Horns Drove Community Childcare

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders and practitioners are generally quick to identify any emerging needs or gaps in development. They assess children's development and implement strategies to help close any gaps. Practitioners receive regular training on how to assess, plan and review children's development and progress to ensure that their needs continue to be met.

Leaders and practitioners work closely with external agencies and professionals to ensure that children receive the support they need. For example, they review strategies for supporting children's development with other professionals to find a way that best suits the needs of individual children. Additionally, leaders promptly make referrals, such as those for speech and language therapy.

Leaders demonstrate a secure understanding of how to use additional funding appropriately to meet the needs of the individual children. For example, leaders use additional funding to fund additional sessions for children to ensure continuity of care during the holidays.

Overall, leaders and practitioners ensure that they adapt their practice and environment to enable children's needs to be met, instead of expecting children to adapt to the environment. For example, children's communication is celebrated and valued no matter the format in which they communicate, such as using pictures or visual cues.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders clearly understand the quality of the curriculum and teaching in the setting. They use this knowledge to continue to drive improvements. For example, they have recently introduced a new curriculum. Practitioners are already confident in the curriculum and what they want children to learn, particularly regarding their personal, social and emotional development. This is a key focus area for leaders and practitioners and underpins all aspects of learning and development at the setting.

Practitioners develop children's mathematical knowledge as they play. For example, practitioners discuss the size of blocks as children build towers together. Practitioners develop children's communication skills in various ways, such as by modelling vocabulary and repeating the correct pronunciation of words. However, sometimes, there are inconsistencies in how practitioners support children's language development. For instance, at times, practitioners ask the next question before children have the opportunity to respond.

Practitioners make reasonable adjustments for children who may face barriers to learning, such as adapting their teaching for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Practitioners use assessment well to ensure that they know what children can do and to tailor teaching appropriately. Children's next steps for learning are based on their individual needs and starting points.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children are confident learners who are curious about the world around them. They are eager to explore their environment. All children, including those who face barriers to learning, make expected progress. Children develop age-appropriate skills as they progress and develop the skills identified by practitioners, such as independence and the ability to communicate as needed for the next stage of their learning. Children are confident in communicating their thoughts and ideas to adults in a range of ways. For example, some children communicate using picture boards and visual prompts. Children develop a love of books as they frequently enjoy looking at them together and avidly listen to stories read to them. Children learn to manage their emotions and to relate their feelings to reasons why. For example, they explore with practitioners what makes them feel happy.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

There are secure and warm attachments between children, their peers and practitioners. Expectations for behaviour are clearly stated and tailored to children's ages and stages of development, including for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. However, on some occasions, the transitions between activities do not fully support the high expectations for children's behaviour as they become disengaged, which leads to them becoming restless.

Children learn to play collaboratively with one another. Practitioners scaffold children's learning so that they learn how to do so effectively. For example, practitioners teach children how to ask others if they can join their play, and practitioners empower children to make their own decisions in response. This leads to children working collaboratively as they build towers without minor conflicts.

Leaders work with families to help them understand the importance of punctuality and attendance. They help families understand the impact on children's wellbeing, as well as their learning and development. This has led to improved punctuality and attendance at the setting.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Children have clear bonds with practitioners, who they actively approach when they would like a hug or reassurance. Practitioners prioritise children's wellbeing and implement strategies to ensure that they are able to settle well when they first join the setting. For example, practitioners ensure that children can keep their comforters until they are ready to put them down.

Care routines are effective in meeting children's needs. Practitioners make appropriate adaptations to ensure that children's individual needs are met. For example, they make adaptations at snack time so that children receive their snack when it best suits their needs rather than the standard routine of the provision. However, at times, transition periods, such as between activities, lead to children not being fully engaged.

Children learn about making healthy choices through discussions with practitioners at mealtimes. They learn about different foods and how they affect their bodies, such as certain foods being beneficial for their heart. Children learn to keep themselves safe as they play in the garden, such as learning how to balance along balance stones without falling off.

Children develop a secure sense of emotional wellbeing, and this is a key priority for the setting. Children learn about managing their feelings through a range of activities. For example, they take part in an activity that demonstrates how feelings can feel out of control by representing these emotions with a bubbling solution. Practitioners help children consider possible solutions when they are feeling like this, such as telling an adult.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

There are new leaders who have only been in their positions for a short length of time. They have a thorough understanding of the setting's strengths and areas for development. Leaders have already begun to take action to develop practice. For example, leaders have identified transition points as an area for development and have started to model practice and share ideas with practitioners.

Leaders make decisions that are in the best interests of all children, including those who face barriers to learning. For example, they work with families around attendance and what timings best suit the child rather than the provider to ensure the best possible experience for children.

Leaders ensure that practitioners' wellbeing is supported and that workload remains manageable. The nominated individual also ensures that leaders receive full support for their wellbeing and workload.

Leaders are keen to develop practitioners' knowledge and understanding as well as encouraging them to follow their interests. For example, leaders have supported practitioners in enhancing their knowledge around how to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Practitioners then cascade the information they have learned to their colleagues to develop everyone's practice.