Tick Tock Playgroup

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement The manager recently joined the setting and has focused her attention on training and developing staff in the pre-school room.

Older children build strong bonds with staff, are confident and keen to explore the world around them. For example, they learn the names of insects they find in the garden. However, the manager does not monitor or support staff working with younger children well enough to ensure that they meet children's care and learning needs effectively.

Older children behave well. They follow the rules and expectations of the setting to help prepare them for school. For example, they tidy away toys when asked....

Staff working with younger children do not consistently teach them the skills they need to learn to manage their own behaviour. For example, staff tell children to 'use kind hands' but do not show them what this means. Some staff working with younger children do not always act swiftly enough to comfort children when needed.

The special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator (SENCo) identifies children who may need extra support to help them reach the next steps in their development. However, she does not work closely enough with parents or other professionals to share information and strategies to help children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to reach their full potential. The curriculum is not designed well enough to meet their needs.

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

The manager has not been in post long enough to drive all of the required improvements that she has identified. She has taken action to reduce staff workload, which has had a positive impact on staff morale. However, staff working with younger children need more monitoring, coaching and training to improve their practice and interactions with children.

Staff working with younger children do not interact with children in a way that effectively supports their communication and language development. Some staff working with babies speak too quickly for children to understand what is being said and be able to respond. When children name the colours incorrectly, staff say, 'We have established that is not purple,' but do not name the correct colour.

This does not help children to learn new vocabulary.Staff working with babies and young children do not support them to learn to manage their own feelings and behaviour. When children take toys from each other or lift some of the fabric floor tiles in the baby room, staff tell children 'no' and 'stop'.

However, they do not always provide an alternative activity or explain the impact of children's behaviour to nurture their personal and emotional development. At times, staff do not interact with children who are crying quickly enough to support their emotional well-being.The SENCo, who is also the manager, does not always work closely enough with parents and other agencies to gather information about children's development to enable staff to build on what children already know and can do.

This means that some children with SEND are not supported to make the progress of which they are capable.Leaders and managers consider effective ways to use additional funding, for example to provide extra hours for children to promote continuity of learning and care. However, when the need for some additional resources is identified by staff, they are not always in place swiftly enough to fully support children's learning.

Children learn to be independent in preparation for school. For example, older children put on their own coats and shoes. They wash their own hands and learn to confidently manage their own personal care.

Children get plenty of fresh air and exercise in the garden. Older children ably climb, run and ride on tricycles. Babies enjoy climbing on soft-play equipment to develop their physical skills.

Toddlers and pre-school children enjoy role play to develop their imagination and social skills. For example, they pretend to go to the shops and serve each other food from the play kitchen.Staff display photos of children's families, and staff working with older children encourage them to talk about what makes them unique.

Parents report that they are well informed about the activities the setting provides for their children.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Most staff know the signs and symptoms that might indicate that a child is at risk of abuse.

All staff are aware of how to report any concerns they might have regarding children's welfare. The designated safeguarding lead works closely with external agencies to help keep children safe from harm. Checks are undertaken to help ensure that staff are suitable to work with children.

Should these checks not be back before a member of staff starts work, appropriate supervision is in place to safeguard children. Risk assessments are robust and effective in ensuring the setting is safe and secure.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must: Due date improve the monitoring, training and coaching of staff to ensure that all children benefit from good-quality interactions that support their emotional well-being and promote their language development 05/12/2023 provide training for staff working with babies and young children to ensure they support children to learn to manage their own feelings and behaviour 05/12/2023 work more closely with other professionals and parents of children with SEND to design a curriculum that fully meets their needs and builds on what they already know and can do.

05/12/2023