Ducklings Day Nursery

Inclusion: Expected standard

Overall, leaders and staff develop relationships with parents and carers and other professionals involved in the children's care. Staff find out from parents about their children's care needs and current stage of development.

Staff caring for the most vulnerable children have a real passion for ensuring they are provided with the best possible outcomes, in relation to their starting points. Settling-in arrangements are tailored to support each child and their family, with additional time being afforded to those with additional needs. Staff work collaboratively with parents and other professionals to support these children.

Staff know how to adapt resources and the environment to support all of the children. In the pre-school room, a sensory area has been designated specifically to support children with additional needs. This ensures they are surrounded by the resources that will help them to self-regulate and to also support their interests.

Leaders, the special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) and staff supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, have experience in this area and access training in a timely way. The manager's oversight of the role of the SENCo and staff is effective in promoting inclusive practice for all children who attend.

Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention

Under the new ownership, leaders have been observing and evaluating the quality of the curriculum and teaching. They have identified some of the areas that need to be improved and have created action plans to help staff improve their understanding of in-the-moment planning and responding to children's emerging interests.

Some improvements are beginning to take effect for some age groups of children, supporting the progress they make. However, this still requires more attention to be fully effective for all ages of children, and most specifically, the children aged 2- to 3-years-old. For this age group, although staff are familiar with some of what the children know and can already do, their desired next steps are too generic and not individual for each child, which means that the curriculum for these children lacks ambition.

Staff caring for babies adapt activities for those who are less keen on messy play, or who may be new to this experience. This means that all the children have opportunities to make marks and develop their core physical skills.

Achievement: Needs attention

Some children are progressing generally well in relation to their starting points across the 7 areas of learning. Staff use their knowledge of the children's development and plan to support their next steps in learning. However, this is variable across the age groups and impacts on the achievements that some children make.

Pre-school children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are developing skills in becoming independent learners. They are developing at a positive rate. This is because throughout their day at nursery, they frequently make choices for themselves, play quietly alone, or join in activities with their friends. This supports them in readiness for school.

Rising 3-year-olds are developing a range of language and vocabulary. They learn new words, such as 'stomp', as they pretend to be dinosaurs. Children aged 2- to 3-years-old are confident in communicating their needs with staff through their actions and words.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Overall, staff support children to behave well. Staff provide brief explanations to children regarding the consequences of their behaviour.

Staff working with the babies provide opportunities during play and routines for them to be alongside their peers and become familiar with one another. Staff explain to babies what is happening next to help them become familiar with their routines. Staff working with children with special educational needs and/or disabilities use resources, such as picture cards and prompts, to help them to understand what is next. This helps them to prepare for the routines throughout the day.

Children's attendance is monitored and staff know what they must do if a child does not attend a short time after their expected time of arrival. Leaders record the action they take, such as calling children's parents and carers or other professionals.

Some children demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. Pre-school children keenly engage in role play in the home area. They chat with their peers, sharing their ideas about the roles of 'mummy', 'daddy' and 'big sister' that they are acting out. Children aged 2- to 3-years-old enjoy making models with play dough. They talk about what they have made, and leaders suggest what else they could make from the dough.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Children are cared for in a safe environment. Their wellbeing is promoted as staff take steps to ensure that all children feel secure in their environment. Staff who work with the youngest children are gentle and caring. All children are welcomed by staff they know, and this supports their sense of belonging and emotional security.

Generally, children learn about healthy lifestyles. Some staff talk with the children about the benefits of healthy eating. They explain that eating good food can help them to grow big and strong. Children really enjoy the fresh food that is provided and most have second helpings. They readily tuck into freshly prepared noodles with chicken and vegetables. Staff are aware of children with food intolerances and allergies. This information is shared with the chef in a timely way, who provides meals accordingly to meet the children's needs. The serving of food is well managed with a system that ensures children only access foods that they should.

Children of all ages learn about the importance of good hygiene practices. Bedding supplied for babies and young children who sleep is freshly laundered and only used by one child. Babies and children who require a sleep are monitored by staff with frequent checks. Staff have suitable understanding of safer-sleeping guidance and the associated risks.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders have effective oversight of the nursery. A full review of all aspects of the nursery has been undertaken, and an action plan is in place. Changes have been made to the environment and high-quality resources have been obtained. The leadership team have a secure understanding of the nursery's strengths and areas for improvement, to increase outcomes for the children who attend. Some steps have been taken to improve the curriculum on offer and support staff's understanding of using what they know children can do, to plan for their learning. Leaders are also introducing in-the-moment planning, to ensure children's learning is based on their interests. However, this is not currently embedded well enough for some children.

Leaders are aware of the different barriers to learning that children may face at different times in their lives. Leaders actively engage with other professionals, and they are aware of the benefits of working with other providers when children transition from one provider to another.

Partnership working with other providers in the main is successful. Parents and carers are extremely pleased with the care their children receive. They comment that the change of ownership was smooth and that there have been noticeable positive changes in relation to communication and security of the premises.