Cheeky Monkeys Preschool

Inclusion: Needs attention

Leaders gather in-depth information about children from parents and carers and other settings children go to or have previously attended. However, there are inconsistencies in how leaders share this information successfully and swiftly enough with children's key persons. Consequently, staff do not always recognise how they can plan and help build on what individual children already know and can do from the start. This impacts on the progress that some children make, including those who may face barriers to their learning. Staff do plan some learning opportunities around children's individual interests and stages of development.

Leaders are working closely and effectively with children, parents and external professionals, such as health visitors, when decision-making about extra support for children. Leaders support parents to access any appropriate funding available to them. Additionally, they seek their views on how funding for eligible children is spent. For example, leaders use funding enhance staff ratio. This means children with special educational needs and/or disabilities have appropriate support to promote their wellbeing and personal achievements.

Leaders and staff work closely with parents to support and maintain children's attendance. For example, leaders are flexible and will adapt sessions they offer where possible to best support changing needs of the children and families.

Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention

A new curriculum has been created since the last inspection. There are inconsistencies in how staff are teaching the curriculum. For example, staff do not use the numerous opportunities that arise to help children whose next steps is to expand on their descriptive vocabulary. This limits the progress children are making in their communication and language development.

Staff use their knowledge of children's previous experiences away from the setting to plan and sequence activities to diversify and close gaps in their learning. For example, the current topic of life cycles and growing broadens children's understanding of the natural world around them. However, leaders do not ensure staff consistently have the knowledge of children's individual starting points. This does not help staff to focus their teaching and interactions on what individual children need to learn next. This delays the progress some children make.

Children learn to follow staff's instructions as they scoop soil into their pots to grow herbs from seed. This helps them for when they progress to school. Children show they are beginning to develop empathy and compassion for living things. For example, they ask staff if they can water the seeds to help them grow. Children benefit from one-to-one teaching when they are in the setting's allotment. This ensures all children, including those who may have barriers to their learning, receive the attention and guidance they need to succeed in this area of learning.

Achievement: Needs attention

Due to weaknesses in the curriculum and teaching, children including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are not making consistent progress in all areas of learning. For example, the quality of the interactions children receive from staff at the start are reduced by the lack of knowledge some staff have of new children's starting points. Consequently, the individual progress children are making is affected when staff do not consistently plan and implement learning experiences to help children build on what they already know and can do.

Children develop their concentration skills as they enjoy one-to-one time with staff to help them when they progress to school. They enjoy learning with their peers in a safe and supportive environment. For example, staff are nearby to ensure children's safety as they develop their scissor skills. After gentle modelling by staff, children receive space and time to practise new skills without fear of judgement. Children show confidence in using mathematical vocabulary when counting numbers and naming shapes they see in their environments.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Children learn to play cooperatively with their peers. Staff typically model the positive behaviours they expect of children. For example, staff praise children's acts of kindness they display to their peers. Staff remind children to wait their turn to go down the slide. This supports children's ability to understand and respect the needs of others. It also helps them to foster important friendship-making skills in preparation for starting school, such as negotiating turn-taking independently.

Training that leaders provide ensures staff understand the importance of helping children to establish daily routines promptly. Staff consistently provide familiar daily routines which can help promote attendance. For example, children feel safe and secure in new environments as they begin to predict familiar routines expected of them.

Staff offer increased support and guidance when new children start to help them establish routines. For example, staff sensitively use Makaton to help them to understand important handwashing routines needed before eating. Children build positive relationships with staff who guide them through the whole routine and sing little handwashing songs to help them remember the process. This helps all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to develop some independence in self-care routines. However, at times, staff do things children are capable of such as taking their coats off for them. This reduces children's opportunities to become increasingly independent.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leadership of children's welfare and wellbeing is very successful. Leaders gather information from parents and carers and any other external professionals working with the children or families before they start. This ensures leaders and staff provide high quality, safe and inclusive care for all children.

Generally, staff demonstrate their awareness of individual children's care needs. For example, staff provide children likely to try and eat non-food items, such as grass and dirt, with appropriate and additional support to reduce this happening. This maintains the safety and wellbeing of children, particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), or any other barriers to their learning or wellbeing. Staff sit with children at mealtimes and remind them to slow down when eating to avoid choking. This demonstrates how staff support children to manage risks themselves. Staff recognise they could do more to help children practise their self-care routines outdoors, such as providing tissues for them to wipe their nose themselves when needed.

Children's key persons typically build positive relationships with families and regularly share information about children's development. Parents report how children are excited to attend. Parents of children with SEND express their appreciation for regular reviews and their input into children's support plans. They feel they assist them in supporting their children further at home. Children form close bonds with fun-loving staff, often initiating cuddles when they need reassurance.

Leadership and governance: Needs attention

Leaders recognise that with recent changes to the curriculum and leadership roles, staff need more support and training. Leaders are committed to providing staff with this support. For instance, personal development days are already planned for next month. At present, supervision meetings are not thorough enough to give staff specific and constructive feedback on their practice and teaching. Consequently, staff do not identify the weaknesses in their practice to help them improve their teaching.

Parents and carers express that the communication at the setting is effective, particularly for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They appreciate how leaders ensure meetings to discuss their children's progress are convenient with them and always go ahead. Parents explain how regular assessments of their children's progress helps them to further support children's learning at home.

Occasionally, leaders do not share information with staff about their new key children swiftly enough. This is particularly apparent when unforeseen circumstances mean staff have not met parents before children start. Consequently, staff do not always plan precise and well-sequenced next steps to help all children achieve and progress right from the start.

Staff feel highly valued in their role and report high levels of wellbeing. They welcome mentoring and feedback on their practice, to improve the quality of their teaching and help children make attainable progress of which they are capable.