Beach Babies Wilburton

Inclusion: Strong standard

Staff get to know children extremely well. They use their thorough understanding of child development to quickly identify any emerging needs. They work closely with parents, carers and professionals to ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive timely and consistent support, which helps them make excellent progress. Leaders and staff access comprehensive training and have a thorough understanding of how to support children with SEND. Leaders understand how additional funding can be used to help children reach positive outcomes. They put effective strategies in place and continually review these to ensure children achieve. Staff teach all children, including babies and toddlers, Makaton signs to help with their communication. They carry out targeted interventions to support children who have speech delays, gradually building children's confidence to articulate specific sounds.

Staff support children known to social care sensitively. They develop trusting relationships with parents and share information with professionals to meet children's individual needs. Staff ensure children who speak English as an additional language, and their families, are fully included in the setting. They invite parents in to read stories in their home language and ask parents to choose music for all children to listen to. This helps children feel a sense of belonging and widens their understanding of the world around them.

Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard

Leaders have designed a bespoke curriculum and continually evaluate how effectively it is implemented to meet children's needs. They support room leaders to reflect on practice and identify areas for improvement. Staff use their thorough assessments to monitor children's progress and provide tailored interventions. There is a sharp focus on supporting children's speech and language with targeted support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Books are abundant across the setting, and reading stories is prioritised. Babies make superb progress with their physical development as staff provide space and resources to develop their balance, coordination and strength.

Staff meticulously plan learning opportunities. For example, pre-school children construct a road on the floor for their cars. Staff provide maps of the local area and simple signs, helping children learn about their community and develop early literacy skills. Teaching is consistently high quality. Staff embed mathematical learning and use skilful questioning to extend children's thinking and reasoning. They use every opportunity to support children to develop their social skills, teaching them how to collaborate, share and negotiate. Staff's thorough understanding of child development ensures that children learn deeply, building their knowledge and skills over time. They adapt their approach effectively to prepare children for their next stage of learning.

Achievement: Strong standard

Children develop a deep understanding of number and develop their reasoning skills. Toddlers remember and predict key events from stories such as 'The Three Billy Goats Gruff' and consider which materials would be best for building houses. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make rapid progress with their physical skills. Children and toddlers demonstrate excellent dexterity when using tools or pouring drinks. They learn to respect the environment by growing, preparing and eating vegetables.

Children, including those who speak English as an additional language, make excellent progress with their communication development. Babies enjoy making animal sounds and begin to use words, while toddlers learn Makaton signs to communicate their needs. Pre-school children articulate confidently and use ambitious vocabulary, such as 'hibernate'. Children collaborate well and express their feelings positively. They pay attention, listen to staff and confidently join in group times. They are very well prepared for the next stage in their learning.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Leaders provide a deeply personalised welcome for parents and carers and their children. They carry out home visits and adapt routines, such as their settling-in procedure, to meet children's and families' needs. They ensure that staff have time to build secure, positive relationships with parents and children, which helps promote regular attendance. Babies form secure attachments with their key persons and eagerly explore the wide variety of sensory learning experiences offered. Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), develop positive attitudes to learning and are confident and enthusiastic learners. They become deeply engaged in their learning from the moment they arrive and thoroughly enjoy their time playing and interacting with staff. Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour and are excellent role models. They treat children with the utmost respect, and children behave extremely well. Children are kind and well mannered. They invite their peers into their play and willingly offer help to each other. Staff focus on supporting children with their emotional wellbeing. They build on their understanding of how to recognise and manage their own emotions, as well as the importance of listening to others. Staff teach children strategies, such as breathing techniques. They support children with SEND by providing calming time in the sensory room with a member of staff.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Leaders put children's wellbeing at the centre of all decisions. They continually review and update policies and practice to ensure children's welfare is promoted. Staff teach children how to stay healthy and safe as part of the setting's bespoke curriculum. Children thoroughly enjoy nutritious home-cooked meals and snacks, and staff use these routines to help children understand how to make healthy choices. They support children in understanding the importance of staying hydrated and putting sun cream on in the hot weather. Staff teach babies and children independence skills, including washing and drying their hands and using mirrors to help them wipe their own faces carefully.

There is a key focus on supporting children's emotional wellbeing. Leaders carry out home visits and invite prospective parents to coffee mornings as soon as they register their child at the setting. This helps them gather detailed information about children's backgrounds and experiences and provide highly individualised support for their health and wellbeing. Staff are very responsive to the changing needs of children who are known to social care, building secure attachments with babies and children. Staff manage transitions, both into the setting and between rooms, with great care, providing a flexible and personalised approach. Children are calm and relaxed. They thoroughly enjoy playing in the extensive outdoor space.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders are passionate about ensuring every child in the setting thrives. They rigorously evaluate the provision and prioritise supporting staff in order to sustain high-quality practice. Leaders have developed a well-designed and thorough induction system to prepare new staff, and they use regular supervisory meetings to identify areas for development. They provide bespoke professional learning and opportunities for staff to take on extra responsibilities, helping them feel valued and motivated. Leaders ensure that staff workload is manageable. Staff report feeling very well supported in the setting with both their professional development and their wellbeing.

Leaders create excellent partnerships with parents and carers, who speak incredibly highly about the setting. Parents appreciate the personalised approach to the care their children receive. They comment that staff go 'above and beyond' and take all their concerns seriously. Leaders work closely with parents and other professionals to ensure that consistent support is provided for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Their highly effective communication ensures that children known to social care are safe and have their needs met. Leaders proactively build relationships with many local primary schools to ensure smooth transitions for children starting school.