Capenhurst Village Pre School

Inclusion: Needs attention

Leaders have systems in place to monitor children's progress. However, these have not been successful in helping staff to understand what they intend children to learn. Activities do not always maintain children's attention, and they lose interest in their learning. As a result, children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), do not make the progress of which they are capable. Inconsistencies in staff practice and in supporting children to manage their behaviour means that children's needs are not typically met. This does not support an inclusive environment where children can flourish.

Nonetheless, staff make timely referrals to professionals, such as speech and language therapists, to ensure that children's communication and language skills are supported. The support in place for children who are known to children's services is robust. Staff work closely with external agencies and children's families to ensure that the relevant support is given. Leaders make sure that routines are adapted for children to help minimise some barriers that children may face. For example, they offer flexibility in sessions to ensure that children get their full early education entitlement. Leaders have secure systems to monitor the impact that additional funding has on outcomes for children. For example, they look at how they can support children's learning, such as buying play equipment to better support children's physical development. Leaders do not ensure that there is a consistent approach to providing staff with the relevant training and coaching to help improve their practice. This is most evident in the need to strengthen staff's understanding of how to ensure that the graduated approach for children with SEND is embedded within the curriculum.

Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention

While leaders are developing their oversight of the curriculum, their monitoring is not yet effective in ensuring that all staff have a secure understanding of what they intend children to learn. As a result, the curriculum is not implemented consistently well. This means that learning does not always build effectively on what children already know and can do. Staff frequently follow children's interests, but this is not always used purposefully to support progression in children's learning. For example, staff provide cutting and gluing activities for children to support their creativity. However, they are unclear how to build on this activity to support and maintain children's interest in their learning. These inconsistencies in the curriculum and in teaching mean that children, particularly children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, do not consistently receive the quality of education that they need to make secure progress.

Staff do not provide children with clear expectations for their behaviour. This means that children are unsure of boundaries and are not always aware of what is expected of them. This has an impact on the level of engagement in their learning. Staff support children's communication and language development effectively. They listen carefully to children and use appropriate questioning to extend their learning. Staff introduce new concepts, including mathematical ideas related to size and measurement, which help children to develop their vocabulary.

Children demonstrate sound physical skills, such as balance and coordination, while playing outdoors. They show a love for outdoor learning. However, staff are not always astute to this due to their lack of understanding of how to build on what children already know and can do. This means that learning is restricted, and children's achievement is hindered. For example, when children ask to play outdoors to search for bugs, staff do not build on this interest and do not respond to children. This has an impact on children's attitudes towards their learning, and they quickly become disengaged.

Achievement: Needs attention

Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, do not make the progress of which they are capable. The curriculum does not lead to ambitious end goals. Children move from one activity to another without sustained concentration or interest in their learning. This means that children are not gaining the knowledge and skills that help them to be ready for their next stage of their early education. Nonetheless, children enjoy learning new words and show sound communication skills. They are keen to share stories with each other and talk about upcoming events, such as family celebrations.

Children's confidence is developing well. They are eager to greet visitors and share their artwork. Children get to know routines well. They help to set the table for lunchtime and sit with staff. Children develop their early counting skills, such as counting how many children are present. However, due to weaknesses in practice, their learning is sometimes interrupted. This restricts children's early mathematical understanding.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Needs attention

Staff are not consistent in how they support children to manage their own behaviour. This is particularly evident for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. For example, some staff fail to provide children with age-appropriate explanations as to why they cannot hurt one another. This does not help children to understand what is expected of them and impedes their understanding of how to keep themselves safe. Some children become frustrated and quickly lose interest in their learning.

Relationships between staff and children are positive. However, some staff give children mixed messages about their behaviour. For example, when children barge past each other and do not follow instructions, some staff fail to ensure that children learn how their actions can affect others. This does not promote a culture of mutual respect and kindness.

Leaders and staff act swiftly and follow established procedures when children do not arrive as expected. This demonstrates a clear commitment to children's attendance, welfare and safety. For example, if children do not arrive at the setting and there is not a clear reason, staff telephone parents and carers to find out more information.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Care practices are effective. The key-person system works well. For example, staff spend time getting to know children and their families during the settling-in period. This helps children to establish secure bonds with staff and to feel safe in their care.

Staff ensure that the care needs of children, especially those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are a priority. For example, staff adapt lunchtime routines to ensure that it is a calm and tranquil time for children who struggle with group-time sessions. Staff sing songs before children eat and sit with them to offer reassurance. Children adapt well to these adjustments and take part in these routines. This helps children to develop a secure sense of emotional wellbeing.

Staff teach children how to keep themselves safe. For example, they talk to children about road safety and how to use play equipment correctly. Children develop an early awareness of how to support their own health and personal needs. They discuss the importance of eating healthy foods and talk about the impact that exercise has on their bodies. Children listen carefully to the rhythm of their heartbeats after running and observe how their breathing changes while they rest.

Staff teach children about the importance of oral health. They invite a dentist to visit the setting to help children understand why brushing their teeth is essential. As a result, children confidently talk about how they brush their teeth at home. Children develop good hygiene habits. They remind each other to blow their noses and to wash their hands afterwards to reduce the risk of spreading germs.

Leadership and governance: Needs attention

Leaders have not acted swiftly enough to ensure that priorities for improvement are met. For example, they have not given enough focus to the curriculum. The design of the curriculum is too narrow. It does not provide children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, with broad learning experiences. The arrangements for staff's coaching and training lack rigour and consistency. Staff's targets are too broad and are not measurable. Staff do not receive incisive feedback about their interactions with children to better inform them of how to develop their practice. This lack of oversight from leaders means that teaching is variable.

Leaders have not ensured that staff feel confident in supporting children to manage their own feelings and behaviour. This lack of oversight means that staff are inconsistent in teaching children about what is expected of them. As a result, children are left with mixed messages, and this does not support them in understanding right and wrong.

Parental partnerships are rooted in mutual trust and respect. Leaders work well with other agencies and external professionals. They give staff's wellbeing a high priority. Staff commended leaders for ensuring that their workload is manged well. Their morale is high, and staff report that working at the setting is like being part of 'one big family'.