Chipmunks Day Nursery

Inclusion: Expected standard

The provider identifies and supports children who experience disadvantage well. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities needs are observed by staff who share concerns quickly with leaders. Leaders monitor these developmental concerns effectively. Leaders and staff have appropriately high expectations for children. They develop bespoke plans for children, with contributions from external agencies. Leaders have supported staff in developing their confidence to design and follow plans. Children typically experience daily, targeted practice in the areas that support their development. For instance, children learn to wait their turn, speak with increasing clarity and learn simple social skills as they play with their peers. Staff accurately assess children's needs. They celebrate children's successes with them and their parents and carers. Staff broadly highlight areas where children need support in their development. Leaders have appropriate plans to improve provision further. They are introducing assessment tools to further identify children's needs with increasing precision. These plans are in their early stages of implementation. Leaders use funding strategically for the benefit of individual children. They work with parents to ensure that resources help meet children's individual needs. Staff provide daily, ongoing feedback to children. Leaders arrange, facilitate and support parents in accessing help from external agencies. They signpost parents in accessing help from services in the local area, such as communication and language services.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have improved the curriculum. They have introduced consistency between all areas of the setting. Each age group implements curriculum developmental goals. These build sequentially on each other between each room. The curriculum focuses particularly well on communication and language. Children love books and stories, including those children that experience disadvantage. Across the nursery, children sustain their concentration when listening to stories. Babies enjoy sharing books one-to-one with their key person. Younger children listen to stories and enjoy answering questions as they look for hidden characters in lift the flap books. Older children experience books which help them understand their emotions.

Physical development is planned for. Children learn to balance using their core muscles while babies learn to walk with increasing confidence. Maths is taught well through songs and water play activities. Children enjoy calling out the number of spaceships left as they recall familiar songs.

Occasionally, planned activities do not sufficiently consider the skills that children need to develop. When this happens, staff's teaching skills are not focused enough on how the activity supports children's development. For instance, some activities are focused on the outcome of a task, rather than how the activity supports children's ongoing development.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children have developed the communication and language skills they need to speak well. They listen and engage successfully in the learning experiences prepared for them. Babies build the social skills they need to thrive. They build the coordination they need to use their bodies as they learn to walk, feed and play.

Children learn to sustain their concentration. They love daily circle times where they giggle with excitement as they play games such as 'What's in the bag?' Children joyfully answer questions about items, such as squeezy toys and slinkies. They build new vocabulary as they listen to staff describe the items to them.

Some children also learn to sustain their focus. Through gentle back and forth interactions with staff, they thread beads onto string with appropriate control and effort. Children are generally motivated to try new things and take pride in their achievements.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

The provider has high expectations of children behaviour. Routines are well established and are understood by children, staff, parents and carers. Children learn the importance of kindness and care to one another. Staff act as positive role models to children. As children tidy up, staff support and encourage them. This fosters a supportive, positive culture. Staff consider children's differing needs. For instance, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are given supportive strategies. These ensure children do not become overwhelmed. When this happens, children settle quickly and play alongside their friends successfully. Children follow instructions well. When they are getting ready for snack time, children wait for their turn. They help with preparations by getting the tables ready for eating. Staff support them with warm, positive relationships. This is central to the providers effectiveness in supporting children's sense of security. This provides a calm, orderly environment in which children feel safe. However, while staff support children to develop positive attitudes to learning, they do not consistently plan activities that encourage children to persevere towards a goal and think about different ways to solve problems. When this happens, children's thinking and problem-solving skills are not fully maximised. Leader promote regular attendance.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

The provider has developed effective key person systems. These successfully promote warm, trusting relationships between staff, babies and children. Key to this development is thorough information that leaders collect from parents and carers before children start at the setting. In addition to this, parents attend with their children for settling in sessions. Staff take time to get to know children and their families, including those at experience disadvantage. Babies and children are confident and settle quickly. When children are unsure, staff take time with them and build their confidence as they transition into the setting.

Leaders and staff are attentive to safer sleeping and eating arrangements. They attend training and apply what they have learnt to their everyday practice. These arrangements ensure children are safe.

Children experience lots of physical activities during the day. Older children learn how to clean their teeth. They enthusiastically use brushes and toothpaste to polish a toy crocodile's teeth. However, while younger children enjoy healthy snacks, staff do not teach them how these foods benefit their bodies. When this happens, children do not learn about the importance of making healthy choices and how this contributes to a healthy lifestyle.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leadership changes have had a positive impact on the provider's improvement. They are ambitious for all children they care for. Leaders provide staff with effective support. They monitor their strengths and areas for development. Leaders support staff with training and practical guidance to implement what they learn in practice. The actions they have taken have been effective. These have established improvement, particularly in their curriculum and staff supervision.

Leaders work effectively as a team. They seek new ways to support staff to improve practice. These include planned developments to support staff with assessment tools, enabling them to identify children's emerging developmental needs and barriers to learning more precisely.

Leaders broadly have an accurate analysis of their setting's strength and areas for improvement. They demonstrate a positive attitude and desire for future development and improvements.

Staff feel valued. Leaders take their workload into account to ensure this is manageable. Leaders and staff engage positively and effectively with parents. Children's transitions into the setting work well. These ensure children feel confident when they start at the setting. Leaders also ensure that transitions to the next stage of learning is secure. To support children with their next stage in learning, they work with local schools. For children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, they provide detailed support to aid smooth transitions.