Cuddles & Care Children's Day Nursery, Ilminster

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders make sure they assess, plan for and review children's support needs appropriately, which means that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities generally have their needs met well. Staff are clear about how to identify emerging needs, particularly in the baby room. For instance, staff plan vocabulary and opportunities in provision to support early communication skills.

Leaders access training and support to extend their knowledge and expertise to best support children with gaps in learning and development. Staff across the setting receive training to support their knowledge and implementation of inclusive practice. Oversight and support ensure that leaders are clear about how to make adjustments and adaptations to ensure children make progress.

Parents comment on how well the setting has supported and identified additional support their child needs. They are clearly informed about next steps, and ongoing communication about progress supports parents and staff to plan effectively for children.

Leaders work in partnership with parents and professionals from external agencies to secure support and interventions for children as needed. Leaders use appropriate evidence to inform their decisions about how the funding is used to support the progress of disadvantaged children.

Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention

Leaders have an accurate understanding of the quality of the curriculum. There are currently weaknesses in its implementation that have an impact on children's learning and development in the toddler and pre-school rooms. Staff do not consistently provide experiences that motivate and inspire pre-schoolers and toddlers to build on what they know and can do and need to learn next. For example, some children struggle to engage in group activities as staff have not considered their learning or attention skills. At times, staff do not support children well enough to engage in sustained play to enhance their learning.

Staff do not always make use of high-quality interactions that support communication and language skills for the older children. For example, when outside, staff do not make sure that they use effective strategies so that children can benefit from engaging in conversations and hearing new words. Experiences are not always planned well enough to inspire children to learn. For example, younger toddlers all sit around a table waiting to engage in an activity with limited interactions from adults.

Physical development is prioritised across the setting with opportunities for older children to engage outside using bikes, balancing and climbing in the outdoor environment. Babies have a dedicated space outdoors to develop coordination and strength, as well as planned activities inside. There is a focus on babies' and children's emotional development to ensure they feel safe and secure.

Achievement: Needs attention

Older children do not consistently achieve well from their starting points. For example, they do not always build on their communication and language skills effectively. They do not always progress quickly in developing some of the foundational knowledge and skills they need, for example sharing and taking turns, and listening and attention skills. This does not ensure that all children are well prepared for the next stage of their learning and for starting school.

Older children are developing increased independence in their self-care skills and put on their coats and hats to go outside. They are confident to engage with each other in the outdoor area and are developing physical skills effectively, building their strength and coordination using the outdoor equipment and opportunities to run, climb and jump.

Babies generally make steady progress. They enjoy opportunities for tummy time and strengthen their physical skills appropriately. They pull themselves up to play in the tray, grasp for objects and engage with adults using mirrors. Babies reach for books, join in with familiar songs and listen to rhymes, hearing new words. They are suitably prepared for their transition to the next stage in the setting.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Needs attention

Leaders set appropriate expectations for children's behaviour overall. Children play in the outdoor area and engage in turn-taking and collaborative play. However, inconsistencies in practice mean that some incidents are not addressed quickly and children are unclear about staff's expectations. For example, a child not sharing is given the equipment by an adult, without discussion or modelling of how to take turns. This does not consistently support children to develop the skills they need to make progress.

Routines do not always support the stage of development of the children. For example, toddlers spend long periods lining up or waiting for an activity to begin. This leads to them becoming bored and disengaged, sometimes engaging in conflict or moving away from the activity. These incidents are not always identified as an opportunity to support learning. As a result, children in the older rooms are not clear about the rules and boundaries of the setting and do not always develop necessary skills in sharing and turn-taking.

Children build warm, trusting relationships with their key person. Children happily go to their key person for comfort and help when it is needed. Parents give positive feedback about how the setting communicates the importance of attendance with them.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Overall, staff support babies' and children's individual needs appropriately and work closely with parents to mirror home routines in the setting. For example, sleeping times for toddlers and babies are the same as they experience at home. Staff have a secure understanding of safe sleep and how to support feeding and weaning in a way that aligns with the needs of the child.

Secure and responsive relationships are built between children and their key person, which supports children to feel happy and safe and have a sense of belonging at the setting.

Staff encourage children to use cutlery at mealtimes and to be independent in self-care skills. For example, they support them to learn tasks such as doing up coats, putting on shoes, toileting and wiping their faces. Staff talk about healthy foods and drinks at mealtimes and support children's understanding of how to keep themselves healthy.

Children receive comfort from key adults when they are feeling upset, supporting them to develop a secure sense of emotional wellbeing. Staff are responsive and attuned to the needs of the babies in their care. As a result, babies are happy and feel confident to explore their environment.

Children are supported to develop their understanding of safety. For example, when children use the slide, staff remind them that the rule is that they must wait until the other child has finished before they have their turn.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

There have been some changes in the context of the setting with regards to staffing, and a new manager is in post. Leaders are clear about their priorities for improvement and are taking appropriate action to drive change. For example, the curriculum was identified as a priority for development. Leaders identify the areas for improvement and are passionate about what they will do next to make changes to the provision. They recognise the strengths of the setting and are clear about their next steps to support staff to develop their understanding and expertise.

Leaders prioritise staff wellbeing, and this has been a focus since the new manager took up the post. They model practice and generally support practitioners in the room to build on their professional development, giving them constructive feedback to develop practice. A programme of training to support staff is in place, with a continued focus on ensuring the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are appropriately supported in each of the rooms.

Leaders engage sensitively with parents to ensure that transition into the setting is smooth. Parents comment on how happy they are with the settling-in process, relationships with their child's key person and communication shared throughout the day.