Little Monkeys Day Nursery and Preschool

Inclusion: Expected standard

Staff who are responsible for providing inclusive support for children who face barriers to their learning work hard to make adaptations and individualised learning programmes. They support other staff to work effectively with parents and carers and external agencies so that any adjustments have a positive outcome for children's learning. Staff are provided with training so that they can identify children who are at risk of falling behind. This ensures that referrals to specialist advisers to secure additional help are made swiftly. Leaders and staff know all children well and understand that all children have a different way of learning. They use observation and assessment to identify what children can do and what they need to learn next. Generally, staff have the skills to apply children's individual learning plans well, such as to use visual cues and timelines. This supports children's understanding of what will happen next and provides them with a tool to communicate.

Leaders understand how additional funding supports disadvantaged children. For example, they use funding to support children to access calm spaces when feeling overwhelmed. Leaders regularly monitor the impact of resources that provide targeted support for some children. This helps them to improve outcomes for children who receive extra support.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

There is a clear curriculum intent that reflects leaders' aims for children's development and learning. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, access a broad range of learning experiences that cover all areas of the curriculum. Staff skilfully use songs and rhymes to teach babies about numbers. They provide an ongoing narrative and break down sounds and words to support the youngest children's emerging vocabulary.

Generally, staff understand how well-considered activities that are carefully linked to the curriculum aims support children's learning and development. They promote children's engagement in being physically active indoors and outdoors. This helps children to be physically capable and supports a healthy lifestyle. Staff read books both with and to the children and use these times to support children's imaginations, language and literacy skills. Babies delight in using soapy water to wash dolls. Staff show them how to squeeze sponges, which helps to develop muscle strength in their hands. Staff can adapt activities effectively to support children who face barriers to their learning or who have a different starting point.

Members of the staff team are at varying points in their professional development. On occasion, there are some inconsistencies in the quality of teaching, which means that there are times when the curriculum is not delivered as well as it could be.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children develop confidence in their language and social skills and typically achieve well in all areas of learning. Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make progress from their starting points. Children are articulate and confident talkers. They demonstrate high self-esteem and know that their thoughts and opinions are valued by others. They quickly become independent during routines, such as to self-serve at mealtimes. Babies use cutlery to feed themselves, under the watchful eye of staff.

Children enjoy taking part in extra-curricular activities, such as music and physical activity sessions. They have lots of fun, and older children listen to instructions well. Babies and younger children quickly learn the nursery's routine, which supports them to feel safe and secure. They squeal with delight as they chase balls around the floor, eager to collect them and feed them to a character from the book 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar'. All children demonstrate pride as they complete tasks for the first time. Such learning means they are ready to progress to moving on to older rooms and on to school.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Leaders rigorously monitor children's attendance, working with parents and carers to ensure that they recognise the importance of regularly attending. Leaders understand the importance of children's attendance and help parents to address any barriers they may face. Parents understand the reasons why leaders need to follow up any non-attendance. Children have a very secure attitude to their learning and demonstrate high enthusiasm and engagement in activities that staff have planned for them. Staff work hard to build highly positive relationships with children, which begins with the babies and continues throughout the nursery to the pre-school. Children have warm and friendly interactions with each other. They are considerate and polite and have formed meaningful relationships with other children.

Staff have high behavioural expectations for all children and adapt these expectations to meet the age and stage of development of each child, including for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Children's behaviour is exemplary. Any minor altercations are dealt with swiftly and sensitively by staff. Children know what is expected of them. Older children demonstrate mature personal, emotional and social skills, and younger children transition between activities and rooms smoothly, as they are extremely well supported through these transitions. Staff are warm and kind and are excellent role models for all children.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders and staff nurture children and provide a high level of care. This enables children to form secure attachments and positive relationships with their key person. Parents and carers speak very highly of the emphasis that is given to children's emotional wellbeing, especially for children who face barriers to their learning. Staff encourage children to work collaboratively and join in each other's play, inviting others to join them. Leaders and staff ensure that children are strictly monitored when sleeping, and all staff have completed training to ensure that they are fully aware of safer eating practice. Staff plan daily trips into the community and use these times to teach children about road safety.

Children are provided with plenty of fruits and vegetables and enjoy nutritional and tasty home-cooked meals. Staff are aware of children's dietary and medical needs and effectively use strategies, such as using coloured plates and photos, to identify different food types that some children cannot eat. Children learn about how and why they must brush their teeth, learning the importance of developing healthy habits. Children of all ages enjoy the staff joining in their play. They seek cuddles from their key persons, which strengthens their emotional wellbeing and security.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders create a reflective culture across the leadership and staff teams. They know their strengths and constantly strive to make improvements to provide better outcomes for children and provide a supportive working environment for staff. Leaders recognise areas where some staff need more support and have planned future training to enable those newer or less-confident staff to gain the skills to help them progress. Those who hold governance responsibilities ensure that leaders and staff have the resources and training needed to continue to progress the setting to provide the very best high standards of care and education. Leaders are thoroughly committed to families who have children who face barriers to their learning, such as children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. All important decisions are taken with care and consultation with staff and are always made in the very best interest of children.

Staff feedback that leaders are kind and sensitive and provide personal and professional support and guidance when needed. They appreciate the opportunities for ongoing professional development and to be able to progress through the company. Staff feel supported, valued and listened to.

Parents and carers appreciate leaders' consistently well-thought-out involvement that they have in their child's early education. They receive regular progress reports, daily updates and invitations into the setting to engage in planned events with staff. Parents value the support that their children receive to help transition to school and say this is of the highest standard and very effective.