Curious Learners Childcare

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders promote an inclusive environment where children are welcomed, valued and supported to access all aspects of nursery life. They identify children's individual needs and work closely with families. This helps them to understand children's strengths, interests and any barriers to learning and wellbeing. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive support to participate alongside their peers and develop positive relationships with practitioners.

Leaders have established appropriate systems to identify, assess and review children's needs. The special educational needs coordinators have a secure understanding of the children requiring additional support. They work collaboratively with practitioners, parents and external professionals. Practitioners use a range of strategies, including visual prompts, communication support and adaptations to routines and activities. This helps children to access learning experiences successfully.

Children who face barriers to learning and/or wellbeing generally receive support that is tailored to their individual circumstances. Practitioners understand children's needs and adapt some aspects of practice to promote inclusion and participation. Parents and carers speak positively about the support their children receive and the progress they make.

Leaders are continuing to strengthen inclusive practice across the provision. Through close partnership working with families and external professionals, they help to ensure that children receive the support they need to participate fully and make progress from their individual starting points. Leaders are continuing to strengthen their approaches to identifying and responding to children's emerging and changing needs, helping to further reduce barriers to children's learning and wellbeing.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have developed a broad curriculum that supports children to build the knowledge and skills they need for future learning. Children enjoy a range of experiences across the indoor and outdoor environments. This helps to promote their communication, language, personal development and curiosity about the world around them. Leaders have identified communication and language as an important focus. This is reflected in practitioners' interactions, conversations and planned experiences that help children to develop their vocabulary, listening and understanding skills.

Practitioners know children well. They generally understand their interests, starting points, next steps and stages of development. Practitioners use observations and assessment information to provide learning experiences that support children's development. Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, access the curriculum alongside their peers.

Practitioners support children's learning through meaningful interactions and purposeful play experiences. They introduce mathematical language during everyday activities and share books and stories enthusiastically. Practitioners encourage children to think, explore and solve problems. The learning environment is organised to promote children's independence and engagement.

However, practitioners do not consistently adapt and extend learning experiences to reflect the differing ages, stages of development and learning needs of all children. As a result, the purpose and adaptation of some learning experiences are not consistently clear enough. For example, during adult-led activities, practitioners did not consistently adapt questioning or levels of challenge to maximise learning for individual children. As a result, opportunities to build on what individual children already know and can do are not consistently maximised.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children generally achieve well from their starting points. They develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed for future learning. Children benefit from a curriculum that promotes their communication and language development across all areas of learning. They build confidence in communicating through stories, songs and conversations with practitioners. Children develop increasing independence through everyday routines and learn to cooperate, share and play alongside others.

Children who require additional support generally make progress from their starting points and develop new knowledge and skills. They access learning experiences alongside their peers and participate fully in nursery life.

Children develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes that support their readiness for the next stage of learning. They demonstrate growing independence, communicate their ideas and make choices about their play and learning. Children make progress from their starting points and are developing the knowledge and skills needed for future learning.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders have established a positive environment, where children feel secure and understand what is expected of them. Children generally respond positively to routines and move between activities with confidence. Practitioners promote children's independence through everyday experiences. For example, children wash their hands, serve themselves snacks and drinks, and make choices during daily routines.

Children develop positive relationships with practitioners and their peers. They learn to share, take turns and cooperate during play and everyday interactions. Practitioners support children to recognise and manage their feelings. For example, children confidently use the 'Colour Monsters' display during group discussions to identify and talk about their emotions. Children are generally happy, settled and engaged in their learning.

Leaders and practitioners provide support that helps children participate successfully in routines and daily experiences. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who may experience barriers to learning receive support to access all aspects of nursery life alongside their peers.

However, practitioners do not consistently implement agreed strategies, expectations and routines to support children's behaviour across the provision. As a result, some children require repeated reminders to follow established routines and expectations. This occasionally interrupts children's engagement in their learning and play.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Children benefit from warm and nurturing relationships with practitioners, who know them well. Practitioners understand children's individual needs and circumstances. Secure attachments help children to feel safe, settled and confident to explore their environment and engage in learning. Practitioners respond sensitively to children's emotional and physical needs. They place children's welfare and wellbeing at the centre of their practice. For example, practitioners provide reassurance and support to children during settling-in sessions and help them to develop confidence within the nursery environment.

Children receive support to develop healthy lifestyles through everyday routines and meaningful experiences. They learn about healthy eating during snack times and mealtimes. Children begin to understand the importance of personal hygiene through daily routines.

Children learn to recognise and express their feelings through positive interactions with adults. Practitioners support children to understand emotions, develop positive relationships and build resilience. Children are encouraged to talk about how they are feeling and share their thoughts during group discussions and daily routines. Practitioners are attentive to children's individual needs. They respond appropriately when children require additional reassurance, comfort or support.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders have a secure understanding of the setting's strengths and areas for development. Since establishing the nursery in its current premises, they have created a welcoming environment where children and families are valued. Leaders gather information from a range of sources, including observations, monitoring activities, staff discussions and feedback from families. This helps them to identify priorities for improvement. Leaders are receptive to feedback and regularly review practice to support ongoing development.

Leaders promote a positive culture in which staff feel valued and supported. Staff speak positively about their roles. They describe leaders as approachable and supportive. Leaders consider staff wellbeing when making decisions. They provide opportunities for professional discussion, supervision sessions and training. This helps practitioners to develop their knowledge and skills, including their understanding of inclusion and supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Leaders work collaboratively with parents and carers and external professionals to support children's learning, development and wellbeing. Parents speak highly of the provision and describe staff as a 'supportive and approachable team'. They value the care, communication and support they receive. Parents appreciate the positive relationships practitioners develop with their children. Leaders seek appropriate specialist advice when additional support is required and use this to help meet children's needs. Leaders are continuing to strengthen how they evaluate the impact of improvement actions. This is helping them to build on existing strengths and further improve outcomes and experiences for all children.