Blaby Pre-School

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders prioritise training so that staff can support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) effectively. Staff continually assess the progress children make. When staff identify that children may have delays in their development, they take swift action to address this. They talk to parents and contact other professionals for advice. Staff work closely as a team to develop strategies that support children with SEND to make progress and help them to be fully included in daily routines. Staff fully involve parents in discussions on how any additional funding can be best used to support children.

Staff skilfully adapt the curriculum to ensure all children can access the learning on offer. For some children, particularly those with SEND, this means that staff provide higher levels of focused support. They play alongside children, modelling how to do things and narrating so children benefit from hearing language. Staff use different strategies, such as sign language and picture cards, to support children with speech and communication delays. However, some strategies are not yet fully embedded throughout the day. This means, occasionally, children do not always use the cards to indicate the choices they would like to make, for example.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders and staff deliver a well-sequenced and ambitious curriculum for children across all areas of learning. Staff liaise closely with parents to fully understand children's starting points and their interests. Staff make effective use of the information they gather to plan relevant and meaningful activities that carefully build on children's knowledge and skills and help all children to make progress. Staff provide regular updates for parents to help them to understand how they can support children's learning at home.

Overall, children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, gain suitable communication and language skills. Staff take care to speak clearly so children hear new vocabulary. They give children time to listen and repeat key words to help them make connections in their play. Staff give high regard to promoting children's personal, social and emotional development. Children foster positive relationships with one another and willingly share resources.

Staff regularly discuss children's progress. They identify next steps in children's learning by carefully considering what children already know and can do. Staff successfully build on children's skills by offering a variety of experiences. For example, they provide a wide range of tools for children to use with play dough. They extend children's physical skills by supporting them to use cutters and scissors. Staff skilfully model actions, such as rolling and kneading, to enhance children's dexterity. Staff consistently support mathematical learning by encouraging children to count, use number names and to recognise and compare shapes.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children achieve well from their starting points. Staff regularly observe children and carefully monitor their progress. Generally, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make secure progress. For example, children understand sensory prompts, such as bells and songs, that forewarn them of a change in activity, helping them to prepare and to remain calm and settled.

Children become confident and capable communicators in readiness for their next stages in learning. Children readily engage in conversation. They share ideas and describe what they are doing with others. They show interest in their learning by asking questions and when they need assistance, they seek out adults to ask for help. Staff recognise the importance of developing these key communication skills before children start school.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders and staff have established very positive relationships with families. They work closely with parents to ensure children attend the setting regularly. This helps children to quickly gain in confidence and build strong links with their key person.

Leaders and staff sensitively guide children and are positive role models. They establish consistent boundaries so children know what is expected of them. For example, at tidy-up time, children collect up toys to put away. Staff give children gentle reminders when required. Children learn to work collaboratively with their friends to make the environment a safe place for everyone to enjoy. Children are kind and respectful to one another. They learn to take turns and willingly share resources as they play together.

Staff know children well and understand their individual needs. When children become frustrated or upset they offer warm reassurance that quickly helps children to regulate their emotions and feel calm. When some children struggle to join in with whole-group activities, staff skilfully offer alternative activities, such as reading a story together. This helps to keep children positively engaged with their learning.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Staff provide effective support for children to help them to understand how to use tools safely. For example, at snack time, children learn to use knives as they spread butter and are reminded why they should not put knives in their mouth. Children learn to consistently follow positive hygiene routines, which promotes their good health. They feel safe and secure as staff offer warm and consistent care. Children do not hesitate to approach staff when they need assistance.

Leaders and staff help children to learn about the benefits of following a healthy lifestyle. They provide a wide range of fruits at snack time, which children are keen to try. Children are encouraged to make their own choices, selecting which fruits they would like and choosing between milk or water to drink. Staff adapt snack and mealtimes to enable children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to feel settled and enjoy their experience. Staff support children to use picture cards to help them to communicate their preferences, although this is not always consistent.

Parents value the support they receive from leaders and staff. They comment how staff have worked closely with them to understand children's individual needs. This helps all children to have a smooth transition into the setting.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders hold regular staff meetings and appraisals to discuss what is working well and any areas where staff feel they may benefit from additional support or training. Ongoing professional development helps staff to develop the skills and knowledge they need to provide children with the best start in life and enable them to make the progress they are capable of. Leaders regularly talk to staff to check on their wellbeing. Staff say they feel valued and supported in their roles. For example, when staff express an interest in developing their skills to better understand how to meet the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, leaders work with them to identify available training opportunities.

Leaders have taken positive steps to address the actions raised at the last inspection. The improvements that have been made have had a positive impact on the quality of teaching, learning and children's safety. All staff have updated their safeguarding knowledge, which has strengthened their awareness of how to protect children from harm. However, to sustain this improvement, leaders have yet to establish a robust approach to self-evaluation to ensure areas for further development are quickly identified.