Busy Bees At Haling Park

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders and managers share information effectively with parents and carers to identify and meet the needs of children who face barriers in their learning. Key persons of children with medical needs work closely with parents to ensure that any advice from professionals is followed up at the setting to promote children's health and wellbeing. The team has high aims for all children, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds and those previously known to children's social care.

Leaders use funding effectively, for instance, to increase opportunities for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to explore with their senses. Those staff who lead the provision for children with SEND guide the team well to develop and implement personalised plans that support children's progress from their starting points. Staff understand how barriers, such as levels of confidence, may impact children's willingness to speak and contribute their ideas. They use their knowledge and understanding well to support children to build on their communication skills.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders, managers and those who lead the provision for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities maintain a close overview of children who need support. They have high aims for all children and target the curriculum to meet individual children's needs.

Staff stimulate children's love for books. Young children learn to turn pages in books and use props and musical instruments as they listen to staff sing and read to them. They learn to repeat numbers while staff sing a song about 'Five Little Ducks' and encourage children to join in. Staff plan fun ways to encourage toddlers to explore different natural materials and engage in messy play. For example, children who are reluctant to explore water and touch mud join in the activity when staff encourage them to scrub and wash away mud from small-world animals.

Staff understand the value of providing opportunities for children to practise and repeat activities to help them deepen their understanding of concepts. For example, staff who work with older children provide a range of experiences for children to learn concepts such as 'connect' and 'disconnect'. Parents and carers of children who face barriers to their learning provide positive views about the support for their children and the progress they make from their starting points. Children who speak English as an additional language show an understanding of prepositions such as 'inside' and 'outside'.

Staff provide regular opportunities for children of all age groups to play outside in the fresh air. They provide suitable resources and lots of praise to encourage babies who are learning to walk to explore taking their first steps. Staff encourage toddlers to explore walking on stepping blocks. Older children learn to jump in and out of a row of hoops. Leaders have not embedded some aspects of the curriculum for physical development fully effectively. Children have limited opportunities to explore some movement skills, such as climbing, in an age-appropriate way and to practise using their upper arm strength, control and coordination during these activities.

Achievement: Expected standard

All children, including those who speak English as an additional language, develop their vocabulary and communication skills and typically make steady progress from their starting points. Babies are keen to listen to stories and participate, using actions and words in their responses. For example, when staff encourage them to name the animals in the book, children put their hands by their ears and say 'rabbit'. Toddlers learn to communicate their needs, for instance to express their choice of activity.

Older children show enjoyment in mark-making activities and learn to draw with purpose. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive support to join in activities as staff adapt activities to meet their needs. Children who fall behind in specific areas of their learning are supported to catch up with their peers. For example, children who need support with their behaviour make progress from their starting points and learn to regulate their emotions. Children are prepared well for the next stages in their learning.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Staff promote children's friendships with their peers. They encourage children to participate in interactive games, such as passing a ball to each other. These experiences enable children who need support with their social skills to develop familiarity with other children. Toddlers are caring and friendly towards babies. They are eager to meet babies during opportunities such as outdoor play and, for instance, stroke them gently, showing love and care. Older children learn to follow rules, and staff teach them to understand the impact of their behaviour on others. Staff intervene promptly to teach toddlers to resolve sharing issues and continue playing with their peers.

Staff promote children's sense of belonging. For instance, they provide opportunities for older children to be helpers and contribute in age-appropriate ways to routines, such as setting up snack and mealtimes.

Leaders and managers work closely with parents and carers to meet children's needs and promote children's attendance. Children typically settle quickly on arrival and are eager to join in activities. Babies crawl forward to have a closer look and explore the books that staff read to them. Older children thoroughly enjoy small-group activities and chat happily with their friends as they play and learn.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Key persons share information effectively with each other to plan a smooth transition for children who transfer within the nursery. This enables them to plan activities that interest children and supports them to settle quickly when they transfer. Leaders and managers have organised a buddy system to strengthen the arrangements for familiar staff to take over when the key persons are not present. These policies and practices support children's welfare and wellbeing. Children are emotionally secure and form close bonds with staff.

Staff provide close support to encourage children who are reluctant to eat to join in at lunchtime. Staff work closely with parents and carers to meet children's medical and dietary needs. Leaders and managers support staff to identify and provide safe food alternatives to encourage children's choices at mealtimes. Toddlers point to a picture of a fish and say they had 'fish cakes' for lunch. Older children independently help themselves to water when they are thirsty.

Staff provide opportunities for children to learn about the importance of routines, such as toothbrushing. They read stories to children about visits to the dentist and introduce them to vocabulary, such as the 'hygienist', in the context of children's play. Children repeat words such as 'round and round' as they explore brushing pictures and models of teeth. Children develop the foundations of self-care and an understanding of matters that contribute to their health and wellbeing.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders, managers and staff have worked well as a team since the previous inspection to improve the quality of care and learning for children. Staff training has been effective in improving staff skills with regard to the planning and implementation of the curriculum. Leaders and managers work closely with other professionals, including speech and language therapists, paediatricians and healthcare professionals, to plan and implement support for individual children. They use funding effectively to enhance support for individual children, for instance, through additional staff and resources to aid the implementation of an inclusive curriculum.

Staff provide positive feedback regarding the support from the management team for their professional development and their wellbeing. They are deployed effectively and work well together to support each other and meet the needs of children. Although leaders and managers have improved processes to share information with parents and carers, this is not yet fully embedded. The team does not provide consistent opportunities for parents to continue children's learning at home.