Katey's Nursery & Preschool

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders and staff are able and confident to swiftly identify any potential barriers to learning and development. Using methods, such as targeted support plans and ongoing observation to track progress, staff monitor and track children to ensure effective adaptations and support is implemented for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. For example, staff work closely with a range of external therapists to support children's physical care needs, and they use reports and findings to then shape the learning and care experiences in the setting for consistency.

Leaders and staff provide ongoing support to families such as providing specialised support packages around potty training, behavioural concerns and supporting development. The impact of this is families of all circumstances and backgrounds feel supported by the setting and can be involved in the care and development while at home. The curriculum has a focus on communication and language. However, due to some inconsistencies with delivering the curriculum, children with English as an additional language are not always fully and adequately supported with their language development. For example, some staff use sign language and visual cards on a lanyard to communicate with children with English as an additional language, but this is not a consistent approach yet.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have a clear understanding of the setting's curriculum, and they have been continuously supporting all staff to implement the curriculum consistently. Though there is a well-designed curriculum in place, this is not yet fully embedded among the full staff team. For example, staff require further training and support to consistently support children's communication and language development. However, the curriculum is designed so that every child can achieve, learn and develop, and leaders regularly partner with their internal educational development team to continue to further support staff as a priority.

Through observation, monitoring and coaching, leaders ensure that the curriculum is being used effectively to guide next steps and to support the development of every child's learning. Staff are skilful at adapting learning experiences to ensure every child has equal access to the curriculum. For example, staff follow children's abilities with mathematical based activities and adapt their approach to ensure every child is able to understand and achieve their individual desired goal. Across all ages, there is a focus on physical development, both indoors and outdoors. Children engage in a range of planned activities, such as dancing, climbing, yoga and large ring games to keep active. The curriculum also has a focus on books and creating a love for reading, for example, there is a lending library available to all parents to encourage home reading.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children of all ages typically develop appropriate knowledge and skills in all areas of learning, for their age and stage of development. They are prepared for the next stage of their education. For example, older children are well skilled in readiness for their school transition and demonstrate skills taught by the setting such as independence, patience and turn-taking. Younger children build on their early developmental milestones and staff build on experiences to continue to encourage children to thrive, such as walking and using simple words.

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and those with barriers to their learning typically achieve well from their starting points and are developing in all areas. Staff encourage and support children with SEND to achieve and thrive by using targeted next steps and individual methods to support learning and development.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Children typically behave well and have clear behavioural expectations from leaders and staff. Although, due to inconsistency in addressing behaviour, there are some occasions where staff do not swiftly correct and resolve behaviour that is not in line with expectations.

Leaders promote the importance of attendance and share expectations with parents frequently. As a result of this, children's attendance is consistent. Staff implement an effective routine which supports children of all ages with their care and learning needs. Children as young as babies recognise calming music and demonstrate an understanding it is time to rest, and older children recognise a yoga session as time to relax and recharge. Staff use a range of methods to support children to understand the routine, such as visual cards on lanyards and sign language. This helps to ensure every child, including those with barriers to learning is aware and comfortable in the routine and what is happening next.

Staff engage and interact in a range of activities with the children while role modelling key skills such as listening to one another and sharing ideas. Due to this, children typically develop positive attitudes to learning and are eager to engage in group play. Children form secure attachments with staff, and they demonstrate a sense of belonging due to the care and attention from the staff. For example, children approach staff when they require some extra reassurance and staff are swift at identifying what the child needs. As a result of this, children are confident, happy and overall positively engaged in the environment.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders and staff have implemented strategies to support children's welfare and wellbeing, and this is having a positive outcome. For example, as part of their wellbeing programme, methods such as calming music is used to support children's emotional regulation and relaxation. Staff are attentive to each child and understand their varying individual backgrounds. Staff celebrate each child and encourage them to be unique and self-expressive. Older children engage in role play based on personal events and younger children join in with singing and dancing.

Staff support the care of each child and are attentive to changing circumstances in children's learning and development. Staff support the hygiene of children appropriately while still encouraging suitable independence. Mealtimes are an engaging and social event, and staff talk to children about healthy choices and the importance of a balanced diet. Staff also encourage the children to understand how to keep safe. For example, during hot weather, staff encourage the children to sit in the shade and drink their water before returning to play. Leaders are reflective and use relevant guidance to ensure policies and practice remain effective and to a high standard. For example, leaders have reviewed their arrangements for children's sleep in line with safer sleep guidance, and they are continuing to monitor this as new guidance is developed.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders demonstrate a secure understanding of the setting's strengths, priorities and context. For example, leaders identify that due to a recent onboarding of new room leaders, and changes to the staffing team, support is required to ensure consistency in delivering high-quality care and education during this transition period. Through internal and external guidance and partnership, leaders remain up to date with relevant updates, which they then use to shape internal policies and procedures where required. Leaders demonstrate ambition to achieve high quality care and education and they acknowledge further ongoing training and support is needed to ensure expectations and outcomes are fully embedded. For example, leaders use monitoring techniques to outline practice not in line with expectations, and they review this regularly to ensure staff feel well supported and remain suitable.

Leaders ensure staff are well equipped to fulfil their roles. Leaders regularly review training needs during staff supervisions and implement systems, such as observations and audits to monitor consistency. For example, following concerns raised around staff's failure to whistle-blow on poor practice, leaders identified this as a training need and delivered refresher training to all staff as a precaution. Leaders identify gaps swiftly and put appropriate steps in place to ensure staff's wellbeing and workload remains manageable, while still offering high-quality care and education. For example, with the absence of a room leader in the baby room, leaders placed a senior member of the team in this room to support and monitor until a new room leader is appointed. As a result of this, leaders positively support the wellbeing of staff and children.