Little Oaks Day Nursery & Childcare @ Carcroft

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders and staff work closely with parents to find out children's needs, routines and interests. Leaders identify children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) quickly. For example, leaders ensure that staff understand children's emerging or changing needs and adapt practice accordingly. This helps to develop staff knowledge, understanding and skills to make a positive difference to children with SEND.

Leaders work in partnership with specialists and external agencies, such as therapists, social care and health professionals, to share information and ensure that children gain the additional support they need. They respond to recommendations and follow these in practice to support children's targets. They make effective decisions about how best to spend additional funding. This supports children's progress and next steps.

Parents comment on how well the setting identifies and helps their children to receive the additional support they require. As a result, children and parents feel well known and supported, so they develop a strong sense of belonging. Staff take part in ongoing training to further their knowledge of how children learn. For example, well-trained adults use Makaton alongside words to help children to communicate, including children who are pre-verbal. Children learn these signs and use them to interact with staff and their peers.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders set clear aims for the curriculum. They support sequenced learning and have considered what they expect children to know and be able to do. The curriculum is typically taught well. Staff observe and assess children's progress regularly. Children typically engage in regular group activities. Staff focus on babies' and children's personal, social and emotional development. Babies and children feel safe, secure and are happy.

Generally, staff interact and teach the children effectively. However, leaders recognise that the quality of interaction is not yet consistently strong across all adult-led sessions. Leadership should continuously improve staff practice to ensure that high-quality interactions are consistent for all children. For example, some adult-led sessions lack clear purpose or organisation to maximise learning opportunities, which means children do not always benefit from precise teaching.

Staff support children's communication and language through regular conversations, questioning and modelling vocabulary to extend children's understanding. Children are confident communicators. Children's physical development is prioritised from the earliest age. Staff promote the development of fine and gross motor skills. For example, babies crawl, walk and spin when listening to music. They use the coloured ribbons and enjoy playing peekaboo with staff. The outdoor environment is inviting, where children climb and balance. Staff encourage children to take turns and help their friends, and they develop their social skills. They create mathematical opportunities in play and routines. For example, when children transition from the indoor to the outdoor environment, staff and children count how many children are present.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children make progress from their different starting points and achieve well. Younger children grow in confidence as they explore and play, while older children build securely on their developing knowledge across the areas of learning.

Children generally develop their communication and language well. They develop their listening and attention skills effectively and confidently interact with staff and each other. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) use Makaton to support reciprocal communication.

Children show curiosity and engage meaningfully in all learning opportunities. For example, babies enjoy sensory experiences where they listen and move to music using ribbons and blankets.

Children learn to share and take turns and show growing empathy. They take pride in leading their own learning and engage in focused group activities. Children, including those with SEND, typically make encouraging progress and are suitably prepared for the next stage of learning.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Staff have consistently high expectations for children's behaviour. Relationships between staff and children are extremely warm and trusting. Leaders have embedded a harmonious and respectful culture. As a result, children are kind to each other. All children benefit from the established routines and boundaries that are in place in the nursery. These systems are highly impactful. For example, they know to put their coats on before playing outside and can do so independently. Children develop extremely positive attitudes to learning and take pride in their achievements. They are motivated and engage with enthusiasm. Staff praise children for making good choices and address rare incidents of poor behaviour promptly and consistently. Children know the expectations and quickly learn to manage their self-regulation skills.

Leaders understand the importance of regular attendance. They closely monitor absence and identify patterns when they begin to emerge. They address this promptly and work with parents to ensure regular attendance. As a result, children have positive attendance at the nursery. This has a positive impact on children's development, including disadvantaged children, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are known (or previously known) to children's social care.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Effective settling-in procedures support children's transition from their parents into the setting. Key persons and familiar staff form attachments with children, which helps children's emotional wellbeing. Children play and learn in a safe and welcoming environment. Staff play games with babies, such as peekaboo. Staff engage children in conversations that are linked to their interests. Staff consider the personal needs of all children. They follow individual care routines for babies, such as sleeping routines. Leaders have engaged in a safe sleeping audit to develop staff's knowledge. There is a clear understanding of safe sleep practices to ensure that children are kept safe, including having a safe space and being regularly checked by staff.

Staff prioritise getting to know each individual child. They make relevant adaptations to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. For example, staff provide sensory breaks when required.

Children adopt healthy lifestyles. They benefit from having regular opportunities to access physical activity, both inside and outside. Children enjoy physical exercise. Staff actively support children to make healthy choices with their food. Children learn the importance of brushing their teeth. Staff provide a range of opportunities to promote good oral hygiene. For example, staff provide activities that introduce children to the role of a dentist and teach them how to use toothbrushes.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders understand the setting's context. There is a clear shared vision that staff across the setting adopt. Leaders form positive relationships with parents. Parents value the setting's communication and say that they are kept up to date about what their children are doing. They comment that their children are happy. Leaders work with external agencies effectively. They involve external agencies in meetings with parents whose children require additional support to ensure that care plans meet the needs of each child. Leaders and staff monitor all children's outcomes. Leaders and staff have a thoughtfully carried out transition plan that prepares children for the next stage of learning.

Leaders encourage staff to undertake relevant and appropriate professional development opportunities. Leaders support staff with the curriculum and the care routines. Leaders support staff workload, ensuring that it is manageable, and they promote staff wellbeing. Staff feel that they are supported.

Generally, staff interact and teach children effectively. However, leaders recognise that practice is not yet consistently strong across all adult-led sessions. For example, some sessions lack clear purpose or organisation to maximise learning opportunities. Leaders are working to strengthen staff development to secure consistently high-quality interactions for all children.