Busy Bodies Childcare Ltd

Inclusion: Expected standard

Staff gather extensive information about children's interests, preferences, routines and families. They use this knowledge to plan for their care and education effectively from the beginning. Leaders ensure staff typically develop the skills and knowledge to support all children's learning and development. This includes, potentially, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are known (or previously known) to social care. Staff find out about any possible new barriers to learning as they arise because they continuously exchange information with parents and carers. They take account of children's home lives and experiences to inform and adapt the curriculum offer for individual children. Leaders know where to find further specialised advice and support for children, and are keen to work closely in partnership with other professionals.

Staff adapt routines and activities to meet children's physical and emotional requirements, using regular observations and assessments to inform planning. For example, staff motivate babies to become mobile by providing lots of opportunities for them to move to reach toys that they want to hold. They provide the emotional support that children who are, for instance, moving from other settings or going onto school shortly, need. Leaders use any additional funding effectively to provide resources, such as dressing up clothes to promote role play, and to enhance their experiences within the local community.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders design a curriculum that supports development across all areas of learning ready for future learning. Children's personal, social and emotional development are prioritised. Staff focus on establishing positive relationships with children and supporting them to form friendships with each other during group activities. Overall, staff work together to provide experiences that capture children's curiosity and encourage their learning of new skills. For instance, staff give children daily opportunities to develop their physical skills outdoors, including climbing steps, balancing on beams and throwing hoops. They promote children's understanding of the world and nature. One example of this is when children water seeds to help them grow into plants.

Staff promote children's listening and understanding skills, and enrich their vocabulary with frequent stories, songs and rhymes. They expertly ask questions to engage children during discussions. Staff give older children time to think and answer. When talking, for example, about trips to the seaside they introduce new vocabulary, such as 'ocean'. Staff make eye contact and repeat single words for toddlers to hear and repeat. Toddlers listen to steam trains going by and say 'choo choo'. This adapted approach helps to promote the development of children's communication and language skills effectively.

Leaders recently changed curriculum planning to focus on each child's unique needs and next steps more closely, including for those facing barriers to learning. In the main, the quality of teaching supports the effective implementation of the curriculum. On occasion, staff do not take account of what individual children already know and can do when planning activities, such as writing names. For instance, staff do not sequence planning to focus on holding pencils correctly during mark making before introducing writing letters.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children generally take a lead in their play and make choices from resources that stimulate their senses and creativity, including sand, water, paint, chalk, shaving foam and dough. They are keen to 'have a go', for example, when making handprints. Children typically concentrate, cooperate and use their imaginations, for instance, when creating 'flower soup'. They carefully pick up petals with tweezers and use pipettes to add water. This helps them to develop their small muscles and fine motor control. They investigate what happens when they mix sand and water together.

Children demonstrate their love of books as they repeatedly choose stories for staff to read aloud. They use mathematical language, including 'more' and 'circles', and count how many children are going to the garden. During role play, children show the breadth of their vocabulary and play imaginatively with their friends. For example, they dress up as people who help us and pretend to carry out their role. Children gain independence skills, including handwashing and putting on their shoes in readiness for the eventual move to school.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Leaders promote their vision of kindness, empathy and respect for others as key features of the nursery. Staff are positive role models with high expectations of children's behaviour. They praise children for their efforts and encourage them to persevere. They ask children to carry out tasks to help their friends, such as cutting up apples, strawberries and bananas to share at snack-time. Children take turns patiently, for instance, to serve themselves yoghurt at lunchtime. They have positive attitudes to learning and behave cooperatively. They show pride in helping with tasks, such as pouring milk to drink at lunchtime.

Staff adapt their use of language and strategies to ensure all children, including those facing barriers to learning, are fully included in all routines. For example, they recognise when less confident children need more support to settle and take part in activities. Staff use their knowledge of children's likes and dislikes to plan activities. They provide resources that will help them to engage at this 'home from home' nursery. Those children who have recently started to attend the nursery, confidently follow routines with gentle guidance from staff.

Leaders are proactive in supporting parents and carers to understand the importance of regular attendance and punctuality in preparation for school. Staff establish effective partnerships with parents from the start which helps to ensure that children benefit from their time at the nursery.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders support staff to implement procedures effectively, in the main, to promote all children's welfare and wellbeing, including through close supervision of sleeping and eating arrangements. The key worker role is typically used effectively to ensure that children's needs, including those facing barriers to their learning, are clearly understood and addressed. Staff provide a nurturing environment where children feel safe and valued. The warm, trusting relationships between staff and children support children's emotional wellbeing. Staff celebrate children's achievements and respond sensitively to children's needs and emotions. For example, they hold hands with toddlers as they carefully go downstairs to the garden using the handrail and praise this new skill. Staff respond sensitively to children's requests for help, such as when toddlers gesture to be picked up on their return journey upstairs. Children learn to move safely around the nursery.

Leaders ensure snacks and meals are nutritious and balanced, and that individual children's dietary needs are identified and addressed. Staff help children to understand about making healthy choices through discussion for example, and ensure they consistently follow hygiene procedures. Toddlers and children independently feed themselves using cutlery. They help to clear away after meals. Those children who need to have a nap are soothed by staff in a calm atmosphere with gentle music playing.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders have worked hard to set up the nursery and support staff wellbeing during the process. They continuously reflect and celebrate the nursery's strengths. They establish close partnership working with parents and carers and set the foundations for further collaboration with other local settings, schools and agencies. This includes working with professionals who provide support for any children with special educational needs and or disabilities, those known (or previously known) to social care and those facing other barriers to learning. Positive relationships with families are highly valued by leaders and staff.

Leaders support staff wellbeing effectively. They provide learning opportunities for staff, including through research and reading, ongoing supervision and feedback from observations. The professional development programme is not yet sharply targeted to promote their understanding of how to sequence teaching of the curriculum securely and enhance the quality of interactions with children even further to promote the very best outcomes.

Parents comment that the exchange of information with staff is detailed and meaningful at handovers, stay and play sessions and parents' evenings. They appreciate the care and warmth shown by all staff to their children. Newsletters and online feedback also support the continuity of learning from nursery to home. Leaders value community involvement, such as visits to a local museum.