Ladybirds Pre School

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders have high aspirations for all children. They work tirelessly to create an environment and curriculum that supports all children's learning and wellbeing. They place great emphasis on training staff on the sequence of child development. This means that children's individual needs are identified extremely quickly. All staff use a plan, do, review approach to set ambitious but achievable next steps in learning for children. Learning is assessed frequently so that all staff know what children already know and what they need to learn next. Leaders dedicate enough time to review children's progress and the provision to ensure children are making great progress.

Leaders build trusting relationships with children's families and any external professionals. They work in collaboration with them to ensure the best possible outcomes for children's learning and development. Leaders are committed to minimising any barriers to learning that children may face. They get to know children and their families in detail so that they can tailor the support for them. Leaders make excellent use of any Early Years Pupil Premium. For example, they allocate some of the funding towards Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) training. This training offers targeted support and teaching for children's personal, social and emotional development. Leaders support children that are known, or previously known to children's social care, to make superb progress.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders understand the quality of the curriculum delivery. The curriculum is based on children's interests and covers all the areas of child development within the early years foundation stage. Staff use assessments to evaluate the impact of the curriculum. Children make effective progress from their starting points at the setting. Staff adapt their teaching to meet the needs of children that may have barriers to learning, including those known or previously known to children's social care.

Staff support children's communication and language skills through a range of activities and interactions. They confidently narrate children's play, introduce new vocabulary and role model the correct use of words. Children learn mathematical vocabulary. For example, positional language, such as over and under, along with the names of shapes and colours while playing with staff. Sometimes, staff do not always extend their interactions to provoke children's thinking skills. For example, they ask children questions and when children do not know the answer, they move on without supporting children to find or learn the answer.

Staff provide a wide variety of opportunities for children to build their physical skills. For example, children use large climbing apparatus to strengthen their mobility skills. Indoors, children build their small muscle skills through puzzles and building-block games. Children learn personal skills such as perseverance and resilience through having a go and trying again.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children progress through all areas of the curriculum well. Children make great progress with their communication and language skills. All children learn and use sign language as an additional communication skill. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make swift progress through their next steps in learning. Children that face disadvantage and/or are known or previously known to children's social care are supported to make rapid progress through the inclusive provision.

Children are very well prepared for their next stage in learning, including starting school. They learn a wealth of personal, social and emotional skills. For example, they persevere before confidently asking an adult for help. They learn self-care skills, such as toileting and hand hygiene. They enjoy learning, and are eager to have a go at new experiences and learn new skills. For example, they learn how to care for the nursery's 2 pet guinea pigs.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders have created an inclusive and positive environment for all children. The relationships between staff and children are positive. Staff are effective role models to each other, and demonstrate how to interact with others, along with reinforcing the boundaries within the setting. This ensures that all children know what is expected of them and how to behave. In turn, children are kind and very well behaved. They enjoy playing alongside, with their friends and looking out for each other, ensuring that no one is left out of a game or play. They take turns and share their toys. The expectations of children are appropriate for the age and stage of children's development, and staff confidently tailor these to support children's individual needs when necessary. For example, younger children are supported to move from one activity to the next by giving them time to prepare for this change of task. Staff inform children of what is happening now and what will happen next.

Leaders work with families and external professionals to promote positive habits of attendance and punctuality. They understand the importance of building these healthy habits to support children's next steps in learning, including starting school.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

All staff teach children how to keep themselves safe in the setting. Sometimes, when staff remind children what they must do to keep themselves safe, they do not explain why they must do this. For example, when children should be walking, staff remind them not to run, but don't explain that this could lead them to fall over. This means that children learn what they must do, but not why they must do it.

Staff implement routines and care practice that meet children's individual needs. For example, staff provide a rolling snack so that children have a choice of when they join the table. This helps them to identify if they are hungry, while also minimising interruptions to their play if they are deeply engaged in their learning. Children master physical skills through peeling and preparing their fruit. They learn to wash their hands before and after eating, and how to clean up after they finish with their cutlery.

Staff build secure relationships with children. They get to know them well and this supports them to be attuned and responsive to each child's needs. Staff are warm, kind and caring to children. They talk to them sensitively and encourage them to explore their feelings. Children feel safe and secure.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders meticulously evaluate the setting's strengths and priorities for development. They consider the impact of all decisions they make to ensure they are centred around the best interests of children and their families. For example, they take great care in ensuring thoughtful consideration of the best use of any additional funding allocated to children that face barriers to learning. Leaders evaluate staff's teaching skills through observation. Some staff are being supported by leaders to strengthen their teaching skills. However, these skills are not fully embedded yet.

Leaders evaluate the quality of the curriculum through observing staff's teaching and interaction skills. They take time to feed back to staff on their practice, detailing what they do well and what could be enhanced. They use this information to highlight staff training needs and support. All staff are supported to continuously progress their professional development.

Leaders have developed a positive environment where staff are flourishing. Staff are extremely well supported in their roles, and leaders allocate adequate non-contact time to complete tasks. Therefore, all staff feel that their workload is manageable and their wellbeing is looked after. This happy culture is evident throughout the day, and staff enjoy the work they do. This positive energy is threaded through to their interaction with the children; creating a harmonious and fun place to work and play.