The Spring Playgroup And Preschool

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are warmly welcomed by staff into the setting.

They separate well from their parents and are keen to explore the learning opportunities on offer. Children's safety takes high priority as they move upstairs to the pre-school, and they are confident in holding on to the handrail as they climb the stairs. Staff support children to take off their coats and to then make a choice about what they would like to play with.

The staff team has developed an interesting curriculum that reflects the needs of children who attend the setting. Children access a wide range of activities and experiences, both indoors and outdoor...s. The spacious learning environment offers children the opportunity to move about freely, and they demonstrate great enjoyment at exploring what is on offer and getting involved.

Children demonstrate high levels of engagement in their play. They develop strong relationships with their peers and staff across the provision. Pre-school children delight in role play.

They communicate well through their play and work cooperatively to successfully engage in imaginative games. For example, children support each other and show great perseverance to lay out a blanket in order to have a picnic.

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

Leadership is strong.

Leaders carefully consider children's unique needs to develop a well-sequenced curriculum that reflects their interests and motivations. Staff are committed to providing children with opportunities that ensure they experience awe and wonder. They have developed a 'promises to children' approach, which builds children's cultural capital and supports them to reach their potential.

Staff carefully observe and assess children's learning. They use this information to plan for children's next steps, which they share with parents effectively. Leaders work hard to ensure all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make good progress across all areas of learning.

Children develop their independence and self-care skills well. They have the opportunity to pour their own drinks at snack time and develop competent handwashing skills following toileting. Staff support children effectively to use a step stool to be able to independently access the soap, wash their hands and then dry them successfully.

Children's communication and language are well supported by the adults in the setting. Staff maximise opportunities to introduce new words to children through play. For example, staff and children engage in a game of hiding and finding their dinosaurs in the mud.

Children excitedly use the phrase, 'Help me, I'm buried,' as they delight in hiding their dinosaurs from each other.Children mostly behave well. Older children understand the need to take turns and share resources.

They are able to negotiate and work out how to ensure everyone can be involved in their games. Younger children are still developing these skills. While staff use gentle reminders when children display unwanted behaviour, they do not consistently support them to develop their understanding of right from wrong.

Children develop a love of stories. Staff actively encourage them to choose and share books from the high-quality texts on offer, and children delight in pointing to familiar characters within the books. Children also benefit from listening to a story in a larger group.

Staff skilfully encourage children to participate in the story by joining in with swooping actions to mimic the owls in the book.All children are offered access to mark-making materials. However, staff do not always provide a wide range of developmentally appropriate and interesting resources and opportunities to support and inspire children in their creative mark making and their early writing and literacy skills.

Parents are extremely pleased with the provision. They comment on the friendly, approachable staff and the flexible service that meets their needs. Parents are delighted with the progress that their children make and the way that their individual characteristics are respected and celebrated.

Outdoor provision is identified as a strength of the setting by parents, and they are pleased with how much fresh air and exercise their children have access to.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff have a clear working knowledge of the signs and symptoms of child abuse.

They understand their role and responsibility in keeping children safe and protecting them from harm. Staff are clear about the procedure to follow if they have a concern about a child. Designated safeguarding leads across the setting are skilled at supporting staff and ensuring their own knowledge is current.

The team attends regular training and shares any updates effectively. Leaders have developed clear systems for recording and reporting concerns that reflect the local safeguarding arrangements.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: review opportunities for mark making in order to more precisely support all children to develop their early literacy skills communicate behaviour expectations to children consistently and clearly to support and further extend their understanding of right from wrong.