Kiddie Capers Childcare Ltd

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders identify children's needs quickly, through baseline assessments within the first six weeks. They maintain high expectations for all children. This includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those who need extra care or support. Staff establish targeted plans and adjustments to reduce specific barriers to learning. For example, staff use visual 'now and next' prompts and give 5-minute countdown warnings to help children understand activity changes.

Leaders monitor progress systematically, through termly assessments and completion of the statutory 2-year progress checks. Staff break down targets into achievable, small-step developmental goals for children when needed. Leaders follow a structured cycle of assessing, planning, doing and reviewing children's individual targets, to ensure support stays secure. For example, when staff notice children are not forming some sounds accurately during play, they plan activities to address this, such as specific word games. This intervention is reviewed to check that it has been effective. Staff work collaboratively with parents to share ideas, and complete extensive online and face-to-face training to develop their knowledge of inclusion. For example, all staff complete training to learn how to engage with babies during sensory play and how to keep them safe while sleeping.

Leaders engage proactively with other relevant professionals. They make effective use of the advice and guidance they receive from specialists. For example, they use the goals of speech and language therapists as children's individual targets. Funding is tracked and used meaningfully. For instance, leaders successfully use extra funding to buy resources that support children with specific challenges.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders use regular supervisions and focused action plans to support staff knowledge and strengthen teaching skills. Staff use regular observations to check what children know and can do. Overall, staff adapt activities well to match children's different abilities. For example, staff change the difficulty of table tasks by offering targeted support to children who need extra help sounding out specific words. The curriculum covers all areas of learning and prepares children for school. However, teaching can be inconsistent at times, as some staff members are more confident than others in delivering the intended learning.

Staff prioritise children's personal, social and emotional development to help them feel secure and happy. Babies build early curiosity by exploring different texture trays. Staff support children's physical development effectively from an early age. For example, staff prompt younger children to use spoons during meals to help their small-muscle control. They also provide indoor soft-play steps and cubes, to develop balance and stability for the youngest children.

Staff focus sharply on communication by talking to children and introducing new words throughout the day. For example, staff discuss the food children eat and talk about healthy choices, while children talk about eating vitamins and fruit to avoid getting 'poorly'. Staff explicitly weave mathematics into everyday routines. For instance, staff count along with children, who point to items, to practise counting during play.

Achievement: Expected standard

All children make steady progress from their individual starting points. This includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and other barriers to learning. Children develop secure communication and language skills over time. Younger children repeat single words clearly, label different colours accurately and copy animal sounds during play. Older children speak confidently about numbers, recognise starting sounds in words, and enjoy sounding out the letters in their names.

Younger children use their developing hand-eye coordination to slide plastic spinning rings onto sticks independently. They also explore cause and effect as they push buttons on musical toys. Older children sit with friends to look at books, studying the pictures and talking about what they see. They successfully achieve age-, and stage-appropriate skills that build a foundation for future success. All children develop the knowledge needed for their next stage of learning, including their readiness for school.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders and staff set clear expectations for children's behaviour. Staff act as positive role models to teach children about kindness. For example, staff model polite language by saying 'thank you' and talking about sharing during play. Warm relationships exist between staff and children, allowing children to comfortably seek a cuddle when feeling unsettled. Leaders proactively encourage regular attendance, so children do not miss out on learning opportunities.

Children are familiar with the daily routines and know what is expected of them throughout the day. While overall routines are effective, there are times when staff have not fully recognised the preparation needed. As a result, children wait longer than necessary and become disengaged. They follow instructions well and understand the core nursery rules, such as using 'indoor voices' and 'kind hands' when playing alongside friends. For example, during table tasks, children cooperate well by returning resources calmly when reminded. There is an area with a soft sofa where children can sit quietly to regulate their emotions . Staff recognise whether to allow children to self-regulate or, if necessary, to step-in with adult support. Children also show great confidence during trips outside in the local community. They follow safety routines easily by putting on high-visibility vests and allowing staff to apply sun cream without any fuss.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Staff focus on children's wellbeing, supporting care routines to provide comfort, safety and emotional security. Children form positive relationships with their key person, who knows them well and responds to their needs quickly. This safe environment supports all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Staff follow appropriate hygiene procedures to meet children's personal care needs. For example, staff wipe the hands of younger children with damp cloths before and after eating. While older children independently visit the toilets to wash their own hands. Staff also support babies' feeding routines safely, prompting them to use spoons during lunch to build independent habits. Staff closely follow safe-sleeping practices. For instance, staff perform and record checks every ten minutes.

Staff also adapt specific care routines to manage health needs. For example, they work closely with families to ensure that packed lunches comply with the setting's allergy policies, to protect children during mealtimes. Staff explicitly teach road safety rules to older children to keep them safe during off-site trips, such as to the local supermarket. They offer immediate comfort and reassurance when needed, helping children build a secure sense of emotional wellbeing.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Overall, leaders maintain effective oversight, accurately identifying strengths and most areas for development. In general, the leadership team acts appropriately to drive improvement, using action plans to provide individual staff the support they need. Leaders offer a comprehensive set of online and face-to-face courses, to equip all staff to carry out their roles successfully. However, this has not fully addressed some slight inconsistencies in the quality of teaching.

Leaders manage staff wellbeing and workload thoughtfully. They are very approachable and staff feel well supported. They use regular supervisions, monthly staff meetings, and peer-on-peer room observations to deliver constructive feedback without creating unnecessary burdens. To manage staff deployment safely, leaders maintain robust risk assessments. They have established clear contingency plans to ensure required ratios are consistently maintained in the event of staff illness or other unexpected absences.

Leaders engage effectively with parents and external professionals to support children's care and education. They maintain a detailed two-way flow of communication using an online nursery application. This includes sharing accident logs, learning updates and routine profiles with families. Leaders collaborate closely with local authority advisers and relevant specialists to seek guidance, to support individual children and to increase staff skills and knowledge. This helps to ensure that all children access an ambitious and inclusive curriculum.