Happy Days Nursery and Pre-School Yeovil

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders and staff create an inclusive environment where all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those facing barriers to learning, access learning opportunities alongside their peers. Staff generally use assessment and monitoring procedures well to identify gaps in children's learning and development at an early stage. When staff identify concerns, leaders act promptly to secure appropriate support. They make timely referrals to other professionals, such as health visitors and speech and language therapists. Leaders ensure staff receive training around supporting children with SEND to strengthen their knowledge and practice. This helps all to children make progress from their starting points and participate fully in nursery life.

Leaders understand local processes for accessing additional support and funding. They use available funding effectively to reduce barriers to children's learning and increase their participation. For example, staff provide sensory resources and calm spaces to help children regulate their emotions when they become overwhelmed. Staff also use visual prompts, now and next boards, photos and sign language. This helps to support children's communication, understanding of routines and transitions and ability to express their needs and preferences. Staff work closely with families and involve them in reviewing children's progress and the impact of support strategies. Parents and carers value the guidance they receive and use suggested approaches at home.

Staff plan carefully for children's transitions. They arrange meetings with schools and other professionals to share information about children's strengths, needs and successful strategies. This helps children with SEND to move smoothly to the next stage of their education.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have designed a broad and well-sequenced curriculum that supports children to develop the knowledge and skills they need across all areas of learning. Staff generally implement the curriculum effectively and provide purposeful learning experiences that help all children, including those with SEND and barriers to learning, make continual progress from their starting points. For example, staff use clear and simple instructions at tidy-up time to support children who find following routines difficult. Staff typically know children well and use regular assessments to identify next steps in learning. They plan motivating experiences that help children practise and build on existing knowledge and skills. Interactions are positive and supportive. Staff encourage children to persevere with tasks they find difficult. For example, they saying 'keep trying' when children learn to do up buttons or when younger children join construction pieces to build towers.

Staff implement the communication and language curriculum effectively. They name toys and objects during their play. Staff repeat back sounds and emerging words to support children's early language development. They teach mathematics through play and daily routines. Younger children learn colours, shapes and language, such as 'big' and 'little', while older children work out how many plates they need at lunch. Staff also support children's physical development effectively through outdoor equipment and yoga sessions that build their balance, coordination and body control. However, not all staff have a secure understanding of the intended learning behind activities. This means teaching is not always sharply focused on what children need to learn next and staff are unclear on what skills and knowledge they need to teach. This means children's learning is not always fully extended.

Achievement: Expected standard

In the main children, including those who are disadvantaged, have SEND or who face barriers to learning, make progress from their starting points. Children generally develop the skills and knowledge they need for the next stage of learning. However, inconsistencies in staff's understanding of what they need to teach means children's learning is not always fully extended.

Children typically gain increasing independence and confidence as they move through the nursery. Babies begin to feed themselves using spoons and hold their own cups. Those children learning to walk pull themselves up using furniture, hold staff's hands for support and take steps as they develop their balance and coordination. Younger children join in with familiar nursery rhymes and songs. They sing some words and copy actions. Children show they are learning to share as they pass jugs and equipment to one another in the water tray.

Older children typically communicate confidently and show increasing concentration and listening skills. They hold pens and paintbrushes with increasing control and accuracy and show an interest in early writing, including attempting letters in their names. Overall, children demonstrate that they are gaining a broad range of skills and knowledge and are prepared for their transition to the next room or school.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Staff typically have high expectations of children's behaviour. They organise routines well to help children to understand what is expected of them. Staff adapt routines to meet children's ages and stages of development. For example, staff support babies to begin to use cutlery, while they encourage older children to clear away their plates after meals. Children show they understand these routines and follow instructions positively. Older children help to put resources away. Babies crawl over when they recognise that food is being prepared.

Children generally behave appropriately and show positive attitudes towards their learning. They engage readily in activities and sustain their attention on experiences that interest them, such as drawing, sand and water play, and singing and moving to music. Older children ask for additional songs after music sessions. This demonstrates their enthusiasm and engagement. Staff typically build warm relationships with children and know them well. Babies form secure attachments and staff respond promptly showing care and warmth.

Staff support children's emotional development by encouraging them to use calm spaces when needed and by talking about and naming feelings. Children play cooperatively and show consideration for others. For example, younger children share tools in the water tray and older children work together to tidy up, allocating tasks between themselves. Leaders monitor children's attendance and punctuality. They follow appropriate procedures to help children form positive habits for school.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Staff support children's welfare effectively. Staff carry out regular checks on sleeping babies and support children of all ages to wash their hands before meals. Staff work closely with parents to ensure routines remain consistent and adapt them as children's needs change. For instance, when babies begin weaning, staff speak with parents about which foods children have already tried before introducing new foods at the nursery.

Staff promote healthy lifestyles throughout the setting. Children take part in cooking activities that help them to learn about healthy food choices and develop their understanding of nutrition. Daily routines support children's growing independence and help them to develop self-care skills appropriate to their age and stage of development. Staff provide a range of daily outdoor opportunities for children to be physically active. This includes dancing energetically to music.

Staff generally support children's emotional wellbeing effectively. They listen carefully to children, encourage them to express their feelings and emotions. Staff typically provide reassurance and comfort to children to help them feel safe and safe. Staff respond swiftly to babies with calm words and cuddles to help them feel secure. This helps new babies to settle quickly. Key person arrangements have improved since the last inspection, however they are not yet fully embedded. For example, not all staff have a robust understanding of their key children's needs and do not always recognise and respond promptly when children are a little upset or unsettled. This means for some children relationships are not as secure as others.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders understand the children, families and local community they serve. They generally maintain an effective overview of the setting's strengths and areas for development and work with staff to improve practice. For instance, leaders are continuing to work on staff's ability to reflect and adapt their practice to have an even greater impact on practice. Staff report that leaders support their workload and wellbeing effectively. Leaders identify children's needs promptly and ensure interventions are put in place at the right time to help all children make progress in their learning.

Leaders have established positive partnerships with parents and carers, schools and other professionals. Parents report that communication has improved since the last inspection. Staff work closely with parents whose children are soon to start school. For instance, staff send weekly challenges and activities home for parents to help children practise some key skills they need ready for school. Leaders have improved communication with parents and and parents now receive more detailed information about children's learning. However, leaders recognise that at times parents do not receive information promptly enough about the day to day running of the nursery. For example, leaders do not always inform parents promptly when children need to start at a later time due to staffing issues for example. This can sometimes have a negative impact on how children arrive and settle.