Acorn Playgroup & Pre-School

Inclusion: Strong standard

The identification of children's needs is swift and takes place from the moment children start at the setting. Staff gather a wealth of information from parents and carers when their children start. For instance, they implement strategies for children who cannot communicate verbally to help them to communicate effectively from the start. These are implemented swiftly and children use these to remain focused and motivated and make the best possible progress. Staff monitor and evaluate children's progress rigorously to ensure that targets are focused and help children to make swift progress. This is particularly beneficial to children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) or who face barriers to their learning.

Tailored support packages provide focus for children who need help, so that they successfully progress to the next stage of their learning. Regular reviews include parents and staff to ensure that aspirations for children are realised. All staff consistently deliver support for children to a high standard. Staff carefully plan, model and implement experiences. This makes a sustained difference to children being able to access the curriculum independently.

Professional relationships with other agencies provide rich support for staff and children alike. Leaders ensure that staff have a robust understanding of how to support children's differing needs, including medical requirements and strategies to support children with SEND. They vigorously monitor additional funding that the setting receives, providing rich experiences to all children. Leaders frequently review the difference that their spending has on children's opportunities. These carefully considered approaches enable all children to thrive.

Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard

Leaders create a broad and inclusive curriculum, which staff implement to a consistently high standard. They make continuous improvements to ensure that all children receive the education to which they are entitled across all areas of the curriculum. As a result, children's levels of engagement are high. Children are confident and independent learners. The curriculum is planned and carefully sequenced to build on children's learning to ensure that they are ready for the next stage of their education.

Support for children's communication is magnificent. Leaders and staff introduce purposeful communication methods for children who cannot communicate verbally. Staff fully embed these reasonable adjustments. As a result, all children successfully communicate their needs. Children are highly sociable and have strong emotional understanding. Staff respond instinctively to children's curiosity, expertly adapting their discussions so that children can learn from every interaction with staff at the setting.

Children enjoy making 'reindeer food'. They develop the small muscles in their hands as they scoop and pour. Staff support mathematical concepts, introducing relevant vocabulary that children readily use in their play. They build on children's prior knowledge and continuously support children to meet their high expectations. Constant assessment and rapid identification of children's next steps help all children to achieve their best from their individual starting points.

Achievement: Strong standard

All children achieve highly at this setting and they are extremely well prepared for moving on to school and their future learning. Children respond positively to the routines and benefit from a highly focused curriculum. They thrive in a familiar learning environment that mirrors local schools to help prepare them for their new school surroundings when they move on. All children become highly independent. Children take on roles, such as becoming the 'special helper' during snack time. They complete these roles proudly and highly effectively.

All children achieve across all areas of the broad and fully inclusive curriculum. Their communication and language skills develop rapidly. Children who cannot communicate verbally, confidently use alternative methods to communicate their needs. As a result, they make extremely rapid progress in their development.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

A harmonious and respectful culture is instinctively displayed throughout the setting by staff and children alike. This contributes to a calm atmosphere indoors and outdoors. Staff, children and parents and carers recognise the high expectations for children's behaviour. Children rush to support their friends if needed, reminding them that 'sharing is caring'. Incidents such as these are rare due to the high levels of engagement and children's deep understanding of the routines and expectations in place.

Warm and trusting relationships quickly develop between staff and children. Staff role model for children constantly in all areas of the setting. For instance, they promote collaborative play to children who face barriers to their learning. They do this frequently, and delight in the moment when children can play collaboratively without support. This perseverance and determination from staff results in children becoming highly sociable, kind and helpful individuals.

Expectations in relation to attendance are clearly understood by parents. Leaders work hard to promote their high expectations when children start, ensuring that parents understand the importance of their children attending. Leaders monitor attendance regularly and have clear plans in place to address any concerns swiftly. As a result, there are high levels of attendance at the setting and positive routines around this are well established.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Staff consistently promote the values of the setting. They recognise the importance of consistency and the need to prioritise children's safety and welfare. They particularly focus on those children who face barriers to their learning or with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff teach children to keep themselves safe. They recognise barriers to this, implementing highly effective strategies to encourage children to learn about eating safely so that they do not choke. This supports all children to build healthy habits and make safe decisions. Children recognise the effect that the cold weather has on their bodies and know that running around will help them to warm up, supporting their understanding of physical development.

The key-person system is highly effective, and children form strong bonds with staff. Children become highly familiar with the routine. Children with SEND feel safe and secure, separating from their parents and carers as they arrive and finding toys that help them to regulate their feelings independently. This is thanks to a responsive and established settling-in process that provides consistent routines and familiarity for children. Staff respond instantly to support changes to children's routines, prioritising their welfare. Collaborative approaches with parents to changes in toileting routines minimise disruption and empower children to be independent.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders are highly reflective, making sustained changes to the provision that benefit staff's wellbeing and the children who attend. Changes to the 'All About Me' forms mean that staff gather more detailed information to help swiftly identify any possible gaps in children's experiences or barriers to their learning. They also support staff's workload, minimising paperwork that staff previously found a burden. Continuous discussions and reflection between staff and leaders result in the best possible experiences for children. Ongoing and meaningful engagement with parents and carers ensures that they are aware of what their children are doing. This results in trusting and open communication to help children to succeed.

Leaders ensure that any changes to legislation or requirements are addressed before they are due to be implemented. They work hard to identify ways to ensure that children will benefit from these changes, keeping children at the heart of everything they do. Staff feel highly valued and included in decisions made at the setting. There is a robust supervision process in place and training for staff is focused around ensuring that staff can provide the best possible support to all children. This includes children who face barriers to their learning and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.