Birchwood Pre-School & After School Club

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders and staff continually assess children's progress to identify any emerging delays in development. They have established effective partnerships with parents and a range of professionals to ensure children receive appropriate support at the earliest opportunity. While awaiting advice from external agencies, staff implement individual support plans for children. This ensures children receive support that is responsive, flexible and tailored to children's individual needs. For example, staff plan focused small-group activities to promote children's social and emotional development. Leaders and staff make appropriate adaptations to the environment and daily routines to support children's learning. They identify when children become anxious during particular parts of the day and respond by providing them with responsibilities, such as planting seeds, to help children regulate their emotions.

Leaders and staff adapt the curriculum effectively to meet the needs of all children, as they recognise and celebrate all small developmental milestones children achieve. Staff regularly inform parents about their child's progress and provide practical advice and guidance to help extend children's learning and development at home. Leaders ensure the use of additional funding is targeted and benefits the children it is intended to support. For example, they purchase additional resources, such as visual aids, to support children to join in with key parts of the routine, such as mealtimes. However, at times, staff do not use these resources consistently to support all children's understanding and communication.

Leaders continue to evaluate and strengthen their provision for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and other barriers to their learning. They have identified plans to increase opportunities for focused one-to-one support to further enhance children's learning and development.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders and staff plan a well-sequenced curriculum that covers all areas of learning and is designed to prepare children for the next stage in their development. Staff know children well and gather information from parents to inform their understanding of each child's starting points. This information is used effectively to adapt the provision and ensure learning experiences meet children's individual needs.

Staff provide a broad range of experiences that are carefully planned around children's interests. As a result, older children remain engaged and sustain concentration in their play for extended periods of time. The experiences on offer capture children's curiosity and encourage them to work collaboratively. For example, children work together to design and construct large-scale models using a variety of resources. However, there are occasions when staff do not recognise when younger children need more support to join in with activities and engage with the opportunities available. Staff also provide regular opportunities for children to strengthen their gross motor skills as they confidently ride bikes and navigate the large outdoor environment.

Mathematical language is embedded consistently throughout daily interactions. Staff naturally introduce opportunities for children to count, compare and solve problems during play. For example, while caring for baby dolls, children are encouraged to work out how many blankets are needed and use mathematical vocabulary to compare the dolls, identifying which is the tallest or shortest.

Leaders and staff particularly focus on developing children's communication and language skills through singing familiar songs, sharing stories and engaging children in meaningful conversations throughout the day. Staff are deployed effectively across the provision, which ensures children have the opportunity to engage in regular conversations with familiar adults. However, at times, noise levels during parts of the daily routine can become high, which reduces the quality of interactions and limits opportunities for extended conversations.

Achievement: Expected standard

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make progress across all areas of learning because of the tailored support they receive. Children are well prepared for the next stage of learning, including school. They benefit from a wide range of opportunities that promote their physical development. Children develop their fine motor skills as they use tools such as jugs, spoons and cups to pour sand and water with increasing control. Children show perseverance as they successfully put on jackets in the role-play area, along with their own shoes and socks.

Children maintain their focus and attention during activities. They benefit from a range of experiences that are planned to promote learning across several areas of the curriculum. Children are encouraged to express their own ideas as they choose which colours they would like to mix together and decide when they would like to wash their paintbrushes. They develop their language skills as they confidently approach staff to engage in conversation. Children are keen to listen to stories and sing familiar songs.

Most children confidently join in with their peers and staff. However, there are occasions when some children would benefit from more timely encouragement to join in with activities and support to express themselves to their peers and adults.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders and staff provide a warm, nurturing environment where children develop positive relationships and secure attachments. Staff use the information they receive from parents and other professionals to understand the reasons behind children's behaviour. This enables them to provide tailored support, including one-to-one interventions where appropriate, to help children regulate their emotions and behaviour.

Staff are positive role models and interact with children in a kind, calm and supportive manner. Leaders and staff have established consistent daily routines that help children understand what will happen next. They recognise the importance of predictable routines in promoting children's emotional security and reducing feelings of anxiety. However, at mealtimes, interactions with children are not consistently purposeful, meaning that not all children benefit from high-quality conversations that extend their language and thinking.

Staff provide frequent encouragement and praise. They support children to make independent choices and develop their independence within the environment. For example, children confidently choose where they would like to play and understand the expectations for each area to ensure everyone has sufficient space to play together.

Staff know children well and recognise when they require additional support. They respond sensitively, for example by helping children to take turns when playing with the baby dolls and encouraging positive interactions with others.

Leaders implement effective procedures to monitor children's attendance in line with their policy. They work closely with parents to promote regular attendance, helping children to benefit from the full range of learning opportunities available.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Leaders and staff place children's welfare and wellbeing at the heart of their practice. They have created a warm, welcoming and nurturing environment where children feel valued and secure. Leaders are reflective and regularly evaluate both the environment and their practice from a child's perspective to ensure experiences continue to meet children's individual needs. Children demonstrate that they feel emotionally secure by confidently seeking comfort, reassurance and support from familiar adults when required. Leaders and staff have clear policies and procedures in place to ensure children sleep safely.

Leaders and staff gather detailed information about children's development, interests, routines and experiences at home before they start. This enables children to settle quickly, develop secure relationships and build a strong sense of belonging. Parents speak highly of the caring and nurturing approach taken by staff and value the regular communication they receive. They are confident that staff know their children extremely well and respond effectively to children's individual needs.

Typically, routines provide children with consistency so they can anticipate what comes next. Children confidently make independent choices in their play and remain deeply engaged in meaningful experiences for sustained periods. Leaders and staff adapt daily routines and deploy staff effectively so that children, including those who require special educational needs and/or disabilities, receive one-to-one intervention where appropriate.

Leaders and staff foster a culture of mutual respect and positive relationships, creating a purposeful environment for children to thrive. Children become increasingly independent in managing their own personal care, confidently washing and drying their hands and understanding why good hygiene is important. Staff promote healthy lifestyles through meaningful conversations about nutritious food and by providing opportunities for children to grow and care for fruit and vegetables. This supports children to develop an understanding of where food comes from and the importance of healthy choices. Children also learn effective oral hygiene routines through regular opportunities to practise toothbrushing. Staff work closely with parents to provide consistent support for toilet training, helping children develop the confidence and independence needed for their move to school.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders have a secure understanding of the individual needs of all children who attend the setting. They work effectively in partnership with parents to ensure children receive the support they need and that any emerging concerns about children's development are identified and responded to in a timely way.

Leaders have established effective partnerships with a range of professionals, including the local authority inclusion team and the on-site primary school. They share relevant information appropriately to help provide continuity of support for children and promote positive outcomes.

Leaders and staff are well established in their roles and work together effectively as a team. Staff speak positively about the support they receive from leaders and describe an open culture where they feel comfortable sharing ideas and raising concerns. This contributes positively to staff wellbeing. Leaders value staff contributions and provide opportunities for them to influence practice. For example, staff work collaboratively with leaders to review and develop policies and procedures, including approaches to supporting children's behaviour. Regular supervision and professional discussions enable leaders to identify staff strengths and areas for development. Staff have access to a range of professional development opportunities. However, leaders do not consistently evaluate the impact of training on staff practice to identify if it enhances the quality of teaching.

Leaders keep parents well informed about their children's learning and development through regular communication and opportunities to spend time in the setting. Parents value the detailed information they receive and appreciate the positive relationships they have developed with staff.