Little Gillies

Inclusion: Expected standard

Staff get to know children well. They carry out regular assessments and quickly identify where additional support may be needed. Staff work with parents to create and review individual plans that help children make progress. They access training to identify and support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and to work with parents and professionals to ensure timely support. Staff adapt activities to ensure all children can participate. They also adapt routines to ensure that children with SEND have time to settle and regulate before engaging in play. However, staff do not always effectively prepare children with SEND for changes within the setting, which can disrupt their learning.

Children from disadvantaged backgrounds make progress and become confident learners. Leaders use additional funding thoughtfully, for instance, providing extra sessions during the holidays so that disadvantaged children can continue their learning. Staff work closely with families and children known to social care. They share information and provide engaging home-learning activities to enable consistent care and support. Staff also liaise with professionals to ensure that children receive coordinated, effective support to promote their progress.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have clear priorities for developing children's confidence and independence. Staff plan activities around children's interests, which helps to engage them effectively. For example, children currently exploring wheeled items are offered a range of opportunities to explore toy cars in paint and use ride-on toys outside, supporting both creativity and their physical development. Staff assess children's learning accurately and identify areas where further support is needed. They set clear, achievable next steps to support children's progress. In the baby room, staff prioritise helping children to settle and become familiar with the routines of the setting.

Staff support children's communication and language development, adapting their practice to meet the age and individual needs of children. For example, in the baby room, they encourage first words and use action songs, which also support children's physical development. With older children, staff build on vocabulary and promote early interaction skills.

Staff follow children's lead in play and embed learning, for example, by encouraging children to count out five blocks and measure towers in the construction area. They also support children's social and emotional development through planned group activities that help them learn to interact and negotiate. However, staff do not always manage individual children's routines effectively, which means some children occasionally miss out on the full group learning experience.

Achievement: Expected standard

All children, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities make progress with their language development. Children recall previous learning and confidently use new vocabulary. For example, they remember that water 'drains' from the holes in strawberry tubs and that mixing blue and yellow paint makes green.

Children are confident learners. They typically access activities and choose the resources they would like to play with. Children known to social care make progress with their social development. They interact with staff and begin to join in with other children's play. Babies settle quickly and begin exploring resources with interest and interacting with staff. Children develop fine motor skills as they competently chop fruit and use cutlery to feed themselves. Generally, all children become independent and develop the skills they need for the next stage in their learning.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Staff build close, trusting relationships with children. They are warm and responsive and staff in the baby room take time to understand how individual babies communicate. Children feel secure and readily approach staff to play. Staff support children who are transitioning between rooms effectively, including them in activities and teaching them the names of other children in the room. This helps them to build relationships with others.

Staff establish developmentally appropriate rules for behaviour and remind children of these throughout the day. They consider the individual needs of children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, ensuring they have the support they need to learn the behaviour expectations of the setting. Staff typically model positive behaviour and teach children to express themselves in a positive and polite way, such as saying 'excuse me'. They support children to share and take turns effectively, for example by encouraging them to swap musical instruments during group activities. Children enjoy this and begin to understand that sharing is a positive experience.

Staff work closely with parents to promote regular attendance and follow up on absences quickly. They also work with other professionals to support children known to social care, helping them attend regularly and benefit from consistent routines.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders prioritise the welfare and well-being of children. Staff in the baby room build secure attachments from the start, working closely with parents to share information and provide reassurance. Babies settle quickly and enjoy singing songs and exploring resources. Staff are highly responsive to babies' and children's needs. They recognise when children need time outdoors to relax, and babies enjoy sensory experiences such as feeling sand between their toes. Staff teach children how to keep themselves safe, for example, by showing them how to sit safely on chairs. They listen carefully and support children to express their feelings.

Staff gather information about children's individual care needs and routines and aim to meet these in the setting, helping children feel familiar and secure. However, at times, staff do not fully prepare children with special educational needs and/or disabilities for changes, which can lead to upset. Staff promote healthy eating and share information with parents to ensure consistency of care. They also take children to local shops to choose healthy foods, helping them learn to make positive choices.

Staff manage children's individual care routines well and support independence skills, such as encouraging children to wash up their plates after snack. In the baby room, staff sensitively meet children's physical care needs and ensure they are protected from the sun when outdoors.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders identify strengths and areas for development, including plans to improve the outdoor area. However, their evaluations are not always detailed enough to support clear, measurable improvements. Leaders support staff through regular supervision meetings to develop their skills and knowledge. They consider staff workload when planning training and professional development opportunities. Staff feel well supported in their wellbeing and ongoing development.

Trustees understand their responsibilities and support leaders to prioritise actions and manage the setting effectively. Leaders have recently completed training on caring for babies, which has had a positive impact on practice in the baby room.

Leaders promote positive partnerships with parents, who speak highly of the setting. Parents value the low staff turnover, which helps their babies feel secure. Parents of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities appreciate the support they receive with the statutory assessment process. Staff work closely with families known to social care to promote children's wellbeing and development. Leaders and staff build links with other local settings and share information to help children make a smooth transition to the next stage in their learning.