Little Skippers Nursery

Inclusion: Needs attention

The curriculum, teaching and learning environment do not consistently support children's learning effectively. The quality of teaching and staff interactions varies across the nursery. At times, staff adopt a supervisory role rather than using interactions to extend children's thinking, develop their vocabulary and build on their individual needs. Staff do not adapt the curriculum consistently to ensure that activities and children's next steps reflect their individual learning needs. As a result, children, particularly those who face barriers to learning, do not have positive attitudes to learning and do not consistently make the progress they are capable of across the curriculum.

Leaders demonstrate a clear understanding of the importance of working in partnership with other professionals, agencies and parents to meet children's individual needs. They value professional advice and support staff to implement some recommended strategies within the nursery. For example, staff introduce activities using contrasting colours to support children with visual impairments, and, at times, provide targeted group times to support children's individual needs. This helps ensure that children receive appropriate, targeted support which matches their individual needs.

Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention

Leaders understand what high-quality teaching and an ambitious curriculum should look like in practice. However, they do not yet ensure that staff deliver this effectively across the nursery. Although leaders have begun to take action to strengthen the curriculum and teaching, this work remains at an early stage and has not yet brought about the improvements needed.

Staff provide some age-appropriate learning opportunities and assess children's learning and development to identify areas where children may need further support. They use this information to inform planning. Older children enjoy building towers with interlocking bricks. Staff encourage them to count the bricks and see which tower is the tallest. Younger children use mirrors to explore facial expressions and develop their hand-eye coordination as they select and move the blocks. However, staff do not consistently adapt activities and interactions to meet the individual needs, interests and abilities of all children, including those who face barriers to learning. They do not always use children's interests to plan experiences that motivate and sustain their engagement. For example, when children show an interest in making marks in the sand, staff do not use this interest to move their learning forward. Instead, they watch children, but do not interact with them to build on their emerging interest to make marks and inspire further learning.

Achievement: Needs attention

There are inconsistencies in the frequency and quality of interactions between staff and children. This means that not all children achieve as well as they could across all areas of learning. Children who face barriers to learning do not consistently receive the targeted support they need. For example, staff do not routinely adapt their interactions and teaching strategies to reflect children's individual needs and interests. Consequently, these children do not make the progress they are capable of.

Children develop some skills that help to prepare them for the next stage in their learning. They build independence through daily routines. For example, babies independently access resources stored at low levels, enabling them to make their own choices. Older children develop appropriate self-help skills during mealtimes, where they are encouraged to wash their hands independently, pour their own drinks and serve their own food.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Needs attention

Leaders have established clear expectations for children's behaviour. However, they do not ensure that all staff consistently implement these expectations across the setting or use positive behaviour management strategies effectively. As a result, children receive mixed messages about expectations, which limits their understanding of boundaries and their ability to make positive behaviour choices.

Leaders have identified the need to strengthen routines across the nursery and have started to introduce changes to improve children's experiences. Some routines successfully support children's independence. For example, children relish the responsibility of serving their own food and pouring their own drinks, and work collaboratively together to help to tidy away. In addition, regular story times in the toddler and pre-school room support children to engage with books, and help them to develop a love of reading from an early age. However, leaders do not ensure that staff establish and maintain consistent routines throughout the day. Consequently, staff do not always use daily routines as opportunities to support children's behaviour, independence and learning. Children do not always understand what is expected of them, which limits their ability to develop positive attitudes to learning. Although leaders have taken steps to improve practice, these changes have not yet become embedded enough to demonstrate a sustained difference to children's experiences.

Staff work with parents to help them to ensure their children attend regularly and benefit from the routines on offer.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Needs attention

Leaders have identified the need to strengthen the thoroughness of risk assessments to ensure they consistently support effective practice. They recognise that they do not always identify environmental hazards during routine checks, meaning some risks require inspectors to bring them to leaders' attention. However, leaders respond swiftly when risks are identified and take appropriate action to address them, ensuring that potential hazards are removed and children remain safe. Children build warm and trusting relationships with their key people. Staff, particularly in the baby room, respond sensitively to children's needs and provide prompt reassurance and support when children become upset. Children comfortably seek out familiar adults, helping them feel secure and valued.

Staff create a welcoming environment that generally meets children's needs. Children have access to some resources that engage their interests and supports independent play. While interactions between staff and children are inconsistent in quality, children feel comfortable and secure with familiar adults. They are confident to express their emotions and let the staff know how they feel.

Staff follow safe sleep procedures effectively, ensuring that children rest safely and comfortably. They recognise that some babies use a dummy for comfort while sleeping, and work in partnership with parents and carers to support this appropriately, particularly when discussing children's communication and language development. The nursery provides nutritious meals and snacks that promote healthy lifestyles and positive eating habits. Staff manage children's dietary needs effectively and consistently sit with children as they eat, ensuring they remain safe.

Leadership and governance: Needs attention

Leadership and governance require further development. Since the nursery opened, there have been changes in the leadership and staffing team, leading to a period of instability. This has affected staff morale and the consistency of practice across the nursery. Consequently, staff do not always provide well-planned learning experiences or deliver the curriculum effectively.

Leaders undertake a wide range of operational responsibilities, which limits the time available to maintain effective oversight of practice and to further develop the knowledge and skills needed for their roles.

Leaders demonstrate a strong commitment to improving the quality of provision and creating an environment where children, families and staff can thrive. They have identified several priorities for improvement and have introduced appropriate actions to strengthen practice. However, leaders do not consistently identify all areas requiring further development independently, including some aspects of the learning environment that would benefit from closer review. However, they respond positively to professional challenge and support, and quickly implement advice and recommendations. This enables them to address potential environmental risks promptly and strengthen practice where needed. Although changes are being implemented, they remain at an early stage, and it is too soon to determine whether they will secure sustained improvements in practice and children's outcomes.

Leaders follow safer recruitment procedures and complete appropriate suitability checks before staff begin work. However, the organisation of recruitment records does not always enable leaders to access and review information efficiently when required. Leaders provide staff with regular training to develop their knowledge and skills. They have appropriate plans to strengthen supervision and arrangements so they can identify individual development needs and target professional development more precisely.