Little Angels Pre-School and LA Activity Camps and Wraparound

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders are quick to take action that meets the individual needs of disadvantaged children and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders engage with other professionals and parents and carers to develop suitable learning plans that help children make some progress from their starting points. They regularly review these plans to ensure that children receive the right support at the right time. Staff prioritise the care and support provided for children with SEND and barriers to learning so they typically feel safe and comforted. Leaders understand the importance of using funding appropriately to close the gaps in children's learning, and they purchase equipment and resources to provide targeted support.

Staff collaborate closely with families to learn about each child's needs and interests to provide tailored settling-in sessions and to support children as they arrive each day. Staff respect that families have varied lifestyles and circumstances that may result in children facing barriers to their learning, such as those who are experiencing changes in their life. Staff sensitively provide personalised support for children to make them feel secure and reassured. However, on occasion, the deployment of qualified and more skilled staff does not fully maximise the impact on children's care and learning.

Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention

Leaders do not demonstrate a sufficient understanding of the current quality of the curriculum or teaching. Systems to evaluate practice to ensure that all staff understand children's next steps in learning are not regularly implemented. This means teaching is not always adapted to build on what children already know and can do. Leaders have clear plans to strengthen staff's understanding of children's next steps. They are beginning to make plans to improve consistency and impact across the curriculum. The curriculum is structured to provide learning opportunities across the areas of learning. However, the inconsistent implementation of the curriculum means not all aspects are fully promoted.

Staff prioritise children's personal, social and emotional development and communication and language skills as the starting point for future learning. Staff set up welcoming environments that encourage children to make decisions and build confidence through play. They use visual cues and clear, simple language to help children with special educational needs and disabilities participate and follow routines. For children showing early signs of social or emotional challenges, extra comfort and individual interactions are provided, which help them become more confident learners.

Staff typically support children's mathematical development through everyday experiences. For example, children build towers with blocks and are encouraged to count and compare. Staff support children to recognise number, shape and texture as they participate in activities to create Easter egg collages. Babies are encouraged to explore the texture of sand and to sing songs during routines. This helps children develop problem-solving skills and new vocabulary.

Achievement: Needs attention

Children's achievement is inconsistent across the setting. While children are generally happy and engaged, their learning is not always sequenced or supported well enough to extend their thinking and understanding. Older children who also attend other childcare provisions have insufficient opportunities to build on their daily learning. Next steps for toddler-age children are not sharply enough focused for them to progress as quickly as they could. Therefore, children's preparation for the next stage of education is variable.

Children enjoy taking part in activities that cover all areas of learning. Babies and younger children hear lots of new words as staff happily talk to them as they play, while older children join in with songs, stories and daily conversations. This supports children to build their early language skills. Generally, children develop positive attitudes to learning and make some progress in developing new skills.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders and staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. Warm, nurturing relationships between staff and children help children understand what is expected of them. Staff use calm, clear language to promote kindness and friendships, which helps babies and young children feel secure and reassured. Children are supported to share resources and resolve minor disagreements. With staff guidance, children behave very well. Staff consider children's needs and individual circumstances to promote smooth transitions throughout the day. Children develop confidence through established daily routines and the constant support of familiar adults. Considering the recent staff changes, children are settling into new relationships with the different staff they meet and show they are generally content.

Leaders emphasise the importance of regular attendance and work closely with families to facilitate patterns of attendance that meet children's individual needs. Steady familiar routines are a constant factor for children with barriers to learning and help them feel secure and confident to participate in daily activities. For example, they happily join in with group sessions and help to tidy away before meals. Staff are good role models, promote a culture of care and respect and reinforce positive behaviour through praise and sensitive interactions. This approach supports children to develop self-regulation, resilience and a sense of belonging.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Needs attention

The arrangements for maintaining accurate records are weak. Leaders do not provide effective oversight to ensure all information relating to children's medical requirements is accurately maintained. This means children's health is not fully promoted.

However, staff know children well and typically respond quickly to their physical and emotional needs. Personal care, including sleep, feeding and other daily tasks, generally reflect children's individual needs. These tasks are carried out sensitively and respectfully, which helps children feel secure and comfortable. For example, younger babies are fed in a quiet area so they can relax, and safe sleep routines encourage children to settle quickly. Children confidently seek reassurance when needed, and this demonstrates a sense of security.

Staff notice when children become unsettled and respond calmly to help them understand their feelings and emotions. This helps them feel understood and supported. Children are encouraged to express their feelings in ways appropriate to their age and stage of development, supporting emotional security and confidence.

Children's physical wellbeing is promoted through daily care and activities. Children typically have daily access to the outdoor area and are encouraged to use apparatus and equipment safely. They have access to drinking water throughout the day and are mostly encouraged to make healthy choices. Older children confidently explain 'that fruit is good for you' and share their understanding of allergies, while younger children are included in discussions about the healthy fruit they receive at snack time. This helps children learn the importance of a healthy lifestyle.

Leadership and governance: Needs attention

Leaders have recently made rapid and significant changes to the staffing structure in the setting because of staff vacancies. This means many staff are undertaking new roles and extra responsibilities. Some whole-team training has been provided to meet statutory requirements, such as safeguarding and leaders spend time in each room to maintain ratios. However, there is a lack of management oversight to ensure that all staff receive the support, mentoring and training they require to further develop their teaching strategies. Supervision sessions are not regularly completed, and there is no provision for staff to routinely take breaks away from areas used by the children. This means staff development and wellbeing are not promoted effectively.

Leaders know what children need to learn while in the setting. However, while leaders can identify what changes need to be made to promote a high-quality provision, they do not have an accurate overview of the current context of the nursery to ensure continuous improvement. Improvement plans are in their infancy and are not yet fully embedded. Therefore, not all staff have a shared understanding of the vision for the setting, and this negatively impacts children's outcomes.

Leaders generally have well-established relationships with other professional agencies to support children with barriers to learning and those children known or previously known to children's services. The arrangements for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are effective in ensuring collaborative working to acquire focused support at the earliest opportunity. However, partnership working with other early years providers is not consistent enough to promote complementary learning for children who regularly attend multiple settings.