Little Red Hen Day Nursery

Inclusion: Expected standard

Children's needs are swiftly identified, and support is put in place without delay. Staff provide tailored support that reflects each child's individual needs. They work effectively with professionals to share strategies and set precise targets. Leaders and staff monitor children's progress closely through observations and assessment, using this information to inform group planning across the provision. Activities are adapted so that all children can access the curriculum and participate fully.

Leaders engage proactively with external agencies to ensure support for children is coordinated and effective. Staff regularly review what is planned to make sure every area of learning is included in teaching. Leaders use additional funding thoughtfully to enhance the setting's provision and purchase resources that motivate and engage children. This includes the development of a sensory room to support children's emotional regulation. They work closely with the local authority to ensure that children known to social care make secure progress and receive the support they need.

Staff are attuned to their key children and understand how to support them effectively. As a result, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make positive progress in their development. Staff build trusting relationships with families and use the information they gather to shape personalised opportunities that help children feel secure, valued and ready to learn.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have developed an ambitious curriculum. Staff plan activities both indoors and outside to support a theme of the week and children's next steps. Staff interactions encourage children to spend extended amounts of time at activities. Staff recognise when children need further challenge and adapt activities to extend children's learning. They adapt their approach to ensure that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are included and make progress with their learning and development. During some activities, staff are not fully clear about the intent for children's learning. At these times, children do not fully benefit from high-quality teaching opportunities to extend their learning further.

Staff incorporate mathematical concepts well into activities, such as counting, size, shape and measurement. For example, older children use weighing scales to decide which blocks are the heaviest. Overall, staff support children's communication and language skills effectively. They use age-appropriate language with children. Staff repeat words for younger children and support them to extend sentences by adding one more word. However, at times, staff do not always give children time to think and respond when asking questions. Children show a love of books and choose books for staff to read to them. They listen well and enjoy joining in with the story.

Staff support children's understanding of the world around them and the wider world. They use information based on children's backgrounds and cultures to plan activities that support children to understand how they are similar and what makes them unique. For example, staff help children recognise different family structures. Previous themes helped children understand people who help us, such as, police officers, dentists and firefighters.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children make good progress from their starting points. They take part in activities that challenge them and support them to move onto the next stage in their development and learning. This includes the move to school. Children explore activities with confidence and remain engaged for extended periods of time. Children are happy and play well alongside and with their friends. They build secure relationships and show an understanding of sharing and turn taking.

Children learn well. They take part in activities to embed learning and extend their knowledge and skills. They respond positively to questions from staff. However, at times, less confident children are not given the time they need to think and respond. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make effective progress from their starting points. Adaptions to activities ensure that children remain engaged in learning. Children develop independence skills and manage their self-care needs well.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Staff have created a positive environment where children are confident to explore and show they feel safe and secure. Overall, children behave well. Staff use a range of techniques to support children to understand the expectations of the setting. Older children confidently talk about expected behaviours. For example, children explain that they must walk indoors and run outside. At times, staff do not explain to children why some behaviours are not acceptable. For example, lunch time with the older children can become disorganised and children struggle to maintain behaviour expectations. During these times, children lose focus and become restless. However, when children struggle to control their emotions, staff speak to them calmly and help them to manage these in an appropriate way.

Staff carefully consider children's age and developmental stages when planning daily routines and make adaptions to teaching. They understand the importance of play for children and provide long periods of uninterrupted playtime. For example, older children choose when they would like snack, meaning they do not need to stop their play or activities. Children show delight as they access outdoor activities. For example, children are highly engaged as they build and complete an obstacle course. They wait nicely for their turn and show pride as they balance along the beams. Children show they understand daily routines well.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Staff form secure bonds with all children, including their key children who they know well. Children seek out staff for comfort and reassurance throughout the day. Staff build positive relationships with children which helps children feel safe and emotionally secure. Babies are calm and settled and benefit from the setting's carefully considered, gradual settling-in process. Staff offer comfort to babies when required and follow baby's routines from home, such as sleep routines, which supports their emotional wellbeing. As a result, babies express their needs clearly and are confident in their environment.

Staff are respectful during nappy changing and support toilet training routines appropriately. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well cared for, and staff adapt planning to meet their needs. Leaders' weekly newsletters provide information for parents and carers about how to keep their children safe online. Physical development opportunities are effective for children as they access climbing frames, bikes and a large sandpit to build their existing skills. Babies show delight as they use a slide and, with thoughtful support from staff, take turns with their friends.

Staff provide children with opportunities to develop their independence skills, including managing their self-care needs. Children learn how to keep themselves safe and stay healthy. For example, children learn about the role of the dentist and the importance of looking after their teeth. Children benefit from effective supervision from staff who deploy themselves well to ensure children remain within sight or hearing. This promotes children's personal safety.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders take steps to improve the environment, including developing a sensory room and enhancing the baby room garden. They recognise that these changes will further support children's development, and this work is ongoing. Leaders address barriers to learning, for instance through flexible routines that meet the needs of families. They offer parents' evenings, stay-and-play sessions, regular newsletters and use a parent app to share daily updates. Parents and carers speak highly of the setting and feel well supported, particularly during the recent building move. They are kept informed about their children's progress and feel confident to approach staff with any questions.

Staff speak positively about leaders and the support they receive. They access a wide range of professional learning, including specific short courses, such as on autism and emotional regulation training, alongside longer, focused early years training courses. Apprentices value their training programme and the mentoring and flexibility provided by leaders that help them to succeed. Staff benefit from wellbeing incentives, team building activities and recognition schemes, such as employee of the month. Safe recruitment procedures are thorough, with leaders completing all required checks. New staff receive a full induction training as part of a probation process. Leaders provide all staff with regular supervision meetings that focus on wellbeing and professional development.