Little Scallywags Day Nursery

Inclusion: Strong standard

The setting promotes a highly inclusive environment, where all children are welcomed and valued. Leaders and staff have high expectations for all children. They prioritise working closely with parents and carers, using their insight to assess children's individual needs. This helps to shape the highly personalised support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive.

Leaders and staff work highly effectively in collaboration with a range of additional agencies and professionals. This helps them to produce highly tailored plans for children with SEND, that reflect and target their individual needs effectively. Skilful assessment and observation of children's learning ensures consistent and integrated support for all children. Staff know the children in their care extremely well. They receive ongoing and timely training that is specifically tailored to help meet the individual needs of the children in their care. For example, staff develop the use of dual language story books, sending them home. This further supports the language skills of children who speak English as an additional language.

Leaders and staff consistently plan and adapt their practice and learning environment to ensure that every child can fully access and participate in all activities. For example, young children receive choices about the tools they use to create paintings. Leaders use early years pupil premium funding creatively to widen learning opportunities for disadvantaged children. For example, a furnished sensory play room promotes children's emotional development. This broadens their experiences, helps to close any gaps in their learning and promotes their achievement. This inclusive approach supports all children to thrive, feel valued and develop a sense of belonging.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders and staff implement a curriculum that supports children to make progress across all areas of learning. They ensure that assessment is used effectively to tailor teaching to each child's age and stage of development. Regular observation and monitoring of children's progress helps to identify any gaps in learning, helping children to prepare for the next stage of their education. Leaders and staff adapt the curriculum effectively to meet the needs of all children. Leaders ensure that staff plan intentful learning opportunities with a sharp focus on children's next steps. They give a priority to promoting children's language and communication skills. Staff generally interact well with children, sharing new vocabulary and modelling clear speech and pronunciation for children. However, the quality of staff's interactions with children varies across the setting. For example, staff do not consistently adapt or extend activities for babies to develop their enjoyment of sensory experiences.

Leaders prioritise children's personal, social and emotional development. Children develop confidence, independence and resilience as well as demonstrating positive attitudes to learning. These skills successfully underpin all other learning. Children typically learn mathematical language and how to solve problems. This develops their understanding of mathematical concepts as they play. Children greatly enjoy opportunities to play outside in the fresh air, developing balance, agility and coordination skills, as they navigate obstacle courses. Leaders adapt their curriculum effectively to provide resources and learning experiences that ensure all children achieve. This intentional approach supports children's learning and builds their confidence. This enables children to thrive within an inclusive and supportive setting.

Achievement: Strong standard

Children make robust progress. For example, babies confidently move to activities on low tabletops, developing their stamina and large-muscle development. Children make accomplished progress in their language and communication skills. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities develop their communication and language skills in an environment rich in language. Children develop a love of books, sharing and recalling events of stories with their friends, developing their conversation and social skills.

Disadvantaged children close gaps in their learning quickly and broaden their life experiences. Children enjoy their learning and make choices as they play, building independence and confidence. This prepares them well for the next stage of their education at school. Children engage in activities enthusiastically and demonstrate perseverance when playing and completing activities. All children thrive and achieve in this nursery. Despite some minor areas of weakness in the quality of staff's interactions with children, they still make excellent progress in their language and communication skills.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

A calm and nurturing environment ensures that children feel safe and supported. Warm and caring relationships between staff and children are evident. Generally, children's behaviour is reinforced through positive praise, promoting their confidence and self-esteem.

Staff model positive behaviours and thoughtfully encourage children to share toys and be kind to their friends. Staff typically help children to gain an understanding of the rules and expectations for their behaviour. For example, they remind children with the use of objects, such as toy microphones, about using 'indoor' and 'outdoor' voices. These visual cues support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those for who speak English as an additional language effectively and help them to understand how they are expected to behave. The learning environment is well planned, and children typically follow established routines throughout the day. For example, children respond to timers that signify tidy-up time. They happily help to tidy away toys in readiness for lunchtime. As a result, children display positive attitudes towards learning and show enthusiasm to engage in the activities offered.

Leaders promote children's attendance positively. They proactively encourage parents to take up children's full entitlement of funding across the week. Leaders encourage and facilitate flexible provision for children across the week, supporting and reflecting the needs of families and children. This inclusive approach encourages and promotes regular attendance effectively.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Children consistently demonstrate positive relationships with staff. For example, babies demonstrate that they feel safe and secure in the care of familiar adults.

Staff very carefully adapt the learning environment and activities effectively to meet the specific needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff consistently promote their engagement in all activities. For example, they offer a range of tools for children to use to promote their inclusion and participation in painting activities. Leaders adapt the learning environment to support children's wellbeing effectively. For example, they consider the safe and suitable placement of adapted furniture for children. Staff use a calming sensory space to stimulate and engage children. This helps children to manage their emotions and reduce anxiety, securing a sense of emotional wellbeing.

Children have opportunities to exercise indoors and outdoors, building their experiences and developing important physical skills. During lunchtime routines, children consistently demonstrate independence skills as they are encouraged to cut up their food and feed themselves. Children enjoy mealtimes and learn how the foods they eat are good for them. Children learn good handwashing skills and understand how this helps to keep them safe and healthy. This consistently promotes children's health and wellbeing, supporting them to thrive in a safe and caring environment.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders demonstrate a thorough knowledge and understanding of the context of their setting. They are committed to continuous improvement and there is a culture of ongoing improvement. Leaders identify strengths and areas for further development that will impact positively on children's outcomes and achievement. For example, there is a sharp focus on children's early language and communication skills.

Leaders are adaptive to the setting's changing needs. They demonstrate a consistent focus on the inclusivity of all children, securing positive outcomes. Leaders recognise the strengths in their practice, particularly in supporting disadvantaged children and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities through a rich and engaging curriculum that is adapted to support their ongoing learning and progress.

Leaders consistently demonstrate positive relationships with parents and carers and additional agencies. Parents comment that they receive regular information about their children's learning and are overwhelmed with their sustained progress. Staff hold regular meetings with parents and additional support agencies to plan and promote the needs of children who require additional support. This promotes positive outcomes and high levels of achievement for all children.

Staff feel supported and that their wellbeing is consistently considered by leaders. They attend regular supervision meetings and undertake regular professional development opportunities. This helps to tailor their practice to meet the needs of individual children in their care.