Little Hands Daycare HoW College Bromsgrove

Inclusion: Strong standard

Inclusion is a clear strength of the setting. Leaders have created an inclusive culture where every child's needs are identified early and understood well. Staff receive ongoing training, guidance and reassurance from leaders to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff use their detailed knowledge of each child, enabling them to identify precise next steps in their learning. They review children's support plans every four to six weeks. This ensures that strategies remain responsive and have a measurable impact.

Staff use adaptations consistently, such as signing, visual prompts, personalised routines and targeted interventions. This helps all children to access and succeed in all areas of the curriculum. Staff work closely with families and, where appropriate, external professionals, to ensure that support is timely and tailored to each child. Parents and carers speak positively about the way staff listen, guide and support them. They comment on the positive impact this has on their children's progress.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities benefit from well-embedded and sustainable practice across the whole setting. Staff are highly skilled and confident in meeting a wide range of needs, which leads to meaningful and sustained progress in learning, development and wellbeing. Leaders' use of early years pupil premium funding is purposeful and targeted. This enables disadvantaged children to access enrichment, improve their communication and build their confidence. Children known, or previously known, to children's social care receive sensitive support. Their progress is closely monitored. Staff build trusting relationships that promote safety, stability and belonging. Leaders' strategic and evidence-based approach ensures that inclusion remains consistently high-quality and impactful across the setting.

Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard

Leaders have a clear and accurate understanding of the quality of curriculum and teaching across the setting. Their decisions are informed by reflective practice, ongoing monitoring and a strong grasp of child development. This results in an ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum that provides all children with the breadth and depth of experiences they need. Consequently, all children make sustained progress across all areas of learning.

Teaching is purposeful, consistent and impactful. Staff skilfully model language and extend children's vocabulary throughout routines and play. They weave mathematical ideas, such as counting, comparison and problem-solving, naturally into interactions. Children benefit from rich opportunities to communicate, explore and think aloud. This supports children to develop strong early language and reasoning skills. Staff prioritise children's physical, personal, social and emotional development. They nurture children's emotional literacy, independence and resilience through warm and responsive interactions and thoughtfully designed environments.

As relationships are secure, children approach learning with confidence and high levels of curiosity, leading to sustained focus and engagement. The curriculum is fully inclusive. Staff are skilled at adapting teaching to meet children's needs. They use assessment effectively to check what children know and can do, enabling staff to build on children's individual starting points. Staff know children extremely well and implement strategies that ensure that every child participates fully and meaningfully. As a result, children experience engaging learning that supports strong progress and prepares them well for their next stage of education.

Achievement: Strong standard

Children's communication and language develop exceptionally well. They use an increasingly rich vocabulary, engage in meaningful conversations and respond confidently to questions and prompts. This supports their wider achievement across the curriculum, including early literacy and mathematics.

Children who face additional barriers achieve well alongside their peers. This is because staff quickly identify and support their needs through tailored interventions, adapted routines and personalised teaching. These strategies reduce barriers effectively and ensure that every child can participate fully and succeed.

Strong and trusting relationships help children to grow in confidence, independence and resilience. They concentrate for sustained periods, show curiosity and approach new challenges with enthusiasm. Children establish secure foundations for future success and are well prepared for their next stage of learning, including the move to school.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Leaders have established a calm and positive environment. Their expectations for behaviour are clear, consistently applied and understood by all. Well-embedded routines give children a strong sense of security, helping them feel confident in what is expected. They transition smoothly between activities, follow instructions and show kindness and patience.

Relationships between staff and children are warm and responsive. Staff understand each child's needs and stage of development, adjusting their approach so expectations remain realistic, nurturing and inclusive. Staff model emotional language, enabling children to recognise their feelings and manage impulses. Children consistently demonstrate increasing social awareness and regulate their emotions. Leaders promote punctuality and regular attendance, working closely with families to identify barriers and provide timely support.

Communication with parents and carers is positive and proactive, ensuring continuity between home and the setting. Children show highly positive attitudes. They are eager to take on responsibility and grow in independence as they pour drinks, manage hygiene routines and care for their environment. Staff reinforce positive behaviour and provide targeted support where needed. This ensures that all children feel included and ready to learn. Consequently, children behave extremely well.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Staff support children's welfare and wellbeing extremely well. Care practices are responsive and tailored to individual needs. This ensures that all children experience consistent and nurturing support. Staff gather detailed information from the start. They value parents and carers as partners and building a holistic understanding of children's routines, identities and backgrounds.

Secure and trusting relationships are a clear strength in this setting. The personalised settling-in process enables children to form strong attachments with familiar adults, helping them to feel safe, confident and ready to explore. Babies and young children separate with ease because they know adults will respond calmly and sensitively.

Staff prioritise children's physical development, health and personal safety. Daily routines offer purposeful opportunities for independence and self-care. For example, staff encourage children to serve themselves at mealtimes and have a go at peeling fruit. These experiences help children to build their confidence, strengthen fine-motor skills and build resilience.

Staff also support children to understand healthy choices and manage hygiene routines, such as handwashing, nose wiping and food hygiene. Sleeping and feeding routines are well established and sensitively managed, with staff responding to children's individual needs and preferences to further promote comfort, security and wellbeing. These high-quality interactions, warm relationships and thoughtful routines work seamlessly to promote children's physical development, wellbeing and long-term health exceptionally well.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leadership is child-centred, driven by the values in the setting and is highly effective. Leaders have a clear understanding of the setting's strengths and areas for development. They continually reflect on their practice and use evidence to drive improvement. Leaders recognise the importance of developing staff and prioritising internal progression. This ensures that any changes in staffing or leadership are carefully managed, maintaining stability and preventing disruption for children.

Decisions are consistently made in the best interests of all children. Leaders ensure that funding, including early years pupil premium funding, is used strategically to enrich provision. For example, the provision of additional resources and meaningful opportunities, such as the on-site 'tiny forest', help to remove barriers and strengthen children's progress.

Leaders thoughtfully consider staff's wellbeing and workloads. They set clear and manageable expectations. This contributes to a stable, confident and highly committed team. Professional development is purposeful, regular and closely aligned with curriculum and safeguarding priorities. As a result, staff are knowledgeable, skilled and able to implement policies, routines and inclusive practice consistently and effectively.

Partnerships with families and external agencies are strong. Parents and carers feel informed, valued and supported. This contributes to a cohesive and child-centred community. Safeguarding, health and welfare are robustly overseen. Leadership and governance are strategic and highly impactful, ensuring that children receive consistently high-quality experiences and outcomes.