Happy Kids Clifton

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders make strong relationships with children and their families before a child joins the setting. They gather detailed information from the start through discussions with parents and carers. Regular discussions with staff help to ensure priorities for learning are clearly communicated. This enables staff to identify and assess needs early and respond quickly. Staff work closely with outside professionals, agencies and parents to help identify and respond to children's needs. Specialist advice helps form personalised support plans. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those who may be disadvantaged, are extremely well supported. Staff ensure routines and strategies are consistently effective.

Funding is used to purchase resources and to provide valuable training. Well-trained staff support children to develop their spoken language. For example, children benefit from staff using objects as reference, such as showing the children a coat to indicate that it is time for outdoor learning. Furthermore, staff use repetitive language and phrases and use of visual gestures, such as Makaton. Leaders provide valuable guidance and ongoing advice to support staff's knowledge to support children. Where children are disadvantaged or in receipt of additional funding, careful consideration ensures that funding is spent to support them in the best way possible.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have designed a sequenced curriculum with a clear intent for what they want children to learn. Staff plan activities that reflect children's interests, development stages and individual needs. Staff have a clear focus on supporting children to learn through play and on making sure children, including those who face barriers to learning, feel included and enjoy their time at the nursery. Staff generally support and teach children well. However, not all staff consistently engage all children in purposeful learning. For example, there are occasions when children show an interest in an activity and staff do not always effectively identify this, leading some children to lose focus and become distracted.

In the baby room, staff sing songs and nursery rhymes. This helps to strengthen children's communication and language skills. For example, children repeatedly hear staff singing 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star' and using actions throughout the song. Staff consistently reinforce key vocabulary by repeating words. Children, particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, benefit from this, as it captures their interest and supports their language development. Typically, staff engage in meaningful conversations with children at an appropriate level. For example, during a role-play activity, children wanted toy animals to have a tea party. Staff modelled imaginative play, asking thoughtful questions and supporting children's vocabulary development. Staff provide numerous opportunities for children to explore books and develop a love of reading.

The children participate in a range of child-initiated and adult-led mathematics activities. For example, babies hear and learn the names of shapes. Staff encourage and support children to count planks and stepping stones as they balance on them. As such, these experiences help children use mathematics purposefully as they play.

Staff plan activities to support children's physical development in both indoor and outdoor areas. Children have access to a wide range of resources. For example, babies have access to the play furnishings where staff focus guided play to develop babies' early movement skills, such as crawling and walking. Older children practise throwing balls and negotiate using obstacle courses to develop both fine and gross motor skills.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face barriers to learning, make suitable progress from their starting points and achieve well. Children are provided with a broad range of experiences to help them build on their emerging skills across all areas of the curriculum. They develop their personal, social and emotional skills. Children develop ways to self-regulate. Older children can express their feelings and needs.

Children develop early literacy and communication skills. This is supported by typically effective interactions from staff. Children develop their mathematical knowledge and understanding as they count and use mathematical language, such as 'bigger' and 'smaller'. Children have a wealth of resources to support their sensory development and fine motor skills. Children enjoy the feel of sprinkles on their hands as they experiment by pouring and emptying and filling buckets. They enjoy rolling play dough as they explore and create shapes. Children are independent. They carry out tasks throughout the day, such as washing their hands and self-serving their food during lunchtimes.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Children behave exceptionally well. The baby room is calm. Staff give babies time to respond to choices. As a result, this helps babies feel secure and confident. Staff consistently encourage independence. They support children during times of transition during the day. Well-established routines ensure children know what is expected of them. For example, over lunchtime, children serve themselves, select cutlery and pour their own water.

Staff consistently use highly effective and inclusive approaches to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They have a deep understanding and skilfully adapt their approaches to meet children's individual needs. This helps children to regulate their behaviour. Children increasingly manage their own feelings and behaviour. Staff support children very well in working together, taking turns and helping each other during play and routines. For example, pre-school children enjoy playing snap and dominoes with staff.

Leaders understand the importance of children attending their sessions. They work closely with families to establish consistent routines and address any barriers. This ensures families bring their children to nursery regularly so they gain the most from the experiences on offer. Parents speak very highly of how much their children enjoy attending.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Leaders consistently prioritise children's wellbeing and welfare. They ensure staff have a comprehensive knowledge of each child's individual needs and know their families extremely well. They understand children's likes, dislikes and routines. For example, staff tailor babies' sleep times to fully promote consistency between home and nursery.

Staff are highly attentive to children's emotional needs, including for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and respond promptly. For example, when children who are nonverbal become disengaged, they benefit from intensive interaction strategies where staff skilfully copy the child's actions to gain their attention and then role model new play. This supports children to regulate their emotions.

Staff prioritise children's physical development. All children get daily access to outdoor play. Children learn to manage age-appropriate risks for themselves. For instance, they use balancing planks and stepping stones to create obstacle courses. Children learn the importance of brushing their teeth. Staff provide a range of opportunities to promote good oral hygiene. For example, children enjoy brushing large models of teeth. Children are provided with nutritious meals. Leaders and staff have taken part in projects recommended by professionals where careful consideration has been given to what foods children self-serve themselves at lunchtime. For example, children make healthy food choices, such as serving themselves vegetables and fruit.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders have a suitable understanding of recruitment procedures and safeguarding and welfare requirements. New staff complete a structured induction process where they familiarise themselves with policies and procedures. Leaders ensure that they deploy staff effectively across the premises to monitor children suitably and follow required ratios consistently.

Leaders accurately identify the setting's strengths and priorities for development. They have an accurate understanding of the quality of teaching. Leaders recognise that, at times, staff do not consistently engage all children in purposeful learning. Staff benefit from regular supervision sessions, meetings and ongoing professional discussions. Leaders are committed to staff receiving support to continue their professional development, helping staff to understand how to support children's communication and language.

Leaders have created a positive culture. They prioritise staff's wellbeing and workloads. Staff feel valued and respected in their roles. Leaders are dedicated to working closely with families and external professionals. They are proud of the partnerships that they have built. Leaders and staff ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported through established working partnerships with other professionals. This helps staff to meet the needs of the children. Parents value the daily conversations and meetings they have, ensuring they feel informed and included. Parents speak highly of the nursery and value its welcoming environment.