Busy Bees at Andover Picket Twenty

Inclusion: Needs attention

Leaders and staff have not promptly worked in partnership with parents or acted quickly enough for some children when there are concerns about the progress they are making. Therefore, some children face delays in getting the right support at the right time to enable them to achieve well. Leaders and staff identify some children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face other barriers to learning, promptly and accurately. They engage appropriately with parents and carers and specialist professionals to secure the support children need, helping to promote their learning, development and wellbeing. However, this is not consistent for all children that face barriers to their learning.

Leaders and staff support children effectively to communicate their needs and wishes. They maintain eye contact, position themselves at children's level and use visual aids where appropriate to support understanding and expression. This helps children to communicate confidently and ensures their individual wellbeing needs are met effectively.

Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention

Leaders ambitions for the curriculum and teaching are appropriate, which staff generally teach well for most children. However, there are inconsistencies in the implementation for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who face other barriers to learning. For example, staff do not consistently assess, implement and review individual support plans for some children. As a result, these children do not always develop the skills they need to access the curriculum fully. They are not as well prepared as they could be for their next stage of learning, including the transition to school.

Leaders support staff to understand the curriculum that they intend to teach and when. They consider what concepts children should learn to help them gain different skills. For example, older children learn the concept of sorting and classifying with colour and shapes. Meanwhile, babies enthusiastically develop their physical skills as they crawl up ramps and confidently explore slides. Staff support children to develop a love of books and early literacy. They promote this through initiatives such as a 'story, song and word of the week'. These activities engage children in meaningful language experiences, helping to broaden their vocabulary and develop their communication and literacy skills.

Achievement: Needs attention

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face other barriers to their learning do not consistently receive the support they need to make the best possible progress. As a result, they do not always develop the skills and knowledge required to fully access the curriculum. Consequently, these children are not as well prepared as they could be for their next stage of learning, including their transition to school. Some children receive effective support to develop the skills and knowledge that are appropriate for their age and stage of development. They communicate their needs confidently, demonstrate positive physical development and show positive social skills through their interactions with others.

Babies show a keen eagerness to explore sensory materials and engage in meaningful back-and-forth interactions with adults. They demonstrate secure attachments, seeking comfort and affection when needed, which supports their emotional wellbeing. Babies develop key physical skills, including those required for walking. Older children demonstrate growing independence and confidently manage age-appropriate tasks. They thrive when given responsibilities and are eager to help throughout the day, showing a sense of belonging and contributing positively to the setting's community.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders and staff are positive role models for all children. They create a calm and supportive environment where children feel safe and secure. Staff help babies and children to understand the rules and boundaries of the setting, promoting their safety and wellbeing. They make appropriate adaptations to routines and activities to ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are fully supported throughout the day. Staff typically use consistent strategies to support children's understanding of routines and transitions. For example, they clap and tap to gain children's attention. Staff provide a warning that a transition is about to take place, such as when outdoor play is ending. Children respond positively to these cues and are keen to help tidy away resources, demonstrating a sense of responsibility for their environment.

Children behave well. They show kindness and consideration towards one another. Children understand the setting's expectations. Older children confidently share the 'golden rules', such as using listening ears and indoor voices. They follow these rules well and demonstrate respect for others. Children form friendships and enjoy playing and learning together. They are eager to take on responsibilities within the setting and proudly talk about their helper roles, including being garden, lunchtime and drinks helpers. These opportunities support children's independence and sense of belonging within the setting. Leaders have robust procedures in place to monitor and manage children's attendance. This helps to promote children's safety and wellbeing.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders and staff place an emphasis on children's safety and wellbeing. They carry out effective risk assessments and take appropriate measures to keep children safe. For instance, during hot weather, staff ensure children are protected from the sun by encouraging regular hydration breaks and providing easy access to drinking water, which older children confidently help themselves to. Younger babies remain cool in shaded areas and are suitably dressed with sun cream and hats while they enjoy supervised water play. Staff maintain children's safety throughout the day by completing regular headcounts. This enables children to enjoy free-flow play inside and out while ensuring that all children are accounted for and well supervised.

Staff typically engage children in meaningful back-and-forth conversations, helping to promote their communication and language development. The youngest babies receive effective support to help develop the physical skills needed for walking. Key persons demonstrate a thorough understanding of their children and have established secure and warm relationships with them. Babies clearly show that they feel safe and emotionally secure with staff. For example, some seek reassurance when stepping into the water tray, reaching out for a hand to support them or seeking a cuddle when needed. Children develop an understanding of healthy lifestyles through their play. While playing with role-play food, they confidently distinguish between healthy and less healthy foods. They also use descriptive language to talk about foods, explaining that an apple tastes 'sour'. This helps to extend both their communication skills and their understanding of healthy choices.

Leadership and governance: Needs attention

Leaders provide regular internal professional development opportunities for staff, typically online. However, these are not consistently relevant with the areas of weakness and are not always delivered in a way that enables all staff to make improvements. For instance, some staff are less confident to identify and support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This impacts on the experiences some children receive.

Leaders place a high priority on staff's wellbeing. They recognise that ongoing staffing challenges can place additional demands on staff. Leaders work closely with the team to review workloads and identify ways to provide effective support. This remains an evolving area, and leaders continue to prioritise staff's wellbeing. For example, they have adapted working hours to better meet individual staff members' needs. They have also ensured newer staff are supported by experienced and long-standing colleagues to promote support and consistency. This also helps to maintain open and transparent communication regarding recruitment progress. As a result, most staff report feeling well supported and valued in their roles.

Leaders operate an open-door policy, encouraging parents and carers to share information and discuss any matters as they arise. Parents report feeling comfortable approaching leaders. They say that their views are listened to and valued. This open and positive communication helps partnerships between the setting and families.