Kiddie Capers Preschool, Hassocks

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders thoroughly understand the needs of all the children at the setting. They ensure staff know how to assess and monitor children's progress and quickly identify when children are at risk or are delayed in their learning. Leaders have created robust processes to seek support for those children who need it, and make any necessary referrals swiftly. They actively seek advice from other agencies working with children to ensure they implement strategies effectively. Leaders constantly review the support offered and confidently challenge others when necessary to ensure changes are made to improve children's learning and wellbeing.

Leaders use additional funding specifically to expose children to new experiences and enable them to broaden their understanding of the world. Leaders understand all children's backgrounds and organise visits from external organisations to provide them with experiences beyond their own. This allows some children to encounter things for the first time and provides them with the opportunity to gain essential knowledge and to prepare them for future success.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those who are known or previously known to social care, are making exceptional progress from their starting points. They are thriving at this pre-school. All staff and leaders know the children extremely well. They are aware of their different family circumstances and offer flexibility on sessions to ensure children attend.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have planned the curriculum to support children to build their independence and their personal, social and emotional skills in preparation for their next stage in learning, and for school. Staff follow a rota to lead activities focused on supporting children to develop these skills. For example, children use play dough to create their own faces, rolling small balls of dough to make their eyes and nose. Staff ask children if they are feeling happy or sad and encourage them to think about their emotions. Children develop fine motor skills ready for early writing, as well as learning about how each other feel.

Leaders are supporting staff to feel confident in using visual aids to support all children to understand what is happening next. This includes showing children what happens first, such as tidy up time and then what will happen next, such as snack time. Staff have lanyards with visual prompts to show children when they need to stop, or when they need their nappy changing. Not all staff are using these prompts with all children consistently. This means that the teaching and interactions are not yet fully embedded in practice.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those who are known or previously known to social care have made exceptional progress from their staring points. They are well prepared for starting school. Children are confident and eagerly take part in activities. They sit and wait their turn to touch various animals and insects. Children comment on how they feel using words, such as 'tickly' and 'slimy'.

Children are becoming aware of their differences and what makes them unique. For example, they compare and comment on the different shades of their skin colour. Children choose if they want to change their own shoes to go outside and confidently talk about using their beach shoes so that their shoes do not get wet. They communicate confidently name types of fish, such as piranha's and are generally well prepared for the next stage in their learning.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Children build extremely trusting and positive relationships with staff. They are confident in the environment, and with each other. Children value each other and have secure friendships. For instance, they save each other a seat at the lunch table and invite their friends to sit with them. Children demonstrate positive attitudes towards learning and are eager to try new experiences and activities. Outside, children work together and help each other to find insects and bugs. They use laminated checklists to tick off what they find. Staff ask children to recall past learning, such as remembering where they found woodlice previously. These adult-led interactions keep children engaged and motivated to learn.

During child-led activity time, staff sometimes become busy undertaking routine tasks, such as preparing snack and carrying out cleaning tasks, at the same time. This means at these times, there is less focus on children's play and learning, and it becomes less purposeful.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders and staff are aware of children's individual needs and their unique family circumstances. They understand the barriers children may face to their learning and plan activities to promote their sense of belonging. They celebrate children's birthdays using photographs of children taken each year. Staff talk to children about how they have changed and what things they couldn't do then, that they can do now. Staff are responsive to children's emotional wellbeing and give them time and reassurance when they experience new things. For instance, during a visit from an external company, staff reassure children who are less confident around new people.

Generally, children's independence is promoted well. Children are encouraged to go to the toilet themselves and wash their hands independently. Staff are aware of children's different needs and provide support when they need it. At mealtimes, children serve themselves snacks using tongs and attempt to pour their own drinks with help from staff. Those who have hot lunches are encouraged to scrape their plates when they are finished. Children who have packed lunches are generally encouraged to open their own packets. This helps children to build on the skills they will need when they go to school.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders are reflective and supportive to staff. They listen to their feedback and take action where appropriate. They recently had feedback from a staff survey and are developing the wellbeing support they offer to staff. This includes, the introduction of wellbeing baskets and wellbeing days. Staff report they feel very well supported and valued. Leaders are passionate about creating a nurturing environment for staff where they feel confident to share any concerns they have and valued in their role. Leaders meet with staff regularly and offer training and support where needed. They have identified that teaching strategies to support children's speech and language development further, are not yet embedded in practice and are supporting staff to consistently implement these strategies.

Parents and carers are extremely happy with the care their children receive. They feel supported in many different ways, such as leaders taking time to understand their family circumstances and being flexible to their needs as a family. Parents and carers are aware of what they can do to promote their children's learning at home. Leaders organise events at the pre-school for parents and carers to attend. They work with local schools to ensure children's transitions are well supported and attend events that the school organise to help children become familiar.