Little Angels Daycare Warrington Ltd.

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders have a clear understanding of how to identify children who may need additional support to reach their full potential in their learning and development. They achieve this through observations and tracking children's development with assessments, for example. Staff show an awareness of children's starting points and what the next steps in learning look like for each child. Staff can talk about the progress children make throughout their time at the setting. Leaders have introduced a speech and language intervention tool to ensure children receive the right support at the right time. In turn, this approach reduces barriers to their learning by recognising when early help is needed.

Parents speak highly about the support they receive. Staff work closely with parents to ensure a consistent approach between home and the setting. Leaders ensure that families are well supported and signposted to appropriate services when they face additional challenges. This helps families access the right support when it is needed, and reduces potential barriers to children's learning and development.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Staff know children's individual needs well and use this knowledge to plan appropriate activities and experiences. As a result, children develop the knowledge and skills they need for their next stage in learning. Leaders review the curriculum regularly and generally support staff to develop their teaching skills.

Staff provide children with a wide variety of learning experiences that capture children's interests. For example, pre-school children explore an 'investigation station', where they combine different ingredients to make pizza and cakes and explore possibilities with materials. Children excitedly roll lumps of jelly between their hands and say, 'Wow, look at my jelly. I am making jelly babies.' Others confidently respond and say, 'Well, I am making jellybeans with my jelly!' Younger children in the baby room enjoy sensory experiences where they can squish paint around a table wrapped with clingfilm. They become fascinated as they can feel the texture but cannot touch it directly. This encourages their curiosity and sensory exploration. However, occasionally, staff do not provide consistent interactions with children, meaning that some children do not have the opportunity to learn more deeply from experiences that have been prepared for them.

Staff promote reading and a love of books. A wide selection of books is accessible across different areas of the children's rooms. This enables children to explore pictures, stories or information that supports and further enhances their play. Mathematical skills and vocabulary are taught throughout the day. For example, staff encourage children to count during routines, such as when self-serving at mealtimes, and staff also use counting songs to develop number awareness and introduce mathematical language through play.

Achievement: Expected standard

All children, including those who face barriers to their learning, achieve well from their starting points. They make progress across all areas of development, giving them the knowledge they need for their next stage of learning. However, on occasion, some experiences do not consistently enable children to develop their communication and language skills during play.

Regular singing sessions help children to learn about repetition. They become familiar with songs and actions and anticipate what comes next. For example, when children hear the words 'Row, row, row your boat', they excitedly start rocking their bodies forward and backwards as if they are rowing.

Children practise new skills and extend their learning in a supportive environment. For example, children curiously explore a 'squeezy' bottle where the nozzle has become blocked with mixture. Staff encourage children to squeeze the bottle more firmly at the top, successfully unblocking the nozzle. As a result, children learn through trial and error and show persistence in solving problems.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Staff are kind and nurturing. They provide a relaxed environment for children to learn in. This approach means that children are generally calm and learn to play with increasing confidence. Staff are positive role models and use respectful language to encourage positive behaviour. For example, when younger children want to use the same resource, staff model turn-taking and help children find other resources as a distraction while they wait. As a result, children begin to develop positive attitudes towards each other and staff.

Children feel safe at nursery, and staff help children overcome their fears or worries. For example, mindfulness sessions have been introduced for children, where they can concentrate on breathing exercises as part of a calming 'sound bath' experience. The children also learn about 'chakras', how they feel around their body and what each rainbow chakra means for their wellbeing. As a result, children's behaviour calms as they learn to regulate their emotions. Visual aids are used well to support children's understanding of routines and boundaries. Consequently, children know what to expect and are increasingly able to follow familiar routines.

Leaders recognise the importance of children attending regularly and act promptly to follow up on any unexplained absences. This helps to keep children safe and protected.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Children's welfare is generally supported through warm and responsive relationships. Positive attachments are formed, and staff have built trusting relationships with the children. Children demonstrate a sense of belonging, which supports their emotional wellbeing.

Daily care practices promote children's health and growing independence. Children follow handwashing and toothbrushing routines, and are supported with toileting as they develop their self-care skills. Mealtimes provide valuable opportunities for social interaction. Conversations flow between children and adults as they talk about their day or the foods they are eating. Leaders ensure that children are offered a broad variety of healthy and nutritious foods at every mealtime and snack time. They ensure that all children have access to fresh drinking water throughout the day. Safer eating and sleep practices are well established and embedded. These promote children's safety and wellbeing in line with the revised framework requirements.

Children benefit from regular opportunities for fresh air and exercise. Activities reflect children's interests, ages and stages of development and support their physical development, such as by supporting their muscle strength and balance. For example, younger children explore soft-play blocks so they can experience climbing and crawling on different surfaces and at different levels. Staff allow children time to practise their new skills, offering praise and encouragement to boost their confidence.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders have established a positive culture where children are at the heart of their decision-making. They are accurate in their reflection and have an effective overview of the nursery, including its strengths and areas for further development. Leaders are knowledgeable about and ambitious for all children, particularly those children who face barriers to their learning. Staff speak highly of the support they receive and have regular opportunities with leaders to discuss their key children, focus on safeguarding and highlight any training needs. Leaders have identified that more work is still needed to help staff ensure that every interaction is seen as a learning opportunity for children. For example, conversations between staff and children are sometimes limited, and staff do not consistently introduce new vocabulary to children to support their communication skills.

Leaders show commitment and enthusiasm for leading practice at the nursery. They want the best for the children and families that attend. Leaders monitor children's attendance, accidents and incidents closely. They use this information to review and update risk assessments, keeping them as working documents. Leaders are aware of their duty to notify Ofsted of significant events and seek guidance from the local authority designated officer when required.

Parents value the daily chats that keep them up to date on all that their children are doing. Parents comment on how happy they are with the setting and that communication is typically effective. However, leaders recognise that there is further scope to strengthen partnerships with parents by providing more frequent opportunities to discuss children's progress. This will enable parents to better understand their child's next steps and reinforce key learning at home.