Little Explorers Nursery and Pre-school Ltd

Inclusion: Needs attention

Leaders have not ensured that all staff have a clear understanding of the children they have identified as having barriers to their learning. Strategies to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are not used consistently. This results in some children wandering around the room without purposeful engagement. In addition, children with SEND are not supported well enough during transition times. They struggle to manage the changes and become distressed. Although staff offer comfort, they have not put enough effective strategies in place to support these children emotionally during these moments. As a result, children's individual needs are not consistently met.

Leaders with overall responsibility for SEND have a secure understanding of their roles and responsibilities, seeking ongoing training to keep their knowledge up to date. They prompt action, working closely with parents and external professionals to secure support and additional funding, when required. Leaders implement plans with clear targets and strategies. However, they do not monitor staff's practice effectively to ensure that agreed strategies are applied consistently by all staff. This means that the support for some children is not as effective as it is for others.

Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention

Leaders have developed a new and clear curriculum that sets out what they want children to learn across the areas of learning. However, some staff are still becoming familiar with the curriculum. They are not always clear on what they want children to learn and are not confident in identifying what their next steps in learning are. Although leaders have an awareness of how to support children with barriers to their learning and wellbeing, these are not clearly communicated to staff. This limits how effectively staff build on what children already know and can do, reducing the consistency of inclusive learning across the nursery.

Staff generally support children's language development through activities and interactions. Children are encouraged to talk about what they are doing, and staff introduce new vocabulary and mathematical language in meaningful contexts. For example, when children build structures, staff model descriptive language and count bricks with them to extend learning. Babies enjoy engaging in creative activities, exploring textures as they feel the paint between their hands. While some staff promote independence effectively, such as helping children to self-serve at mealtimes, other staff complete tasks for children. This inconsistency of teaching affects the overall quality of curriculum implementation, which has been acknowledged by leaders.

Achievement: Needs attention

Some children are not consistently prepared for their next stage of learning and do not make the progress that they are capable of. This is due to inconsistencies in the delivery of the curriculum. During some activities, there is insufficient focus on the teaching and learning for individual children to achieve, especially children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. For example, they are not always supported to have the targeted time they need. This negatively impacts the continuity of children's development and their achievements.

Children's communication and language development is generally supported well. They are developing their listening, attention and literacy skills through their love of books and songs. Babies show increasing confidence and resilience as they explore the environment. They are curious and keen to engage in sensory activities. Older children build early mathematical understanding through meaningful opportunities, such as counting and sorting.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Needs attention

Transitions and routines are not always organised well enough to support children's behaviour or emotional security. During the move to lunch, several children become unsettled as they wait for prolonged periods of time, with some children wandering around due to lack of structure. Staff become distracted from reading stories to other children, reducing the quality of interaction and leaving children without purposeful engagement. These inconsistencies create a busy atmosphere that makes it difficult for children to remain calm and regulated.

Leaders understand the needs of children, especially those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. However, staff do not adapt their practice quickly enough to support children's needs and changing circumstances. As a result, some children do not receive the consistent, targeted support they need to develop positive behaviour or to understand predictable routines.

Staff do support children to share and take turns, offering positive praise when they are kind to their peers. They use clear communication to tell children when it is time to tidy up. This helps children to understand what is expected of them and supports the development of positive social behaviours. Leaders and staff understand the importance of attendance and punctuality. They monitor children's attendance closely and contact parents promptly when children do not attend.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Urgent improvement

Arrangements for staff deployment during mealtimes are not effective and children are not constantly supervised. Although there are enough staff present, some children are left at the table without an adult maintaining appropriate oversight. This is because some staff are occupied with other tasks or move away from the area. At times, staff turn their backs to the children, limiting their ability to respond promptly. In addition, staff do not always notice when children leave the table with food still in their mouths, increasing the potential risk of choking. This inconsistent supervision compromises children's safety and welfare.

Older children experience a high number of accidents while playing in the garden, particularly during busy periods of active play. Many accidents occur due to the lack of purposeful activities, resulting in children becoming bored. They begin to misuse items, such as parasols and deckchairs, increasing further accidents. Supervision is not consistently proactive, and children are not always guided to use the space safely. The frequency of these accidents show hazards are not being managed effectively, and children are not always supported to develop safe play. In addition, the environments in some rooms are not organised to support safe movement between activities. For instance, toys are left blocking the walkway to the toilet, causing children to trip on their way to wash their hands. This impacts their welfare and overall safety.

Leadership and governance: Needs attention

Leaders do not consistently recognise when staff's practice is ineffective, particularly during key routines, such as mealtimes and outdoor play. Weaknesses in supervision mean that children are not always kept in sight. In addition, at times, staff are unsure about their roles and responsibilities, which leads to inconsistent responses when accidents occur. This means that children do not always receive reliable care during mealtimes or when accidents need managing.

Despite the weaknesses, leaders demonstrate clear capacity to improve. They remain present in the nursery and are beginning to strengthen daily oversight. Leaders recognise the journey the nursery is on, acknowledging further development is needed to ensure that practice is constantly safe and reliable. They are reflective and passionate about their roles, showing determination to improve the quality of care for all children, including for those that may face barriers to their learning.

Leaders provide staff with supervision that is generally supported by professional development. They have prioritised staff's wellbeing, ensuring that they feel well supported during changes under the new leadership team. Leaders engage sensitively with parents to ensure that transitions to other settings are well supported. They work well with other professionals to support children's individual needs, including using additional funding effectively.