Kids Planet Sherwood

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders and staff know children's home backgrounds and needs securely. They work closely with parents and any outside agencies involved to support and meet the needs of children and their families. Children who are or have been involved with social care receive targeted support to help them make good progress from their individual starting points. For example, staff ensure parents and foster parents are kept updated about children's progress. Staff create an environment, where all children feel included and can thrive.

Leaders ensure staff receive regular training to enable them to understand how they can support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and children who have gaps in their learning. The setting has a dedicated special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator. They ensure staff involved in supporting the learning of children with SEND receive regular updates from agencies. This enables staff to implement individual learning plans and tailor activities to children's needs.

The leaders and staff monitor children's development, ensuring they identify any children who may require additional support. Children who need extra support progress well, and any gaps in development are quickly closed. Additional funding is used well to help meet children's individual needs. For example, children benefit from staff with specific skills in supporting children's language development and use interactive resources to develop children's ability to communicate, including using sign language.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders and staff provide a carefully planned curriculum that supports learning across all areas of learning. They skilfully use the outdoors to develop children's creativity as they make faces with clay. Staff understand that these activities will build the strength in children's small muscles. They implement the curriculum to meet the needs of children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those known to social care. Staff use assessment effectively to understand what children need to learn next. They know children well, including their interests and likes and dislikes.

Overall, staff are attentive to children and provide teaching that helps children to build on what they know and can do. For example, toddlers share the 'Gruffalo' story with staff and enjoy spotting and naming the snake and the mouse. However, at times pre-school children do not benefit from interactions with staff that challenge their learning. For example, staff suggest how children can get the animals out of ice without giving the children an opportunity to solve the problem for themselves.

Children's emotional wellbeing, physical development and personal, social and emotional skills are prioritised throughout the day. Staff engage children in conversation as they play together. They talk to babies about pouring water into different containers, using language of size and capacity to develop early mathematical knowledge. However, the planning for some adult-led sessions is not well matched to children's developmental stage or learning needs. On these occasions, children's focus on learning is not always sustained and they do not benefit from the potential learning.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children acquire age-appropriate skills across all areas of learning and development, which ensures they are well prepared for their transitions between rooms in the setting. For example, babies start feeding themselves, toddlers serve their own food with support and pre-school children confidently pour their own drinks. Consequently, they develop the skills they need for their eventual transition to school.

Children generally achieve well across all areas of learning. They grow in confidence and independence and develop positive relationships. They develop their communication and physical skills that support their future learning. Babies smile and babble when they see familiar staff and toddlers begin putting 2 words together. Older children climb with confidence and talk to their friends about taking turns. All children make progress from where they started, including those who need extra support or have special educational needs and/or disabilities or are known to social care.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Children are confident and comfortable with the well embedded daily routines, and they demonstrate consistently positive behaviour and attitudes. Staff implement well-established routines, such as outdoor play and mealtimes, which help children understand what is happening next and become increasingly independent. For example, older children wash their hands before snack with minimal support. Staff use their interactions with children to create a calm, positive environment. They have clear, age-appropriate expectations for children's behaviour that children respond to well. Staff build warm, respectful relationships and apply their high expectations consistently, helping children to learn and show their best behaviour.

Leaders work closely with parents to promote children's attendance and punctuality. As a result, children do not miss valuable learning opportunities and develop extremely positive habits for the future. Children show positive attitudes to learning and are motivated and curious learners. They engage fully, concentrate for sustained periods and enjoy activities. For example, toddlers explore the environment independently and persevere to find their favourite toys. Older children show resilience and perseverance as they climb, developing their large muscles.

Staff know children well and respond sensitively to their emotional needs. New children settle quickly as staff effectively form attachments with them and recognise their emotional needs. Babies who become upset, calm quickly when attentive staff offer reassurance and cuddles. Older children learn to collaborate and share. During activities, they take turns, share resources and wait patiently.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Staff are very caring and attentive to children, which parents find reassuring. Parents comment that children talk about the staff as though they are their friends who they play with at nursery. Staff understand children's unique needs, which enables them to meet children's care needs effectively. Children, including those who experience barriers to learning, show their positive attachment to their key person. For example, toddlers snuggle up to staff for story time.

Staff create a warm and welcoming environment, where children feel safe, included and valued. This helps children feel confident, calm and happy as they play and learn each day. Children choose whether they play inside or outside. Staff provide exciting learning opportunities, such as bug hunts, and teach children to use magnifying glasses to excite their interests. Outdoor learning supports children's physical development, helps them build resilience and improves their overall wellbeing.

Staff support children to recognise, talk about and manage their feelings through calm and patient interactions. Consequently, children become increasingly aware of how they are feeling and why. Children's care needs are well organised and adapted to ensure all children feel secure and settled. For example, staff check on babies as they sleep to ensure they are safe and older children make healthy choices about what they eat for snack. This supports children's physical health and helps them develop healthy habits for the future.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders and staff are committed to providing high-quality care and education that makes a positive difference to children's lives. They have high expectations that are clear in routines and staff practice. Staff treat children with kindness and respect, helping them feel safe and secure.

Strong partnerships with parents and carers are well established. Staff regularly update parents about children's progress and how they can support children's ongoing development at home. For example, staff create bags containing activities for parents to take home.

Leaders generally provide effective monitoring and supervision, which supports staff and helps the setting continue to improve. There is a strong culture of reflection and learning, and staff are encouraged to develop their skills and knowledge through ongoing training. For example, leaders invite health professionals to visit the setting to improve staff's understanding of the importance of supporting children's understanding of oral hygiene. Staff say they feel happy, supported and valued in their roles. This creates a positive and motivated team.

Leaders are passionate about ensuring children receive the best possible support. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, as well as those who are known to social care, receive extra support, when needed, to help ensure all children make good progress.