Fun to Learn (IOW) Limited

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders and staff make a significant difference to children who face barriers to their learning. They swiftly identify children's emerging needs and help them by providing targeted plans or by seeking additional external support. Staff consistently observe and assess children in order to ascertain their existing knowledge and potential future capabilities. They thoroughly consider the different ages and stages of children's development. Staff have a thorough understanding of children's starting points and what they need to be learning next.

Children who receive additional support make the progress that they are capable of, and leaders monitor this closely to ensure that it is sustained. Staff are highly skilled in adapting activities that fully benefit all children. They use effective interventions that are linked to children's individual targets, and children's positive enthusiasm is a good indicator of the positive impact on their development, particularly with children's social and communication skills. Additional funding is used to make a sustained difference to children's current goals and future outcomes.

Leaders and staff work closely with external agencies and families. They provide detailed assessments and ideas for learning at home, and they invite parents to contribute to their children's learning in the setting. Parents give feedback that the setting has contributed to children's positive behaviour and control of their emotions.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders and staff prioritise the foundations for learning through a broad and balanced curriculum. Staff successfully focus on supporting children's emotional health, physical development and communication skills. Children enjoy engaging in a wide range of learning that reflects their interests, such as playing with toy dinosaurs or learning about how caterpillars transform into butterflies. Children's mathematical development is well considered through everyday routines and events, such as singing, counting and measuring. They learn words such as heavy, taller and distance. Staff repeat back children's unclear words and provide plenty of time for children to respond to questions. This helps children to voice their own opinions and helps them to feel valued and listened to.

Generally, staff are skilled at providing rich opportunities for children to learn, but there are times when children's learning is not consistently extended. For example, there are times when staff do not use effective questioning skills to further promote children's interest. In addition, staff do not always recognise when quieter or less confident children need further encouragement to join in. This can sometimes result in children not fully benefiting from purposeful interactions and teaching.

Children who face barriers to their learning receive consistent intervention and high-quality teaching, often through one-to-one support. This ensures that these children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make significant progress in their learning and are fully prepared for the next stage in their education, such as going to school.

Achievement: Expected standard

All children make progress, particularly those children who have barriers to their learning, who make significant progress. They learn the knowledge and skills that they will need for future learning in school and later life. For example, children are confident and independent in tasks such as getting ready to go outside. They are able to ask for support when needed. Children have mature friendship skills and are able to express their thoughts and ideas. For example, older children are keen to offer their own knowledge about caterpillars and butterflies. They proudly tell staff about the properties of a cocoon and say, 'It's a bit like going to sleep for a bit.' Younger children are mesmerised with shaving foam on their hands. They enjoy how it feels and identifying the shapes in the foam, such as a circle. Babies babble and smile at one another. They squeal with delight when trying to pop the bubbles during a small group activity. They are beginning to show curiosity and interest in other children. However, there are occasions when children do not consistently benefit from the same high-quality experiences as a result of minor weaknesses in the curriculum.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Staff are sensitive and recognise the importance of giving children time to feel settled at the setting. Leaders have implemented a flexible settling-in period that meets children's individual needs. Children demonstrate that they enjoy their time at the setting, feeling valued and recognised. Children quickly form strong bonds with other children and the warm, friendly staff team.

Leaders support staff to be good role models, showing kindness and patience at all times. They ensure that all children are valued and included, particularly those children who face barriers to their learning. Children are kind and thoughtful and behave very well. Any minor altercations are dealt with swiftly and sensitively by staff. Children follow the routines with confidence and listen well to instructions given by staff.

Staff provide clear routines and boundaries and, generally, children have an understanding of what will happen next. However, leaders are aware that there are some routines that need to be addressed, such as when some children are waiting to eat for longer periods of time than others.

Children have a very positive attitude to learning and demonstrate an enthusiastic 'can-do' attitude throughout the setting. Leaders promote the importance of attendance and, as a result, children attend consistently, which supports their early education.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Leaders consistently prioritise children's welfare and wellbeing across the setting. They have developed a robust key-person system, which ensures that staff know children extremely well and provide the children with sensitive and highly responsive care. Routines and warm, loving interactions help children to feel safe and secure throughout the day.

Secure and trusting bonds are evident throughout the setting. Babies and young children confidently seek comfort and reassurance from staff, who respond sensitively and promptly to their emotional needs. Staff support children effectively so that they can recognise and regulate their emotions. There is particularly effective support for children who face barriers to their learning and those who require additional emotional support. This successfully helps children to engage positively in learning and play. For example, staff work with some children in smaller groups to prevent them from feeling overwhelmed during larger group activities.

Children develop strong self-care habits through toileting and handwashing. Staff use mealtimes to discuss the importance of making healthy food choices. Children demonstrate increasing independence in pouring drinks and managing personal care. Mealtimes are social occasions, with clear expectations that support children's confidence and security. Staff rigorously monitor children who are either eating or sleeping.

Children develop a wonderful sense of belonging within the setting. They form positive friendships, show care and consideration for others and regularly invite other children to play with them. The targeted support that children with emerging needs receive ensures that their needs are fully met. Consequently, children demonstrate high levels of engagement, wellbeing and emotional security.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders are committed to continuous improvement, particularly for those children who face barriers to their learning. They are extremely supportive of the staff and provide regular supervision meetings to ensure that staff can manage their individual workloads. Staff feed back that they feel leaders go above and beyond to ensure that they have the correct work-life balance. They mention that they appreciate the opportunity for their professional development. For example, staff have undertaken training on understanding the impact that words have on children. Leaders are keen for staff to improve their knowledge to ensure the quality of the provision is at a high standard. They have an awareness of the setting's strengths and areas for improvement that need more time to be fully embedded.

Parents feed back that they are 'extremely grateful' for the quality of care and education that their children receive, and that they appreciate leaders' open-door policy in addition to detailed feedback about their child's progress. Leaders work closely with families and establish professional relationships with other settings. This effectively helps to support children's continuity of learning and transitions beyond the setting. There is a highly successful transition programme to help children move on to school. This ensures that children are very well prepared for the next stage in their education.