Leapfrogs Trust

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders have high ambitions for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They work closely with families to set personalised, aspirational goals and create a fully inclusive environment where every child feels valued and part of the nursery family. Leaders prioritise ongoing training to strengthen staff knowledge of SEND to continuously improve outcomes for all children.

Robust assessment and monitoring systems are embedded. Staff use 'I can' flowers to identify children's individual progress and quickly identify any gaps in learning. Personalised strategies, additional resources, and modified routines are implemented and carefully reviewed to ensure they are having a positive impact. For example, a traffic light colour system supports children who find transitions difficult to manage their emotions. Children respond positively to this system and join in at tidy-up time.

Staff have a secure understanding of local procedures to secure timely support from other professionals. Successful strategies are shared with parents to promote consistency between the home and the setting. For instance, photos of key objects and places help children who need support with communication and language to make choices and express their ideas at nursery and at home.

Children facing barriers to learning are well supported. Additional funding is used effectively to provide enrichment experiences and close gaps in children's learning. This includes weekly dance sessions and the provision of waterproof suits so children can access the garden in all weathers to help promote children's understanding of the world around them.

Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum and have high aspirations for every child. There is a shared commitment to helping children become confident, independent, resilient, and enthusiastic learners. Assessment and monitoring is accurate and regular, ensuring next steps build securely on prior learning. The curriculum, routines, and priorities are carefully adapted to meet children's needs. Recently, leaders have strengthened the focus on developing independent play, sustained concentration, and deeper engagement. As a result, children focus and concentrate for lengthy periods of time to extend their learning.

Highly skilled staff deliver the curriculum consistently well. They have a secure understanding of child development and sequence learning carefully from each child's individual starting points. Teaching is thoughtfully adapted to each child's developmental stage, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This helps all children to make continual progress across all areas of the curriculum.

Staff interactions are expertly timed to extend learning during play. They use effective questioning to deepen understanding, develop thinking skills, and encourage problem-solving. Children's communication and language is exceptionally well supported. Staff model rich vocabulary, clear pronunciation, and gently correct errors to build children's confidence and fluency.

Children benefit from extensive opportunities to develop physical skills through motivating activities that strengthen both small and large muscles. Young children thread and place pegs in boards to build finger strength. Older children begin each day with music and movement sessions. These are skilfully adapted for children who need additional support with their physical development.

Achievement: Strong standard

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those who face barriers to their learning achieve well and make rapid progress from their starting points. Children are developing a wide range of skills and knowledge they need ready for school and beyond. Children of all ages speak incredibly confidently in a range of contexts. They ask questions, make comments, and hold lengthy conversations with staff and each other. For example, young children say, 'Look at the puddle. It's getting muddy. It's changing colour.'

Older children listen intently and concentrate for extended periods of time. They safely and independently use scissors to cut small pieces of play dough and create wonderfully imaginative stories as they play with dinosaurs and volcanoes.

Children demonstrate highly developed social skills. Young children show care towards each other as they say, 'That's ok, I'll help you' as they take their boots off. Older children show excellent collaboration as they work together using pipettes to fill test tubes with water. They cheer and say, 'Yes! We did it!'.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Leaders and staff have created a warm, positive, and purposeful environment where all children thrive. Relationships are extremely caring and secure. Children confidently seek out their key person for reassurance and enjoy sharing their interests and experiences. Staff are consistently nurturing and responsive. They know each child extremely well, including their strengths, interests, care needs, and next steps. Regular communication with parents ensures practice is adapted swiftly when needs change. Families are reminded of the importance of good attendance in preparation for school.

Children's behaviour is excellent. Staff use a highly positive, inclusive, and consistent approach to behaviour management. Gentle reminders and simple phrases help children to learn to share and cooperate. Individual roles, particularly during tidy-up time, support children who need help with communication and language. Children respond promptly to instructions. For example, young children fold and pack away blankets when they hear the tidy-up song.

Children engage deeply in purposeful play. They show enthusiasm, sustain focus, and eagerly participate in activities. Older children show excitement as they volunteer to practise their early writing skills. They clap when their friends accurately write letters on the board.

Support for managing feelings is thoughtfully embedded. Staff help children recognise and name emotions, model turn-taking, and plan small-group games to strengthen social skills. Children are encouraged to show kindness including helping friends rebuild towers after they accidently knock them over.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Detailed information is collected, regularly updated. It is used effectively to tailor care routines to each child's individual needs, including dietary or medical requirements and when children start toilet training. Safe, comfortable areas are created for children who need to sleep or rest. Parents value the helpful guidance staff provide during these significant milestones.

Lunchtimes are calm and sociable. Staff promote healthy eating by explaining how different foods support the body and by sharing up-to-date guidance and nutritionally balanced lunchbox ideas with parents. Staff carefully supervise mealtimes, reminding children to take small bites and sit safely. Young children independently use face cloths and mirrors to clean their faces after eating. Any changes to children's medical or dietary needs are swiftly implemented and shared with all staff to ensure consistency. Leaders promote good oral health by providing toothbrushes and toothpaste for home use. This encourages positive lifelong habits.

Children's emotional welfare is prioritised. Caring staff build strong, trusting relationships with children and parents. Staff support children to manage their emotions in ways that reflect their age and stage of development. They consistently talk about how everyone is feeling and use stories to help embed this. This enables staff to provide additional sensitive support during changes, such as the birth of a sibling. Children show they feel secure, valued, and part of the group.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders have a secure understanding of their local area. They are reflective and flexible in ensuring high-quality care and education. Leaders carefully analyse the needs of the children who attend and use this knowledge to tailor the curriculum, daily routines, and teaching for individuals and groups of children. Staff deployment and professional development are thoughtfully planned to maximise outcomes for children.

Leaders understand their strengths and are committed to continual improvement. Staff are encouraged to use their individual strengths and take responsibility for specific curriculum areas. Regular quizzes identify any gaps in staff's knowledge or skills, and support is then given to swiftly address these gaps. Targeted training on the needs of two-year-olds has significantly improved how staff provide high-quality learning experiences for this age group.

Effective systems support staff workload and wellbeing. Staff report feeling valued and empowered. They show they are highly motivated to provide the best possible care and education.

Partnerships with other providers, professionals, and local schools are well established. Transitions to school are carefully organised. Staff work closely with parents to set individual targets and share practical ideas to promote independence. Information and effective strategies for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are shared promptly, helping ensure smooth and successful transitions to school.