Happy Tots Learning Daycare

Inclusion: Needs attention

Weaknesses in the planning and implementation of the curriculum affect how well children with special educational needs and/or disabilities or other barriers to their learning achieve from their various starting points. Staff identify children with additional needs and barriers to their learning. They speak to external professionals and typically implement these targets. There are times when children with barriers to their learning struggle to manage their emotions. This is because staff do not always consider the impact or ensure that provision is equal and accessible for them. For example, children are served different meals, and children with additional needs struggle to understand why they cannot eat the same food as their peers sitting next to them. This results in emotional overwhelm and affects their wellbeing and their feelings of being included. Some staff appropriately manage these situations with calmness and a graduated approach. They know how to speak slowly and clearly. They offer distractions and lots of encouragement. They share information with parents and offer support with referrals to other professionals. Leaders consider the use of funding to support the needs of the children. They have plans to help reduce barriers children face in their learning. These are still to be embedded into staff practice.

Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention

The quality of teaching is variable across the staff team. The curriculum is not broad and lacks ambition. Planning follows themes rather than specifically looking at each child's needs. Assessment does not pinpoint children's progress accurately enough. There is little differentiation between age groups and abilities of children. Children lack meaningful interactions with some staff, and play is not always purposeful. Staff's questioning style is repetitive and does not give children the time they need to think and respond. As a result, some children do not develop confident communication skills. Leaders have a clear and accurate understanding of the setting's strengths and weaknesses. They have only recently taken action to design and improve the curriculum and teaching across the nursery. The changes they want to make are still in their very early stages, and the impact has not been brought about quickly enough. Leaders need to be confident to ensure that their vision is implemented successfully into staff practice. They have plans to seek support from the local authority to implement their ambitious vision and expectations for the nursery.

Some staff incorporate mathematical concepts such as size, counting, capacity and shape. Every child enjoys daily outdoor play and fresh air. There are opportunities to develop their physical skills in the garden area. Staff encourage children to try new tasks for themselves and promote children's independence. This builds children's confidence and resilience.

Achievement: Needs attention

Inconsistencies in the quality of teaching affect the achievement of some children. Staff do not make adaptations to ensure that all children achieve well enough from their starting points. Most children gain appropriate skills across the different areas of learning. Children with additional needs and barriers to their learning can communicate in a way that they are understood by others. Some children can speak in full sentences. Children confidently approach new people and use their imagination. Children are creative and enjoy exploring different textures and media such as paints, water and sensory play.

Children learn some vital skills that are preparing them for their next stage in learning, such as school. For example, children learn about healthy choices and how to keep themselves safe. They are learning to manage their own personal care needs, such as wiping their noses and washing their hands. Children demonstrate appropriate physical skills, and young children meet their milestones, such as crawling, walking and manoeuvring on stairs.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Needs attention

Some staff do not take into consideration the ages and stages of children. They do not teach children the skills they need to develop positive attitudes to learning. Some children are not interested in activities, as they are either too easy or they are unable to fully access them. For example, staff set up a water activity, but they do not recognise that only some children can reach the water. Those children that cannot participate lose interest and wander off quickly. The lack of thoughtful planning affects how well children engage in learning. This reduces how successfully some children sustain concentration, motivation and involvement in learning experiences.

Leaders have high expectations for children's behaviour and attitudes to learning. This ethos is not shared consistently across the staff team, and it is yet to be fully embedded into staff practice. Children generally behave well, and staff respond appropriately when children struggle to regulate their emotions. Staff support children to share resources and take turns to help them get along with others. Children typically build warm, trusting relationships with staff. Weaknesses in the key-person system for some children mean this is not effective for all children. Leaders recognise the importance of attendance and offer flexible hours so that children can make the most of their early years entitlements. This builds positive attendance habits ready for school.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Needs attention

The key-person system is variable and inconsistent. Some children have a key person who knows them well, while other children do not have one at all. Some parents are unsure of who their child's key person is. The weaknesses in the key-person system reflect in the quality of planning, teaching and experiences children receive. In addition, this affects how well some children's needs are met. For example, some children are sent home repeatedly in wet clothes after playing with water. This does not promote their wellbeing and leaves them uncomfortable. This is not conducive for their learning.

Staff meet children's toileting needs with dignity and respect. For example, staff ensure that they close blinds and position themselves for privacy during nappy changing. Staff respond to children's emotional care needs with warmth. Younger babies settle in the arms of staff. Staff recognise when children are tired and hungry, and they respond appropriately. They closely supervise when children are eating, and they follow hygienic routines when serving food, such as wearing gloves and aprons. Children are safe, and the environment is clean. The premises are secure, and leaders take action to prevent unauthorised access to the buildings.

Leadership and governance: Needs attention

The nursery has recently opened and is in a period of transition and change. There are weaknesses in current practices that leaders recognise need to be addressed. Action so far has lacked precision and not led to improvement quickly enough. Leaders have sought advice and support from the local authority and are responsive to feedback. However, further areas for development, particularly around the curriculum, are still being embedded into practice.

Leaders are keen to strengthen relationships between the staff team so that there is a feeling of mutual respect. They recognise this will support the changes and improvements needed. Leaders prioritise staff wellbeing and have recently established a dedicated area for staff to rest and relax. They support staff with flexible arrangements so that they have a positive work-life balance. Leaders have plans to monitor staff practice more closely so that it is more effective at targeting where improvements are needed. Staff training needs to be fully effective at improving their understanding of their roles and responsibilities. Leaders engage positively with parents, carers and other professionals. Parents are generally happy with the care their children receive.