Bentley Childcare Services at King Charles

Inclusion: Expected standard

Staff, who are responsible for supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are passionate about providing all children with the best experiences and outcomes. They have a clear understanding of their roles. Overall, they work effectively alongside other professionals, ensuring that children get the help they need to close any gaps in learning. Leaders work closely with staff, parents and carers to ensure that there is a coordinated approach to children's experiences. This includes decisions about the use of additional funding, ensuring that it benefits the children it is intended to support. For example, leaders recently identified a need for children's outdoor experiences to be enhanced. They have invested in the outdoor area to ensure that it is a space where all children's learning can be extended effectively.

Observations and assessments are typically used well to monitor the progress children make and to identify any gaps in learning. When gaps in learning are identified, key staff adapt the curriculum to suit individual needs. Information is typically shared with staff at other settings that children attend, or will attend, to provide continuity in the approach to children's care and learning.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders and staff plan a curriculum that covers all areas of learning. They consider children's starting points and plan activities that support what children need to learn next. Staff use ongoing observations and assessments to help children to progress in their learning.

Staff promote children's mathematical skills well. For example, babies are encouraged to make shapes in the play dough. Staff name the shapes and ask children to repeat the words. Staff play simple ball games with toddlers, counting before throwing. Children's communication and language skills are a clear focus for all age groups. Babies benefit from joining in with frequent rhymes and songs. Older children benefit from listening to favourite stories, where they complete familiar phrases. Children's physical skills are promoted well. Babies are supported to develop their early walking skills, while older children have frequent opportunities to run, climb and balance.

Staff's interactions with children are typically positive. All children are included, and teaching is adapted to suit the needs of those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. However, staff occasionally move children away from activities to complete other routine tasks, which impacts negatively on some children's engagement.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children are happy and settled at the nursery. Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, achieve well and generally develop the broad range of skills they need as they prepare to move on to school. They become confident communicators and routinely engage in conversations and discussions with their friends and staff. Children express their needs, for example asking for help when they cannot find their water bottle. Children show care and respect for one another. For example, while walking back to the nursery from the school, they take it in turns to hold the door open for one another.

Children enjoy exploring the outdoor play area. They show confidence as they climb and balance on equipment. They play cooperatively with their friends and enjoy joining in with games. Children develop an understanding of the world around them. For instance, younger children enjoy taking care of the flowers, using the watering can to water them.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Staff know their key children well. They build warm and trusting relationships that help children to feel secure in staff's care. Staff, working with babies, are sensitive and nurturing. For example, they take their key children to the quiet, cosy area, where they cuddle them as they feed them their bottle. Leaders and staff have high expectations for and of children. They provide an inclusive environment where all children and families are welcome. Staff are positive role models, and they offer gentle and age-appropriate reminders to children. This helps to reinforce positive behaviour. When minor conflicts arise, they provide suggestions to help children resolve issues. For instance, when children take toys that others are using, staff gently intervene and suggest they share and take turns. Children respond well to these reminders and develop secure social skills.

Typically, routines are clear and well established throughout the nursery. Children of all ages understand what is coming next. For example, they happily help to tidy resources and toys away before the next activity starts. Leaders work alongside parents and carers to help them understand the importance of regular attendance.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Typically, children develop age-appropriate self-care skills. For example, staff encourage older babies to use paper-towels to dry their hands and are praised when they put the paper-towels in the bin. Pre-school children use the toilet independently. Relationships between staff and children are warm and trusting. Children readily approach familiar staff for cuddles and comfort when tired or needing reassurance. Staff follow babies' routines from home. This supports children's emotional wellbeing effectively.

Staff understand the importance of ensuring that children are closely supervised to keep them safe. For example, staff sit with children while they are eating and remind them to remain seated to minimise any risk of choking. Staff working with babies have completed training around safe-sleeping guidance. They are confident with procedures to ensure that children remain safe, such as placing babies to sleep on their backs and ensuring that they are checked regularly. Hygiene routines are followed throughout the nursery, and the environment is clean and well maintained. Staff ensure that regular handwashing takes place to promote children's health. Leaders work with families to promote the importance of healthy eating. For example, they give children and families suggestions for healthy lunch boxes. Leaders and staff have a sound understanding of any potential barriers children may face to their learning. They make sensitive adaptions to help meet children's individual needs.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders have a broad understanding of children, their families and the local community. They use this knowledge to provide appropriate support so that all children, including those who may face barriers to their learning, make appropriate progress in their learning and development.

The staff team is well established, and staff feel valued and supported in their roles. Their workload is manageable, and they benefit from regular, ongoing training and supervision sessions. This helps to build on staff's knowledge and skills. Leaders work effectively with other professionals, such as the local authority inclusion team. They have generally established effective partnerships with other settings that children attend. Partnerships with the on-site school that most children move on to are valued. This helps with consistency of learning and supports children's eventual move to school.

Leaders are passionate about ensuring that children and families receive high standards of care and education. Parents and carers value that their children are happy attending the nursery. Leaders organise regular events where parents and children can spend time together at the nursery. However, there is scope to build on current communication methods to ensure that all parents are fully informed about the plans for children's future learning.