Little Gems Fleet Ltd

Inclusion: Urgent improvement

Leaders do not have effective arrangements to identify children's individual needs. Lack of effective assessment means that staff do not gain the knowledge base from which to plan for each child. Managers are generally successful at identifying children who would benefit from intervention to overcome their barriers to learning. However, leaders do not implement effective strategies to ensure that these children receive the support they need. Leaders do not ensure managers have opportunities to keep an up-to-date knowledge of how to support children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Managers know to seek advice from external professionals, such as an inclusion officer or speech and language therapist, when necessary. However, leaders have not created systems in which additional guidance and information is used effectively. This lack of a coordinated approach means that children who may have SEND do not receive the support they need at the earliest possible opportunity.

When children are receiving targeted support, there are effective arrangements for open discussions with parents. There are also effective arrangements to support children who speak English as an additional language, for example, staff learn key words in other languages. Managers understand how they would use additional funding if they were to have children who received it.

Curriculum and teaching: Urgent improvement

Leaders have a general idea of what and how they would like children to learn. However, they do not communicate this effectively to managers and staff and do not oversee and monitor the quality of teaching and learning. Children do not benefit from an effective and well-thought-out curriculum that covers all areas of learning and reflects their individual learning needs.

Although managers are aware of the shortfalls within the curriculum and assessment, they do not receive the support needed from leaders to implement the necessary changes. Children's progress is not accurately assessed. Therefore, staff cannot identify and plan appropriate next steps in learning.

There are some occasions when staff engage and communicate well with children, using age-appropriate educational language. This includes mathematical and emotion-based language. Children engage with resources and prepared activities, including those that support their physical development. However, staff do not use these opportunities to teach and extend children's understanding. Staff are aware of some children's existing and emerging interests and introduce new resources based on this information. However, these activities lack clear learning intentions, and staff are unable to identify the intended impact on children's learning.

Achievement: Urgent improvement

Children do not progress well enough in their learning and development. They do not gain the skills and knowledge needed to prepare them for the next stage of their education, including moving on to school. Children spend much of their time engaging in freely chosen play. However, due to insufficient support from staff, children often lose interest quickly and do not gain sufficient knowledge and skills from these experiences. Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, do not make the progress of which they are capable.

Children learn some positive social skills. For example, they learn some self-care skills, such as serving their own food, and build positive relationships with adults. Children are beginning to gain confidence in using age- and stage-appropriate language, including mathematical vocabulary. All children enjoy spending time in active play outdoors.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Urgent improvement

Although children generally behave well, the significant weaknesses in relation to the curriculum and teaching mean that they do not develop positive attitudes to learning. Children spend much of their time engaged in self-chosen play. They receive limited support to form friendships and play cooperatively. For example, staff do not consistently teach and reinforce skills such as sharing and taking turns.

Transitions within the daily routines are not thought through well, as there is a lot of waiting time while these are occurring. For instance, some children have to wait for a long time to go outside while others are putting on suntan lotion or using the toilet. At these times, children are bored and unengaged.

Despite the weaknesses in leadership, managers and staff have established a largely welcoming and caring environment. Children understand what is expected of them behaviourally. Staff have a consistent and positive approach to behaviour management. The relationships between staff and children are warm. Children understand and follow certain consistent routines, such as mealtimes, sleeping and group times for older children.

Managers understand the importance of promoting children's regular attendance and punctuality. Staff monitor attendance and follow up on any unexplained absences with telephone calls. Children receive flexible and sensitive support from managers when their family routines affect their start times, ensuring they are able to attend regularly.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Needs attention

Overall, there are effective arrangements to promote children's health and safety. However, children are not consistently taught to start to assess risks independently. As a result, they do not develop the knowledge and understanding needed to make safe choices. In addition, gaps in children's understanding of safety and hygiene practices are not identified and addressed. This does not support children to learn how to make safe and healthy choices.

Staff follow appropriate hygiene practices. For example, they ensure food preparation areas, dining tables and high chairs are sanitised. In addition, staff encourage children to wash their hands after eating and using the toilet, and regularly apply suntan lotion. Children benefit from a healthy diet and have constant access to drinks. Staff are vigilant in their supervision of children who are eating. They understand and follow safe sleep practices. Staff understand their responsibility to promote children's online safety, should the need arise.

Children are happy and feel safe in the welcoming space created by managers and staff. They enjoy daily access to a well-resourced outdoor area. Children form secure attachments with staff and build a positive sense of belonging. This happens because managers actively support relationships. Managers ensure connections between staff, parents and children remain positive.

Leadership and governance: Urgent improvement

Leaders do not support managers well enough. They do not allow them the time or scope to improve the quality of education. Leaders are unclear about their statutory duties in relation to managers' wellbeing and do not support them appropriately. Managers' workload is unsustainable, impacting on their wellbeing and ability to support staff effectively. Managers are aware of the weaknesses in the provision, but actions taken to tackle areas for development have been insufficient and/or ineffective.

Leaders have a vision for how they want the children to learn. However, they have not ensured that managers and staff have received the appropriate level of training or input to understand this vision or put it into practice effectively. Staff training is limited to mandatory courses. Managers and staff do not benefit from sufficiently effective supervision and professional development.

Managers have created a caring environment where children feel secure with staff and have positive attachments. This is embodied in all staff's day-to-day interactions with the children. Managers communicate well with parents, and parents feel happy that their children are safe and enjoy attending. Although partnerships with parents are friendly and some effective information-sharing takes place, this generally focuses on children's care needs and daily activities. Parents are less well informed of children's progress and next steps for learning.