Dinotots Beach Nursery

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders support staff effectively to develop their knowledge and skills. They work with parents to understand children's individual needs and any barriers to learning that children may face. They identify children who may benefit from further support. They provide adaptations to their environment and routines to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. For example, they provide sensory toys to support children's individual needs. They use funding effectively, for instance, to provide additional adults to work with children during beach sessions to ensure children's safety.

Leaders monitor the achievement that children make against the targets they have set. Staff work well with a range of professionals to help them to support children effectively.

Children who are known or previously known to children's social care receive effective support. Staff communicate with parents and professionals to ensure that children and families receive the help and support they need. For example, they provide support to families on budgeting and cooking.

Staff support children who are disadvantaged well. They use funding effectively to help children to access the full curriculum. For example, they provide puddle suits and wellington boots so all children can access the beach curriculum.

Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention

Although babies are included in activities, their learning and experiences are not consistently prioritised. Sometimes, staff prioritise older children's needs and this occasionally impacts on toddler's experiences. They are not always able to explore and engage fully in their learning. For example, during beach visits, staff take younger children back to the nursery when older children need to go to the toilet. This interrupts their learning and limits their participation.

Leaders have designed a curriculum that generally encourages children to be confident, resilient and prepared for the next stage in their learning. They ensure children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are included throughout. Children sgow positive attitudes to their learning. They enjoy playing in the play dough when they arrive. They particularly enjoy playing on the beach. Staff usually support children's communication and language effectively. They get down to children's level and repeat and extend what children are saying. They usually make eye contact with children too. Staff read stories with enthusiasm. The expression they use engages children to join in. Children have a wealth of opportunities to develop their physical skills, they walk to and from the beach and enjoy building sandcastles and collecting stones. Children learn how to use tools, such as tongs and spoons to serve themselves their food, supporting their small muscle skills.

Achievement: Needs attention

Toddlers sometimes lose focus in their learning and do not have consistent opportunities to deepen their knowledge or skills. Interruptions, such as leaving the beach when older children need the toilet, do not give younger children enough opportunities to sustain their learning.

Older children progress well through the curriculum, particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They develop the skills to support them in the next stage of their learning. They communicate confidently with their friends and engage enthusiastically in stories that staff read. They count as they play in the water. Children help staff to count everyone before they leave the building and as they walk to the beach. Children develop their physical skills. Older children navigate the stairs as they go outside. Children develop their independence skills over time, for example, as they learn to put on their puddle suits and wellington boots.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Needs attention

Toddlers are welcomed into activities, but they do not always experience the same level of engagement as older children. When staff focus on preparing older children for activities, toddlers sometimes wait in highchairs for prolonged periods which can leave them feeling restless and less involved. This impacts on their attitudes to learning as they have fewer opportunities to become involved in their play.

Leaders have clear expectations for children's behaviour, which they consistently reinforce. For example, before children go onto the beach, staff remind them of the rules. When children arrive at the beach, they sit on a low wall while staff carry out risk assessments. Staff also remind children that they must sit down to eat their food. They provide support to children who face barriers to their learning to manage their feelings and emotions, encouraging them to take time to calm down.

Children have effective relationships with other children. They can work alongside other children and are beginning to share and take turns. Staff patiently support children who find it difficult to share. Stories and clear and consistent messages, such as 'kind hands' help children to learn the expectations.

Staff work with parents to help them to ensure their children attend regularly and benefit from the routines on offer.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Needs attention

Although leaders have trained staff in safe eating procedures and have policies in place, they have not monitored this enough to ensure that staff follow these consistently. Occasionally staff complete other tasks, such as preparing food, which reduces the levels of focused supervision. This means that children do not always benefit from the calm, attentive mealtimes that leaders aim to provide.

Staff help children to understand how they can keep themselves healthy. They learn to wash hands before eating and after being on the beach. Children enjoy a wealth of physical activity as they walk to and from the beach and play on the beach or collect stones. They talk to children about healthy diets and provide healthy home-cooked food.

Staff find out about children's individual dietary requirements before children start. They make adaptations to routines, such as mealtimes and sleep, to support all children, including those who face barriers to their wellbeing. This includes the meals that they offer. Staff act swiftly to meet children's needs when disruptions to usual routines occur. For example, they source beach huts so younger children can still sleep when their usual room cannot be used.

Leadership and governance: Needs attention

Leaders have provided staff with general training but they have not yet checked closely enough that key aspects of training are consistently followed. Training specific to the care and learning needs of children under 2 has also not been prioritised. This sometimes impacts on the experiences provided for these children. In addition, they have have not ensured that key messages, policies and procedures are consistently implemented.

Leaders generally identify the strengths and areas for development of the nursery. They are aware, for example, that staff need to develop their knowledge of working with children under the age of two years. They identify some professional development opportunities, including beach leadership qualifications. Leaders support staff wellbeing and provide support to ensure staff understand their role overall. They provide effective support to apprentices to ensure they develop the necessary knowledge and skills. Staff say that they feel well supported.

Staff work with parents to help them to understand where children are in their learning and how they can support children more effectively. Parents comment that the electronic programme that the nursery uses lets them know everything about their child's day.

Leaders work with a range of professionals that may be involved in children's care and learning. For instance, they gather information from other nurseries that children have attended to understand their individual needs when they first start. They liaise with professionals from health and social care to ensure children get any help they need.