Children's Links RAF Scampton

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders and staff make a demonstrable difference to the experiences of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who face barriers to their learning. This includes supporting children emotionally when they face changes in their home circumstances. For instance, staff know that some toddlers will have new siblings in the home. They sing songs about babies and show them how to care for toy babies. For example, staff show them how to hold the toy babies, change their nappies and brush their teeth. Additionally, children from military families are supported emotionally when their parents are being deployed. Staff support some children who struggle with their emotional wellbeing at mealtimes. For instance, they provide them with equipment to dull the noise, therefore enabling them to remain seated with others when they eat. Children with SEND receive fulltime, one-to-one support from staff to meet their individual needs, even when the additional funding they receive does not cover this cost. Children with SEND are provided with equipment to communicate their needs. For instance, electronic devices are purchased that enable them to communicate when they want a drink, or need to use the toilet. This equipment is mirrored at home, therefore providing a consistent approach to supporting children. This strategy helps to reduce children's frustration when they struggle to communicate their thoughts.

Staff implement a 'plan, do and review' process to meet children's individual needs. They liaise with parents and other professionals to monitor children's progress. Staff identify and implement targets to help them progress.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Overall, the curriculum to support children's development is implemented well. Staff support children in learning new skills to support their physical development. This includes showing pre-school children how to use scissors correctly to cut play dough. Staff support babies to develop their communication and language skills. For instance, they regularly sing songs and nursery rhymes, encouraging babies to begin to copy words. Staff support toddlers to build on their vocabulary. For example, they introduce words such as 'stethoscope', and show children how to use the equipment to listen to their heartbeat. This helps children to understand the meaning of new words and use them in context. Staff help pre-school children to make connections in their learning. For instance, after children are encouraged to use wooden planks to make a bridge for a pretend troll, staff read them stories about goats going over a bridge with a troll underneath. This helps children to make connections in their learning and supports their imaginative and literacy skills.

Staff understand what children need to learn next. However, occasionally, they do not support children to build on what they already know and can do when they follow children's interests and play alongside them. This means that children do not make as much progress as possible.

Achievement: Expected standard

Overall, children progress well from their starting points in learning. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities can communicate their immediate needs by pointing to images on electronic devices. Pre-school children use rolling pins to squash small letters into dough. During this activity, they show an understanding of letters in their names, promoting their literacy skills. Children learn how to use scissors safely, such as how to carry them when they walk. This contributes to children understanding how to keep themselves safe. Children become familiar with the uniform they will wear at school. They dress themselves in school sweatshirts, showing their independence in managing their self-care skills in preparation for school. Toddlers demonstrate their independence as they learn how to put on their shoes. Pre-school children complete tasks on their own. They pour their own drinks and serve themselves food at snack and mealtimes. Although, sometimes children are not fully supported to build on the skills they already know and can do. Therefore, they do not make as much progress as they are capable of.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Overall, children show an understanding of daily routines that staff implement. Toddlers show that they need their shoes on to play outdoors. Pre-school children sit with their peers in preparation for a group time. Children show positive relationships with staff. Pre-school children snuggle next to staff to share books. Children are developing relationships with their peers. For instance, pre-school children join together for group times and take turns in conversations with others. However, staff do not consistently implement the curriculum for behaviour to help children understand what is expected of them. For example, they do not always support babies effectively in learning how to share. During group times, expectations are not made clear to pre-school children from the outset, resulting in some children becoming restless and disengaged.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported to regulate their emotions. For instance, staff provide a calm, quiet space for them to go when they feel overwhelmed.

Staff understand the importance of children attending regularly, such as to promote their communication and social skills. They discuss this with parents and monitor children's absences. This contributes to promoting children's welfare.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Generally, leaders and staff support children to develop healthy habits well. For instance, staff help children to understand the benefits of exercise and nutritious food for their bodies. Children take an active role in growing healthy foods in the garden, helping them to learn where food comes from. Even the youngest children are involved in these experiences, with babies helping staff to harvest the potatoes they have grown. Furthermore, children have experiences to learn about the role of a dentist in promoting their oral health. Staff provide parents with learning packs to take home to support their children's understanding of how to care for their teeth.

Typically, staff support children to develop an understanding of how to keep themselves safe. For example, they teach children about road safety, show them how to carry chairs safely and help them understand what to do in the event of a fire.

Staff use strategies for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to help them manage their emotional wellbeing. This includes showing them images to help them understand when routines change during the day. Children are supported emotionally when they change rooms in the nursery. This includes staff taking them for visits to become familiar with staff and children, and routines such as mealtimes.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders support staff to build on their professional development. This includes staff attending training courses to develop their knowledge of how to help children develop their mathematical skills. Staff recognise the importance of following children's interests, and use these to provide meaningful opportunities for mathematical learning. For example, when children show an interest in the beach, staff provide sand and shells for them to count, sort and use to create patterns. Staff also report that leaders support their wellbeing and that they feel valued in their roles.

Leaders reflect on practice and consider the experiences they offer to children. Recent improvements include increasing opportunities for babies to learn outdoors, such as introducing plants that encourage them to explore using their senses. Leaders recognise that further improvements are needed to enhance the outdoor experiences available to toddlers and pre-school children. However, leaders have not yet reflected sufficiently on how to support staff to build on children's existing knowledge and skills as they play alongside them. They have also not ensured that staff consistently implement agreed approaches to supporting children's behaviour.

Leaders invite people in the community to see the children and share their job roles. For instance, a dentist visits the nursery to talk to children about how they help people to care for their teeth. Leaders and staff liaise with the local schools that children will move on to. They share information about children's learning and invite teachers to see children in the nursery. This is extended further for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff speak to special educational needs coordinators at schools to share pertinent information about their needs before they move on. This helps children become familiar with the person who will be caring for them and helps teachers to understand children's levels of development and needs.

Information about children's care and learning is shared with parents to keep them informed about their children's day and achievements. Parents are invited to attend 'stay and play' sessions and appreciate this time to observe their children's interactions with staff and the experiences they receive.