Chill Out @ Hirst

Inclusion: Expected standard

Children benefit from an inclusive provision. Staff receive detailed information from parents and/or carers about each child. They use this as a basis for each child's individual care and learning. There are also appropriate procedures in place to assess children's ongoing individual needs. Parents comment very positively about how well their children have been welcomed and settled into the nursery. They also comment on the caring staff, who all know the children really well.

Staff typically work closely with other professionals to support children with additional needs and those who may experience disadvantage. For example, they ensure that some funding is used to pay for experiences that children may not usually access, such as dance classes with a trained teacher and visitors to the setting who bring animals for the children to learn about. However, the use of funding and the impact for children is not rigorously evaluated. In addition, strategies to help children who need additional support are not always clear.

Leaders ensure that children receive their full entitlement and are very flexible in meeting family needs. For example, they allow children to attend all year, rather than term time if requested. Staff generally work closely with children's services and offer places at one of their other settings to meet children and family needs, such as when this setting was closed due to a flood.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have ongoing oversight of the inclusive curriculum, which is appropriately designed for the different age groups. The curriculum takes account of children's interests and their individual next steps for learning. The progress checks at age 2 are completed. However, strategies to help children who need additional support are not always clear. This means that children may not receive the specific support they need in a timely manner.

Appropriate procedures are in place to monitor staff practice, the quality of their teaching skills and their implementation of the learning programmes. For example, regular observations of staff's practice and supervision meetings. Staff have a positive attitude towards continuous professional development and have completed many different online courses, such as how to promote children's development in all areas of learning. However, not all staff working with babies have accessed training specific to children under 2. This limits how consistently staff use age-appropriate teaching approaches to meet babies' individual learning and development needs.

Children aged 2 to 4 years are cared for in the same room. Staff ensure learning experiences are appropriately adapted, where needed, so all children are included and involved. For example, older children may begin early writing by learning to write the letters of their name, while younger children engage in general mark-making activities.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children are making progress across all areas of development, including those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who may be disadvantaged. Their communication and language sills are consistently promoted by staff. For example, staff engage children in regular discussions, singing and story times. There is also a focus on promoting children's physical development. Babies' walking skills are well encouraged and supported by attentive staff, who know the babies really well. Older children develop climbing and balancing skills when playing outdoors. They also have lots of opportunities for improving their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination, such as when using small pipettes in the water tray and when threading spaghetti into small holes.

Children's independence and confidence are consistently promoted by staff. For example, staff typically support all children to regularly serve their own drinks and feed themselves. Parents comment very positively about the achievements and progress their children have made since starting at the setting.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders have high expectations for children's behaviour. Children are generally well behaved, and staff deal with minor incidents calmly and sensitively. Appropriate procedures are in place for children identified as needing additional support to regulate their behaviour. For example, they receive one-to-one help and guidance from staff and may spend some time in a smaller, quieter section of the nursery, which works really well for some children.

Procedures are in place to monitor children's attendance and staff are committed to ensuring all children receive their full entitlement. Leaders are very flexible with attendance and strive to meet families' needs. For example, funding can be used outside term time so children can attend all year round if that better meets the child's and family's needs.

Children typically benefit from a well-established key-person system and staff who know their individual needs and interests well. Staff create a welcoming, nurturing environment, where children feel secure and build bonds with them. As a result, children attend happily and engage positively in learning.

Children are well aware of the setting's routines and babies are keen to join the older children for meal and snack times. This also helps to prepare babies for their transition into the next room, when they are ready.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders prioritise children's safety, welfare and wellbeing, ensuring that policies, procedures and practices are appropriately implemented and reviewed. Staff demonstrate they know and can effectively implement the setting's policies and procedures, such as safeguarding and whistleblowing procedures.

Babies and children benefit from very warm, positive and trusting relationships with caring and nurturing staff. Staff also consistently implement safe sleeping and safe eating procedures. Although ownership of the provision has changed significantly, staffing has remained relatively consistent. This typically supports children in establishing and maintaining secure bonds with staff.

Staff help children learn to keep themselves safe and healthy. For example, they generally allow children to take risks when playing outside but also remind them to think about safety, such as avoiding obstacles when running and where to put their feet when climbing.

Leaders ensure children have healthy, nutritious meals, snacks and drinks. They also provide information for parents about healthy lunch boxes, where parents choose to supply them. Leaders also provide different home learning resources to support children's wellbeing and learning at home. For example, information about oral health and potty training.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

The provider works closely with leaders and other staff to implement new changes within the setting, such as changes to how information about children is recorded. Leaders are very supportive of staff and ensure their wellbeing and manageable workloads. Staff present as being a cohesive team, who work well together to meet the needs of the children in their care.

The setting is based within a community hub. Staff work closely with the chef in the hub to devise a healthy menu and prepare children's meals. Parents and carers are also welcome at the hub, as well as at the nursery setting.

Leaders ensure that staff have access to continuous professional development courses. However, this does not currently include training that specifically addresses the care of babies. That said, all staff provide a very nurturing environment for babies and children.

Leaders have some evaluation procedures in place and have identified and planned for improvements to the outdoor play area. The evaluation of the impact of how additional funding is used, however, is less well established.

The setting has experienced significant changes over the past year, including four changes of ownership. Staff have had to adapt to new processes and procedures, which has affected the day-to-day running of the provision. However, they have worked hard to maintain continuity in children's care and learning and minimise disruption to their experiences. Staff work closely with the local authority and draw on additional support to help manage these changes.