Cleo's Caring Corner Day Nursery Ltd

Inclusion: Needs attention

Staff do not consistently identify or act on children's emerging needs quickly enough. They do not yet have a secure understanding of children's individual needs or how to adapt their practice to support them. Much of the recent work is not embedded, and leaders' monitoring of agreed strategies is still at an early stage. As a result, some children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) or other barriers, do not receive consistently effective support to make the progress they are capable of.

Leaders have taken positive steps to strengthen inclusion following previous weaknesses. They have introduced a new SEND register and are working more closely with the local authority inclusion team, Portage and other professionals. The newly appointed special educational needs and disabilities coordinator has begun training, and leaders are developing staff knowledge of SEND and barriers to learning. This work is beginning to improve support for some children. For example, leaders are introducing visual approaches following advice from external professionals, which is supporting with calmer transitions.

Leaders know children and their families well and recognise that children's circumstances can create barriers to their learning and wellbeing. They work with families and other agencies, including for children who are known to social care. Leaders also use additional funding to provide experiences for children who may benefit from this.

Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention

There is considerable variability in the quality of teaching across the setting. Staff do not consistently have a clear understanding of what individual children need to learn next or how best to support their progress. As a result, opportunities to extend children's learning through purposeful interactions are sometimes missed, and some children move between activities without meaningful engagement. This particularly affects children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who face other barriers to learning. Leaders are aware of these inconsistencies and have begun working with the local authority to strengthen the curriculum and improve teaching practice. However, this work remains at an early stage and has not yet been embedded consistently across the setting.

Leaders have identified that staff need further support to understand how activities can be adapted so that they provide meaningful learning opportunities for all children. Training is planned to develop understanding of the curriculum and how to support children with SEND and other barriers to learning. Leaders also provide coaching and training to develop staff's knowledge and practice.

There are positive examples of teaching. Some staff know their key children well and use observations and assessments to identify what children need to learn next. For example, one practitioner identified that a child was finding it difficult to recognise and manage their emotions. The practitioner introduced a 'Colour Monster' resource and worked in partnership with parents to use the same approach at home. This helped the child to identify and communicate their feelings more effectively and provided consistent support across both environments.

Children benefit when staff interact purposefully with them, build on their interests and help them to develop new knowledge and skills.

Achievement: Needs attention

Children's learning is not yet consistent across the provision, which limits how well they develop their knowledge and skills. Some children do engage confidently in purposeful learning and build on what they already know and can do, but this is not typical. Staff do not consistently identify or respond to children's emerging needs, and their understanding of how to adapt practice is not yet secure. Recent work is not yet fully embedded and leaders' monitoring of agreed strategies is still at an early stage. As a result, some children do not receive consistently effective support to make the progress they are capable of.

Despite these weaknesses, children do make progress from their starting points and demonstrate some of the knowledge and skills they have developed. Babies are becoming increasingly independent at mealtimes, and older children develop their independence through routines, such as serving their own snacks and clearing their plates. Children enjoy books, songs and rhymes and have opportunities to develop their communication, physical and social skills.

For some children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and other barriers to learning, support is beginning to make a difference. However, this is at an early stage. Consequently, not all children are yet developing the essential knowledge and skills they need to be as well prepared as possible for their next stage of learning.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Needs attention

There are weaknesses in how consistently children are supported to engage in purposeful learning. While some children participate well, others move between activities without becoming fully involved. Staff do not always respond effectively to children's cues or provide timely support to re-engage them in learning. As a result, some children are not consistently helped to develop the concentration, perseverance and positive attitudes needed to support their progress.

Children generally behave well and develop positive relationships with staff and each other. Staff are calm and reassuring and praise children for their achievements. Children confidently seek staff for comfort and support when they need it.

Children understand the routines of the setting. Staff give children a 5 minute warning and use a familiar bell to prepare them for transitions. Children respond well to these cues, help to tidy away and know what is expected of them. They develop independence as they wash their hands, make choices and clear their plates after meals.

Staff work with parents and other professionals to support children who need additional help to manage their emotions and behaviour. They use strategies, such as visual resources and familiar stories, to help children recognise and express their feelings.

Leaders have recently strengthened how they monitor children's attendance and follow up unexplained absences. This helps them to promote regular attendance and establish good habits for children's future learning.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Needs attention

The quality of interactions during daily routines is inconsistent. Staff do not always make effective use of mealtimes as opportunities to engage children in meaningful conversation and social interaction. Consequently, some children miss opportunities to develop their communication skills and benefit from the positive relationships and language-rich experiences that these routine parts of the day can provide.

Children develop secure relationships with staff, who know their individual care needs well. Staff provide reassurance and comfort when children need it. They gather information from parents about children's routines, dietary requirements and medical needs to help them provide appropriate care.

Children are supported to develop healthy habits and independence. They learn to wash their hands, make choices at snack time and increasingly manage tasks for themselves. Children receive home-cooked meals that take account of their individual dietary needs. Staff follow children's individual sleep routines and regularly check them while they sleep.

Leaders have taken steps to improve staff's understanding of safer eating. Leaders recognise that they also need to strengthen how they promote healthy eating with families.

Staff record accidents and existing injuries and share this information with parents. Leaders monitor these records to help them identify any patterns or concerns. This supports children's welfare and helps staff to respond appropriately when concerns arise.

Leadership and governance: Needs attention

Leaders have not yet secured consistently effective practise across the setting. There remains variability in staff's knowledge and skills, including how well they understand children's individual learning needs and support them through purposeful interactions. Leaders recognise this and are taking action to improve staff practise. Much of this work is at an early stage and it is too soon to see its full impact on children's experiences and learning. Consequently, children do not yet benefit from consistently effective practise across all aspects of the provision.

Leaders have taken positive action to address previous weaknesses. They accurately identify the areas of the setting that need further improvement and are working closely with the local authority and other professionals to strengthen practice. Leaders have improved arrangements for special educational needs and disabilities, record keeping, safer recruitment and safeguarding.

Staff benefit from regular supervision, training and coaching. Senior staff work alongside less experienced practitioners to help them develop their knowledge and skills. Some staff are also working towards further qualifications. Leaders positively engage with parents and professionals to support children and their families.