Little Ducklings Pre school The Old Ticket Office

Inclusion: Expected standard

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well. Staff monitor, review and implement achievable targets for children with speech and language delays. Children receive support from outside agencies that is delivered by skilful staff for their personal, social and emotional development. This results in children having the skills needed to access all areas of the curriculum and all experiences, such as visits to the local care home once a month. Children with SEND successfully regulate their behaviours, enabling them to join and enjoy this experience.

Leaders have adapted their staffing at a senior level to meet the increasing needs of children across their setting. Staff quickly identify children's barriers to learning and emerging needs. Staff conduct observations and assessments in a timely way, which underpins clear targets. Children receive the right level of support in a sustained way and staff know who is eligible for additional funding and use this for inclusion staffing. Overall, staff have relevant training and conduct accurate assessments of the emerging skills for all children.

Leaders share observations with parents and make onward referrals. Their commitment improves the achievement of children with SEND. For the most part, children with SEND are included in all the setting offers, using skilled staff during transition times, using visuals as reminders and a whole team approach in this safe setting.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders develop an ambitious, sequential curriculum, using a topic of interest and children's next steps. They weave the 7 areas of the early years foundation stage into the planning to encourage a balance of experiences. Children engage in purposeful play with the road safety tray. They use language, such as over and under, to describe the cars moving over the bridges that they have built. Children talk to staff about the pictures on specific cards matched to the topic, such as reminders to wait and stop, look and listen and the zebra crossing. Children are enthusiastic when describing the skills they have learned, 'we do not stand in the road.' Staff build children's learning and talk about being safe, integrating the new word and picture cards into their daily walks.

Staff are responsible for planning and competently share ideas for adapting an activity, for example, to encourage explorations and to build on previous learning. The impact is that staff teach well, adding concepts, such as traffic lights, new vocabulary and repeat single words for younger children that build their communication and language skills well. In addition, staff create a free-flow environment that is quieter. Staff are able to interact in small groups in children's chosen play. Leaders and staff plan for progress in all areas for all children, looking at emerging skills and planning support to sustain progress towards those skills becoming secure, particularly in the prioritisation of children's communication and language skills in readiness for school.

Leaders consider the outdoor environments and enable children to access these on a daily basis, when space is limited on site. However, staff do not always consider what children need to learn next when organising learning experiences and staff interactions do not always support children's learning.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children make progress from their different starting points on transition into the setting. They are prepared well for the next stage in their learning journey, gaining the skills needed for their move to school. Children are confident and ready to learn as soon as they arrive. They relish the praise they receive for their individual achievements, from an interest in writing letters to building a bridge with a friend, which helps them succeed.

Children, including those with barriers to learning, develop effective communication and language skills. They move from babble and single words, to holding conversations and fine-tuning speech sounds through regular reviews into their next steps in learning. Children respond to questions during the story and share their ideas. Children are enthusiastic learners, exploring the blocks and building bridges independently. They confidently share ideas and talk to their friends to share the cars and play collaboratively. Children focus well on completing their structures and make sure the car fits underneath, testing their ideas. Children play well together and use their motor skills to move their car through the tunnels, counting to complete the game.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders have high expectations for all children's behaviour and ensure staff manage these efficiently, such as the 'traffic light system'. Structured routines and an effective key-person system support children's learning and understanding of expectations. Children excitedly prepare for their walk to the outdoor space and clearly understand how to keep themselves safe and interact positively with staff. However, preparations are lengthy and children are not always engaged in purposeful learning.

Children know the routines of the setting and leaders create an environment that positively supports behaviour and managing emotions. Children are reminded to take care with the tunnels in the tough tray, to move their cars carefully so that the tunnels are not broken, and others can enjoy the activity. They collaborate well, playing in groups, working together to a shared goal and show a positive attitude to their learning.

Children's attendance is monitored well. Staff follow up any absences with parents. Key-person relationships are secure and staff model kindness and are positive role models, checking in with each other as well as with the children. They tune in to children's questions and ideas, modelling listening skills and treating children with respect.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders place high importance on their relationships with families and ensure all families feel welcome and involved. They have settling-in sessions, attend a lunch then add in a nap, if relevant, supported well by an effective key-person system. This means children start at the new site with confidence and are ready to keep learning. Staff comfort children who are unsettled in a warm and caring manner, using bubbles to redirect. Staff are at the children's level, offering a cuddle if needed and time away in a quieter area to calm and regulate their emotions.

Children feel safe and secure in this setting and leaders have created an environment that is well laid out for learning, overall. Leaders share policies, such as safer eating, and procedures with parents and implement them well across the setting. Children enjoy a healthy diet prepared on site. They independently access their water bottles, hand out cups at snack time and take their bowls back to the chef, gaining independence. Children remember to thank the staff, and do so independently. Mealtimes are sociable and staff sit alongside the children, keeping them safe while eating. Risk assessment is robust and leaders and staff adapt quickly when accidents occur, putting measures in place to ensure resources are safe.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders work closely together to ensure the best for children in their care and to sustain the ethos of a home-from-home setting. They have high standards for themselves, promoting wellbeing, keeping children safe and they have a clear vision for improvement. They are aware of strengths in their setting and areas for improvement, building staff skills in managing behaviour.

Staff feel well supported and listened to during supervision meetings. They receive well-planned training opportunities, such as enrolling in a requested college course or starting the special educational needs and/or disabilities qualification. Leaders run training days for all staff across settings, and these recently covered safer sleeping and safeguarding, highlighting a passion for keeping children safe. Staff explained that the management team support mean they feel settled at work.

Parents feel involved and that the staff know their children well, resulting in timely interventions. Leaders and staff offer advice, which parents explain has had a positive impact in the home and to children making progress. Parents feel listened to and supported. Leaders work closely with other professionals to secure the best outcomes for children in their care, using additional funding for inclusion work and focus on training opportunities for all staff. Leaders have a strong relationship with the local college resulting in winning a 'Small Employer of the Year' award.