendships with their peers.

Children are keen to sit next to their friends at story time, and seek them out to play games.Staff are well qualified and experienced. The manager encourages them to work towards higher qualifications, and they have regular opportunities to attend additional training.

However, the manager does not routinely use the systems for staff supervision to precisely identify ways to improve the quality of education.The manager and staff are passionate about enabling every child to have high-quality learning experiences. Staff understand that children come to the pre-school with different skills.

They swiftly identify where children may have gaps in their learning or development. Staff seek to provide activities which enable all children to make good progress. They work effectively in partnership with other professionals who support children's development.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The manager and staff have completed safeguarding training and have a good understanding of how to keep children safe. They know how to identify possible signs of abuse, and have a broad understanding of wider safeguarding issues.

This includes where children might be at risk from extremist views. Staff know the procedures to follow if they have a concern about a child in their care, and they understand the whistle-blowing procedure. The manager understands how to implement safer recruitment and induction procedures.

This ensures that only those suitable to work with children do so. Staff carry out daily checks on the premises and equipment to identify any potential hazards and to maintain a safe environment for children.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen the supervision of staff to identify their professional development needs more precisely and, as a result, improve the quality of education to an even higher level support staff to plan and deliver activities which provide appropriate challenge for all children and help them to build on what they know.