Little Smarties Academy Limited

Inclusion: Strong standard

Staff ensure they know children well. They swiftly identify any indicators of children's emerging needs. Staff receive the training they need and are knowledgeable about the referral pathways. They seek to engage parents early and liaise with other professionals, as needed, to ensure that children receive the support they need. Appropriate additional support and adaptations are considered and included in the plans for these children's learning.

Information is shared on a regular basis with parents to help them continue the support at home. Adaptations are made to routines primarily to enable all children, including those who face barriers to learning and/or those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to join in with peers and achieve the learning they need. Staff ensure that individual children's learning is shared and worked on cohesively with colleagues to agree on strategies and teaching methods that benefit these children.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

The nursery curriculum is well designed and is consistently embedded across the nursery to ensure that all children receive the learning they need to make consistent progress. Staff use the information gained from parents alongside their observations to consider what children are ready to learn. They have a secure knowledge of child development, which helps them to swiftly identify where there may be delays in learning and to decide how to support these children to catch up. Staff use their knowledge of individual children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who may be disadvantaged or face other barriers to their learning and wellbeing, to make sure that learning is effectively sequenced for children to build on what they already know and can do.

Staff ensure that additional funds received are used to support these children's specific needs to receive the experiences they need. That said, some routine activities, such as story time before lunch, do not support children in engaging effectively and investing in the story. This is because they are sent to wash their hands partway through and will miss key elements when their focus is broken. Independence is promoted in a range of ways. For example, children have regular opportunities to practise dressing and undressing and managing other tasks. However, children do not have opportunities to practise these self-help skills during mealtimes, for instance, for toddlers and older children to use appropriate cutlery to feed themselves.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children develop excellent communication and language skills over time. For example, babies smile as they babble during their regular interactions with staff. They giggle when staff respond, babbling in return. Others begin to use single words in talk with gestures to communicate. The oldest children speak clearly and use the broad vocabulary they have acquired during conversations with adults and their peers. Children learn to take turns with gentle guidance from staff. They behave well and begin to understand their emotions and that the emotions of others may differ from theirs.

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who may face other barriers to their learning, receive the age- and stage-appropriate help they need to make positive progress towards their future learning and to prepare them for the next stage of learning. However, independence during some parts of the day is not yet fully promoted to ensure children develop the self-help skills they need as they move on to the next stage of their learning.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

The positive and trusting relationships between staff and children are evident. This helps children to quickly settle into their day, and they are eager to engage in play with or alongside their peers. Children generally show positive behaviours in the setting across all age groups. Staff know children well and provide support, where needed, to help children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face barriers to their learning and wellbeing, to behave well through some adapted routines, such as a standing 'circle time' and, as needed, alternative activities for children who are not yet ready to join in some routines alongside their peers.

Children are consistently encouraged to use their manners, particularly at mealtimes and receive reminders from staff. The oldest children instinctively use their manners. They receive praise for positive behaviours, which helps children to know and understand the behaviour that is expected of them. That said, during some routine whole group activities that are less well structured for older children, there are some extended waiting times, where children are not engaged in purposeful play and learning and seek their own fun and begin to display some unwanted behaviours. Leaders ensure flexibility, where possible, to enable all children to attend regularly and consistently, and that the nursery is part of the routine in their lives, in preparation for when they move on to school.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Children develop positive social skills while playing alongside peers. Older babies and toddlers begin to interact with others during play, such as in the role-play area, as they set out pans and food. Older children begin to interact with their peers during play. They seek each other out to play together. For example, to play cooperatively on their chosen activities, such as riding bikes together and deciding on the route they will take. Staff remind children how to keep themselves safe, ride carefully and show kindness to their friends. This helps older children begin to understand how their actions can affect others and their feelings.

Leaders ensure that the welfare of children is paramount in the setting. They ensure that staff know all children well so that their needs are met as effectively as possible. Children receive support to understand how to make healthy choices, such as knowing they need to wash their hands before meals. Staff talk with children about their routines of brushing their teeth and the food they eat at mealtimes. They discuss how this food helps to keep them healthy. All children have ample time to exert their energy outdoors in the spacious garden. They have opportunities to explore nature and discuss the insects they find. Children use the equipment to climb and develop their coordination, balance and strengthen their physical skills. Staff respond well to amend some routines to ensure that all children's needs are met. However, not all routines are structured well to ensure children are motivated to engage in play and learning.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders have high expectations of staff and invest time in supporting them to continually develop their skills and knowledge. They ensure that staff have regular time to discuss their wellbeing and workload. Leaders ensure staff are supported effectively to fulfil their roles. Staff have access to a range of training and receive the guidance they need to ensure children receive high-quality interactions to enhance their play and learning experiences to fulfil their roles effectively.

Leaders ensure that children and families are welcomed and that appropriate support is provided as needed. They make informed decisions about how the provision is run and on behalf of children to ensure their welfare and wellbeing. Leaders ensure that children's attendance is consistent and provide some flexibility during the day to ensure that this builds a routine in preparation for the move to school.

Leaders make some effective evaluations of the provision for children and have a clear understanding of the setting's strengths, particularly for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who may face other barriers to their learning and wellbeing. They have identified some areas they wish to develop further, such as the provision for children who have a desire to regularly climb.