Little Acorns Daycare

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders have robust procedures in place and ensure staff follow these consistently to provide high quality support to children and families from the start. They gather detailed information from the beginning and use observations and discussions with parents and carers to identify children's starting points. Children's progress is continually and effectively monitored and leaders and staff use the assess, plan, do and review approach. This ensures early interventions is acted upon swiftly and children receive consistent help and support they need to make progress in their learning and development.

Leaders make timely referrals to gain professional help for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who may face barriers to their learning. During the interim, leaders and staff devise individual education plans to support children with SEND. They routinely ensure they meet the needs of children by skilfully adapting the environment, providing extra sensory experiences and additional one to one support. Staff have high expectations for all children and plan appropriately for their ongoing learning. Staff work in partnership with other professionals and act on their advice. Staff provide an inclusive environment and ensure parents who have English as an additional language understand the referral process and benefit from additional funding to help meet their children's needs.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders ensure staff plan and provide a well sequenced curriculum which offers children a broad range of activities and resources to build on their existing knowledge. Staff identify children's next steps and ensure they have time to practise and develop their skills across all areas of learning. For example, children use a variety of tools to develop their fine motor skills to help to prepare them for future writing.

Staff place a high priority on children's communication and language skills. They introduce new words, share stories and songs and engage children in conversations as they play. Staff typically provide commentary, repeat words and clarify children's pronunciation when needed. They position themselves to provide eye contact and ensure children can hear and see visual ques. This support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to help increase their interactions and vocabulary. Staff regularly ask questions but do not always give children time to think and respond before giving the answer. This does not always enable staff to understand exactly what children already know or need to learn next.

Children benefit for daily opportunities to develop their physical and social skills. They develop their balance and coordination as they use the slide, step between blocks, steer bikes and scooters and dance to music with their peers. Staff increase children's understanding of mathematics as they regularly count, learn names of shapes and concepts such as different weight and capacity.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who may face barriers to their learning make progress from their starting points. They are supported to reach targets on their individual learning plans and prepare them for future learning. All children develop their language skills at their individual levels. They learn new vocabulary, increase their sentences, make their needs known and become confident communicators. For example, children use words they have learn from a story as they play and share their own experiences.

Children benefit from a wide range of learning experiences which support them to develop the knowledge and skills they need to prepare for school. For example, they develop their independence and self-help skills as they serve snacks and make choices in their play. Children demonstrate their concentration skills as they build towers with bricks. They enjoy receiving praise for their efforts and show determination when they fall and need rebuilding. Children show a positive attitude to their learning as they learn to count, match colours and use resources to retell familiar stories they have heard.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders have procedures in place to promote a calm and inclusive environment which promotes and establishes children's behaviour and attitudes to learning. For example, staff role model positive behaviour, they speak to children in calm voices and show a caring attitude. They remind children about rules and provide regular praise and encouragement which helps to raise children's self-esteem. Staff talk to children about their emotions and introduce new words to help strengthen their understanding of their own and other's feelings. They support children to regulate their behaviour and develop positive relationships with their peers. Children display a positive attitude to their learning, use good manners and are kind to their peers.

Staff have introduced a 'now' and 'then' board which provides visual prompts to help children including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or those who may face barriers to their learning to develop an understanding of the routine. Routines throughout the day are not fully established. Staff typically tell children what is happening next although they do not consistently ensure children understand what is expected of them. For example, at tidy up time when children continue to play or during hand washing times. Leaders work with parents and carers to promote punctuality and attendance. They are flexible in their approach to accommodate parents changing needs and help to remove barriers to attending.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Leaders place a very high priority of children's welfare and wellbeing. They work collaboratively and effectively in partnerships families to promote a holistic approach. This ensures they recognise and understand the changing needs of all children who attend the nursery. Staff prioritise supporting new children to settle and build strong attachments to ensure they feel emotionally safe and secure. This in turn, enables children to develop positive relationships with their peers, engage in their learning and increase their social interactions.

Staff skilfully teach children about the importance of adopting healthy lifestyles and thread information throughout routines and conversations. They fully promote independence of self-help skills as children are encouraged to attend to their toileting needs and regularly wash their hands. Children learn about the importance of cleaning their teeth, limiting sugary snacks and eating fruit and vegetables. Children share their own experiences of developing healthy habits with oral health routines. Staff have increased their knowledge and rigorously follow safer eating practices during snack and mealtimes to ensure children's safety. Staff carefully plan and adapt experiences to include children with special educational needs and /or disabilities. They use sensory experiences to aid their exploration, reduce anxiety and build an understanding of dietary variety. All children have daily opportunities to develop their physical skills and spend time outdoor to aid their mental wellbeing.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders and staff have consistently high expectations for all children. They work in effective partnership with parents and carers to promote children's ongoing development. Parents speak very highly of the nursery and recognise the support they are given personally and the support to help them continue their children's learning at home. Leaders are extremely proactive in supporting parents to access available funding and promote a culture of inclusion as they navigate referral pathways and help with school applications and transitions. Leaders work with a range of external professionals to ensure support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is coordinated and effective in meeting their needs.

Leaders are very passionate about their roles and have a clear vision of providing high quality care and education for all children. They regularly reflect and review with the staff team to identify areas for development and put precise plans in place to address any priorities and take effective action. This ensures they all make a positive contribution to continue to improve and provide the best possible outcomes for children. Staff state they feel valued and leaders regularly support their mental wellbeing and workload. Staff access regular continued professional development such as supporting children with SEND to enhance their knowledge and skills further. This enables them to raise the quality of their teaching to benefit the children in their care.