Kids Planet Knightlow

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders create a fully inclusive culture and have consistently high expectations for all children, which they are passionate about. Children's individual needs are swiftly identified through careful observation, effective assessment and strong partnership working with families and external professionals. Leaders ensure that children access targeted support through individualised plans tailored to ensure that every child receives the bespoke support they need to achieve and thrive. As a result of this, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make evident progress that prepares them well for later learning, as they build their skills in gradual and measurable steps.

Staff skilfully implement a range of strategies gained from training to monitor children's progress and identify next steps, such as using local authority communication and language tools. Staff are confident to draw on further help from a range of external professionals to support children who may need additional support with daily routines, such as sleeping or toileting.

Leaders source and use additional funding to meet children's specific needs. For example, early years pupil premium funding is used strategically to purchase carefully selected resources to enhance children's learning experiences and develop their self-regulation skills.

Leaders also work closely with local schools to design well-informed, individualised transition plans. They share key information with teachers, ensuring that every child moves confidently and smoothly into their next stage of education.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders support staff to design an ambitious curriculum that builds on what children already know and can do, across all areas of learning. Staff use effective assessments to plan for children's needs, interests and varying abilities. Children demonstrate high levels of engagement in the well-resourced indoor and outdoor learning areas. Children are provided with lots of opportunity to develop their physical skills, such as balancing carefully across wooden planks and climbing trees in forest school. Staff support children's communication and language through regular back-and-forth conversations, asking questions and adding comments to what children are engaged with. However, children are not always given sufficient challenge to help develop their curiosity and emerging thinking skills.

Children's learning is carefully sequenced. For example, children use play tweezers and squirty water bottles to help strengthen muscle control in their hands, and then progress to use scissors skilfully. The curriculum supports children's mathematical development through planned experiences and daily routines. Staff teach early concepts such as size, weight and number.

Staff identify appropriate next steps that are shared with parents to support children's learning at home. This ensures that children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those known (or previously known) to social care, make continued progress, with a consistent and thoughtful approach. Staff have a clear understanding of the children's interests and what motivates them to learn, such as regular time spent playing in the calm and inspiring forest school area.

Achievement: Expected standard

All children typically achieve well from their starting points in a supportive and nurturing environment. They make sustained and secure progress across all 7 areas of learning. Children develop the knowledge and skills they need to build foundations for future learning, including when they move on to school. Children demonstrate a clear desire to explore the wide variety of play resources and develop into confident and curious learners. Children develop their listening, attention and vocabulary skills as they join in with songs and listen to stories as part of a well-planned curriculum. However, children do not benefit from consistent opportunities to extend their problem-solving and thinking skills.

Children learn early mathematics skills and concepts as they play with large diggers in the sand and count how many trucks are needed. Children experience a calm and purposeful learning culture where they thrive with staff support, especially in the planned forest school sessions. Children who receive the early years pupil premium funding benefit from tailored support, which helps to promptly identify any gaps in learning. All children make continuous progress in their educational and developmental outcomes.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Children are highly motivated and consistently absorbed in their play and learning. Children demonstrate positive attitudes to their learning and to each other. Staff teach children the importance of treating others with care, kindness and respect. For example, children support each other to wash sand off their feet and make room for their friends at the painting easel. Well-established routines successfully contribute to a relaxed and calm environment, where children know what to expect next. Children make secure friendships and create games to play together, such as building a den and steering the 'pirate ship' together. Children consistently receive praise from staff for their kindness and achievements, which helps children behave in positive ways.

Key persons devote time to helping children feel settled. They gather information about children's individual needs and interests, such as their favourite song and sleeping routines. Warm, positive and trusting relationships are developed with children and their families. Strategies are shared between home and nursery to help children feel secure and calm.

Leaders and staff work together to consistently reflect and evaluate how the environment and daily routine promote children's learning. They assess how to use additional funding effectively to ensure that all children's needs are met through an inclusive approach. Children's attendance is positively promoted, with leaders and staff following up any absence with parents and carers.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Leaders consistently prioritise children's welfare and wellbeing across the setting, ensuring that all children feel happy, safe and ready to learn. Staff develop supportive relationships with parents. For example, staff provide tailored advice about children's toilet training and sleep and hygiene habits. Routines for sleeping are highly effective. Staff's secure knowledge of safe sleep practice is evident, and babies are softly soothed to sleep in a safe, calm and nurturing environment. Children enjoy well-balanced and nutritious meals. Leaders and staff carefully plan menus to ensure that there is a variety of choice and children's individual dietary requirements are fully met. Children skilfully learn how to butter their own crackers using a knife. Staff provide safe levels of supervision while children are eating.

Effective key-person arrangements support children to build secure and strong attachments. Staff demonstrate a secure knowledge and understanding of children's needs, dispositions and individual preferences. Hygiene routines are well embedded. Older children independently wash their hands before meals, while younger children are supported by staff to clean their faces after lunch.

Children are well supported to recognise, express and manage their emotions, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those known (or previously known) to social care. For example, children are provided with bespoke resources to help them manage their emotions and respond more effectively to these. Staff teach children about risks effectively and how to keep themselves safe. For example, children understand how to use tools correctly in forest school.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders demonstrate a clear and reflective oversight of the setting, recognising their strengths and future priorities. Leaders are proactive in continuously improving the quality of care and education provided. They show perseverance and integrity when acting in the children's best interests, for example, ensuring that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those known (or previously known) to social care have the necessary support to access their education entitlement, even during challenging times. Leaders use additional funding effectively, so children can access a full curriculum and reach their full potential.

There is a culture of high expectations and support for staff to continuously enhance their knowledge and expertise. Staff access a variety of training, including advanced qualifications and coaching, to help reflect on and improve their practice. The impact of this is evident, for example the introduction of 'shake your sillies out', a fun, daily physical activity to enhance children's focus, physical development and emotional regulation. Future plans include offering baby massage sessions for parents to participate and engage in with their child.

Leaders and staff know the families extremely well and work in close partnership to support children's learning and development. Parents speak highly of the care and education provided for their children. They comment on the effective support with toilet training. Some parents shared concerns about specific incidents, which have been addressed by the setting, so children's safety and wellbeing is maintained.