Busy Buddies Daycare Nursery At Puxton Park

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders have established an inclusive culture. They place identifying and removing barriers to children's learning and wellbeing at the centre of all that they do. Experienced staff identify children's emerging needs early. They work closely with families to ensure children receive timely support when needed. Staff ensure that children's Individual targets are ambitious, yet achievable. They review these targets regularly. This enables leaders to evaluate children's progress and adapt the support they provide where needed.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities access the full curriculum alongside their peers. This is because staff make thoughtful adaptations to teaching, routines and the environment. Staff consistently use communication strategies, such as emotional coaching and sensory support, to enable children to communicate effectively and limit their frustrations. Key persons know their children's individual needs well. They work closely with parents and carers and external professionals to ensure support is consistent across home and the setting. Parents are involved effectively in planning and reviewing support for their children. Leaders value their contributions and maintaining close partnerships with external agencies to secure the best possible outcomes for children.

Leaders ensure inclusive practice is embedded through the nursery through regular training, coaching and role modelling. Staff understand that removing barriers for individual children strengthens the practice for all children. As a result, children, including those with SEND and others facing barriers to learning or wellbeing, receive very effective support to achieve, belong and thrive.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have developed an ambitious curriculum that reflects children's interests while building on the knowledge and skills they need for their next steps in learning. Staff use assessment effectively to identify children's starting points, monitor progress and inform their next steps in learning. They understand the intent of the curriculum and use this information to adapt experiences to meet children's individual needs.

Children benefit from a broad range of meaningful learning experiences. Staff embed opportunities for children to revisit and apply their learning throughout the setting. For example, staff plan visits and use everyday routines to help children to make connections with their learning and deepen their understanding. They purposefully promote children's communication, mathematical thinking, physical development and independence throughout the day.

Teaching is warm and responsive. Leaders have established effective routines to support staff to develop their teaching, such as peer observations and training. Staff know children well and use praise, modelling and rich vocabulary to support their learning. Children receive encouragement to explore, investigate and develop confidence through child-led and adult-guided experiences. Leaders recognise that there is an opportunity to further strengthen how consistently staff use questioning and discussion to develop children's thinking and vocabulary during their play.

Staff deliver the curriculum through responsive interactions that build on children's interests and ideas. For example, during a role-play picnic, staff extend children's learning through discussion about birds, the local environment and everyday experiences. Children also apply early mathematical skills through counting activities linked to the play. When children drop a toy cake on the floor, staff use the opportunity to discuss hygiene and germs. This helps children to make links between their play and real-life experiences. Children remained highly engaged, developing their communication, imagination, mathematical understanding and social skills. Leaders have also identified opportunities to further develop group learning experiences. They have not consistently increased the use of smaller group activities to enhance children's engagement and provide more opportunities to focus on individual next steps in learning.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children at the setting typically achieve well because staff build on their interests, prior learning and individual next steps. This enables children to develop the knowledge and skills appropriate for their age and stage of development. Children build their confidence and independence as they move through the setting.

Babies establish secure foundations as they develop early communication, physical skills and independence through familiar routines and responsive interactions. Older children generally manage everyday routines confidently, solve problems and demonstrate perseverance in their learning. Children apply their learning across a range of experiences and develop the confidence, resilience and independence needed for successful transitions between rooms and on to school.

Most children make appropriate progress from their starting points and develop the skills needed for their next stage of learning. However, children do not have consistent opportunities to further deepen learning across the setting, or build on their thinking and vocabulary.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders have established a consistent approach to promoting positive behaviour and supporting children's emotional wellbeing. Staff receive regular training to enable them to understand the reasons behind children's behaviour and respond accordingly. Changes to practice within the pre-school room, alongside coaching and support from external professionals, have resulted in children becoming more settled, engaged and able to participate positively in their learning.

Staff respond sensitively to children's needs. They help children to recognise and mange their emotions through nurturing interactions, calm spaces, sensory resources and consistent routines. As a result, children typically develop resilience, learn to regulate their emotions and understand what is expected of them.

Children confidently follow well-established routines throughout the day. Babies respond positively to familiar songs and routines, while older children independently manage transitions, self-care and mealtimes. In the main, children demonstrate positive attitudes to learning, showing curiosity, perseverance and increasing independence during play and daily experiences.

Leaders monitor children's attendance carefully. They work closely families to identify and remove barriers where concerns arise. Effective partnership working with parents and carers other agencies helps children to attend regularly and supports smooth transitions into the setting.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders place children's welfare and wellbeing at the heart of everything they do. Staff know children well and respond sensitively to their individual needs. As a result, children are settled, secure and demonstrate confidence in exploring their environment and engaging with others.

Children's emotional wellbeing is supported through warm relationships, consistent routines and carefully planned support. Staff help children to recognise and manage their emotions using visual prompts, sensory resources and calm spaces. This helps children to feel safe, valued and ready to learn. In the main, children are able to access the experiences on offer confidently and form positive relationships with adults and their peers.

Children develop healthy lifestyles and increasing independence through well-established daily routines. Mealtimes are calm and sociable experiences where children confidently wash their hands, serve themselves, pour drinks and make healthy choices. Babies receive sensitive support through feeding, sleep and care routines that reflect their individual needs and current guidance. Leaders regularly review practice, including sleep arrangements and risk assessments, to ensure children's safety and welfare remain paramount.

Leaders recognise that there is an opportunity to further strengthen children's wellbeing through the continued development of group learning experiences and communication-support strategies, helping all children to remain fully engaged in learning and play.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders have established a positive culture where children are at the heart of all of their decision-making. They have a clear vision for the setting and communicate high expectations to staff through regular meetings, supervision sessions and ongoing professional development. Staff typically value the approachable leadership team and describe feeling well supported in their roles. This contributes to positive outcomes for children.

Leaders place an emphasis on developing staff knowledge and expertise. Robust recruitment procedures, through inductions and regular supervision sessions ensure staff remain suitable for their roles and have opportunities to reflect on and develop their practice. Training is carefully matched to the needs of the setting, including behaviour management, communication strategies, supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and curriculum development. Leaders monitor the impact of training through observations, supervision discussions and improvements in practice. Staff confidently share new knowledge across the rooms.

Leaders recognise the importance of staff wellbeing and have established a supportive culture. Staff benefit from an open-door approach, regular opportunities to discuss their wellbeing and professional development, and practical support when facing challenges in their roles. Team-building activities, staff events and additional support for apprentices and students contribute positively to staff morale and development. In the main, staff report that leaders listen to their views and provide appropriate support to help them manage their workload and responsibilities effectively.

Leaders monitor children's attendance, accidents, incidents and safeguarding practice carefully. They use this information to review risk assessments and improve provision where needed. Leaders work in close partnership with parents and carers and external professionals to support children's learning and wellbeing. They encourage parents to contribute to children's assessments and support plans, while effective multi-agency working ensures children receive timely support. Communication between rooms and families is effective and helps to provide continuity in children's care, learning and development.