Kids Planet The Pod

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders and staff create an inclusive environment where all children feel secure and well supported, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Existing and emerging needs are identified through observations, assessments and staff demonstrate a secure understanding of children's needs and typically adapt their approach to meet individual learning requirements. They demonstrate high expectations of all children, including those facing barriers to learning, ensuring that the needs of children with SEND are generally well met. This is supported effectively through the use of additional funding, for example, to supply bikes to develop children's physical skills.

All children engage enthusiastically in activities, and appropriate support is provided for those needing greater assistance. Children benefit from one-to-one time with their key persons. Parents receive precise support to help children develop specific skills. This helps to support families. Leaders foster relationships with other providers and professionals to gather precise information about children before they join the setting. Leaders, and those with responsibility for SEND, have access to ongoing SEND training, enabling them to actively support all children's learning requirements with confidence. Inclusive practice is embedded across the setting, ensuring that high-quality experiences promote children's engagement, confidence and progress.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders develop and design the curriculum to give children the knowledge and skills they need for their learning and development. Staff demonstrate an accurate understanding of the areas of learning and mostly implement the curriculum effectively. Leaders have clear oversight of the quality of the teaching and learning in their setting and monitor this well through observations and supervisions.

Children typically enjoy access to a wide range of activities, which are designed to enhance their learning and development. Staff carefully consider those children with barriers to learning, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and make appropriate adaptations. Children choose the activities they engage with and they follow their own interests and participate in whole-group sessions, such as story time.

Leaders and staff focus on developing children's communication and language through developing a love of books, songs, music and rhymes. Staff speak clearly and calmly to children throughout each learning experience. They mostly use ambitious language and add new words to children's sentences. However, there are times staff do not model high quality vocabulary or give children time to respond to their questions. Mathematics is mostly woven through teaching activities, this includes counting, colours and measurement. For example, when playing with balls, staff help children to identify number and size. There are some occasions when staff introduce concepts that children do not understand. Staff are keen to support children's language and mathematical development. However, they have not had the opportunity to engage specific professional development to further develop their knowledge on how to enhance the curriculum in these areas.

Children develop strength, balance and coordination while enjoying the outside garden and the apparatus. Staff support children's physical development during outside play, encouraging them to climb and balance. During song and dance activities, children develop rhythm and coordination.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children display enthusiasm towards their learning. They excitedly engage in planned activities, demonstrating confidence to try new things. Children develop communication and language skills, for example when reading books and singing songs. The supportive atmosphere of the setting allows children to enhance their personal, social and emotional development. For example, children help one another to complete tasks such as, clean up paint that has been spilt. The children demonstrate patience and consideration as they take turns. Even the youngest children demonstrate kindness, they offer hugs when their friends are upset.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are typically achieving well in all areas of learning. Children with barriers to learning are fully included in activities, benefiting adaptations that meet their needs. Progress and achievement are generally monitored, recorded and assessed and overall, this informs next steps. This helps children achieve well through targeted teaching and support.

Children are suitably prepared for their next stage in learning, including school readiness. The setting develops relationships with school teachers and other professionals. This benefits children to feel secure as they transition to school.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders and staff mostly set high expectations for children's behaviour and attitudes to learning. With planned and detailed inductions, these expectations are commonly understood by staff, parents and children. Staff are positive role models, teaching children courtesy and respect. Children are reminded of the importance of good manners, kindness, turn taking and consideration of other people's feelings. Staff achieve this with calmness and modelling examples of effective behaviour.

Typically, staff recognise and consider each child's individual needs and circumstances, including those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They maintain high expectations of children's behaviour and attitudes to learning, while also making reasonable adjustments to reflect each child's ability and age and stage of development. For example, staff encourage children to sit together for song time. However, they recognise that this is very challenging for some children and allow them to get up and move if needed. This does impact on the time children spend fully engaged in learning.

Leaders recognise the importance of regular attendance and punctuality. Parents speak of a supportive approach offered by the setting and feel able to discuss any concerns regarding their child's development or attendance with the staff. Monitoring attendance is fully integrated, and in the case of children's absence contact with the family is prioritised.

Children play together and display enjoyment and fun. They can negotiate between themselves and work collaboratively with sustained concentration and a shared goal. For example, when acting as shop keeper at the ice cream stand, they display patience with each other and shared enjoyment.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Children build warm, trusting and meaningful relationships with their key person. They interact with ease, sharing their ideas and experiences happily. Children mostly listen and engage with the opportunities on offer. Generally, children benefit from the routines within the setting and respond very well to instructions. For example, when asked to children tidy up they work together to achieve shared goals.

Generally, leaders have created a safe, welcoming place where children can play and learn. Children enjoy each other's company and form strong bonds with their friends and staff. They have daily access to the outside play area, where they are encouraged to run, jump, climb and balance. During this time, children are not always helped to be aware of space and other children around them. This means they are not always aware how to avoid accidents. This creates an environment in which at times some children become upset and overwhelmed.

Leaders and staff have established clear routines around personal hygiene. Children are encouraged to meet their personal needs with independence while also being reminded of clear hygiene habits. Healthy food is served and mealtimes are social occasions. Staff eat with the children and engage in meaningful conversations.

Emotional health is well supported. Children's feelings are recognised and acknowledged. Children with additional emotional needs are comforted with cuddles and reassurance. Strong emotional bonds between children and staff are evident. Children feel secure.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders have successfully built a well-qualified, experienced and committed staff team. Staff speak of feeling well supported in their roles, as well as in their personal wellbeing. They enjoy working in the setting and express pride and enjoyment in their work.

Leaders are clear in their vision to create a setting where children feel valued, secure and happy. Children are placed at the heart of decision making and choices. Staff receive robust inductions, regular meetings, purposeful supervisions and access to general training opportunities. Overall, this helps equip staff to complete their roles. However, staff and leaders have not had the opportunity to engage in focussed professional development to enhance their knowledge on how to strengthen the curriculum across all areas of learning.

Policies and procedures are embedded in practise at the setting, including the recording and monitoring of all accidents and incidents. Leaders ensure that there is daily contact with parents and/or carers and know their families well. Leaders actively engage in interactions with external professionals to ensure children get the support they need. This helps to ensure those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities can reduce barriers to learning. Training for staff is not always matched specifically to children's needs.