Ampfield Childcare Hub

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders advocate for every child. Practitioners and leaders swiftly identify any emerging needs in children's learning and development. They are quick to make referrals and work in partnership with external agencies, such as speech and language therapy, to ensure children receive the support they need. Practitioners and leaders swiftly introduce strategies to help children who face barriers to learning make rapid progress in their learning and development, such as the use of picture boards to help develop children's communication skills. These strategies are rigorously reviewed and monitored to ensure they continue to meet the needs of each child. Leaders and practitioners work together to ensure their practice and environment are changed to meet the needs of the child. For example, they change the daily routines as needed and provide a sensory space that is quiet and calm within the environment to help children with regulation.

Leaders ensure that practitioners have a clear understanding of the assess, plan and review cycle and how to apply this to their children who may face barriers to learning.

Leaders and practitioners regularly share information with parents and offer training and support in regard to reducing the barriers to children's learning. For example, practitioners model speech and language activities to support speech development.

Leaders ensure that additional funding is used to reduce the barriers to learning that children may face. For example, they have identified that finances may be a barrier, and therefore use the additional funding to cover the extra costs associated with attending the provision to ensure that children continue to benefit from attending the provision regularly.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have a clear understanding of the quality of curriculum and teaching. Practitioners ensure that teaching is adapted appropriately to meet the needs of children who face barriers to learning. For example, children are able to access the resources and activities that best fit their stage of development instead of just their chronological age. Practitioners regularly use assessment to tailor teaching to children's individual needs and stages of development. This enables children's next steps to be precise and relevant and meet their needs.

Leaders have designed a curriculum that is ambitious and has clear aims for children and their learning and development. There is a focus on developing children's communication and language skills and their personal, social and emotional skills. Practitioners take pride in children and their achievements and proudly share with others what they have been up to. However, there are, on some occasions, minor inconsistencies in how practitioners support children as they learn about managing their behaviour and emotions.

Practitioners introduce children to mathematical concepts. For example, practitioners teach children about the concepts of small and tall as they build towers together. However, practitioners do not consistently teach mathematics across the provision, which impacts on the mathematical knowledge children develop.

Achievement: Expected standard

Typically, children make expected progress in their learning and development, with children who face barriers to learning making rapid progress, which helps close the gaps in development between themselves and their peers. This helps prepare children well for their next stage of learning.

Children develop their communication skills throughout the provision. For example, practitioners model vocabulary, such as 'pop' to babies as they play with bubbles. Children develop their physical skills in a range of ways. For example, older children develop their gross motor skills by completing obstacle courses out in the garden and fine motor skills through building with small bricks.

Children develop their independence skills through everyday routines. For example, older children self-serve their lunch and confidently clear their plates afterwards.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Children behave well, and practitioners typically have high expectations for their behaviour. This includes high expectations for children who face barriers to their learning. However, on occasion, practitioners do not consistently support children in managing their behaviour. For example, there are inconsistencies in managing behaviour over lunchtime, which leads to children becoming increasingly restless and fidgety. There are secure attachments between children, their peers and practitioners. Children feel comfortable and reach out to practitioners when they need reassurance. For example, younger children confidently hold out their hands to their key person to communicate when they want a hug. They beam in delight as they are given hugs by the warm, kind and caring staff.

Children play well with each other. They play collaboratively and invite each other into their play. For example, children excitedly role play together as they build a 'campfire' and toast 'marshmallows'.

Leaders understand the importance of attendance and punctuality. They work well with families to support their understanding of this and to help ensure children regularly attend the provision.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Children's individual needs are met well through individualised care practice. For example, practitioners adapt practice to ensure children have their snack when they need it. This individualised care starts from the settling-in process, and the transition into the provision is tailored to meet the needs of each family. In addition, practitioners when carrying out personal care routines treat children with respect and dignity throughout the nursery. This includes when supporting older children with nappy changes.

There are secure and responsive relationships between children and practitioners. Children have secure bonds with their key person, who knows them well, including their personal preferences as well as their age and stage of development.

Children develop an understanding of their heath and wellbeing as they progress through the nursery. For example, they learn to take risks safely as they play out in the garden as they negotiate the slide, and children enjoy making obstacle courses to practise their balancing skills.

Practitioners support children as they learn to recognise, express and manage their emotions. For example, practitioners usually help children understand the impact of their behaviour on others. However, there are occasional inconsistencies with this. For example, on some occasions, practitioners solve minor conflicts, such as over a toy, for the children rather than supporting them in managing their behaviour themselves.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

New leaders have only been in post a short while. They have worked quickly to gain an understanding of the provision's strengths and areas for development, and they have already started to make changes and develop practice further. Leaders are able to evaluate the provision well and are quick to step in and provide support to practitioners when needed. This includes modelling high-quality teaching and interactions. Leaders ensure that decisions are taken in the best interest of the children, including those who face barriers to learning. For example, they spend additional funding appropriately to meet the needs of individual children. Leaders are consistently focused on ensuring that all children have the same access to the provision and the curriculum. They work closely in partnership with external agencies to ensure children receive the support they need to flourish.

Leaders manage practitioners' wellbeing and workloads well. Practitioners regularly attend training to enhance their professional development.

Leaders have developed parent partnerships further. For example, parents and carers are invited into the provision for Mother's Day celebrations. Practitioners also regularly share information with parents to provide them with support and advice, such as holding a question and answer session around safe sleeping.