Little Thinkers@Kings Ash

Inclusion: Strong standard

Staff know children well. They monitor progress robustly and are swift to identify potential need for early help. Staff work sensitively with parents to develop a shared view of need and a plan for targeted teaching, and/or outside agency support, to best promote children's wellbeing, development and progress.

Leaders and staff show passion and dedication in getting the early education experiences right for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They know the importance of seeking early help when a child's progress is not typical and there are gaps in learning emerging. Leaders and staff work in partnership with external agencies, such as speech and language therapists, social workers and the local authority, to ensure children receive the support they need at the right time. Leaders use targeted teaching activities to help children who face barriers to learning make rapid progress. These strategies promote development for every child. Leaders and practitioners work together to ensure their practice and environment are adapted to meet the needs of the child, including those who are vulnerable. For example, they adapt interactions well to best support children with regulation.

Leaders ensure staff have a clear understanding of every child attending, so children receive care bespoke to their needs. Leaders and staff frequently share information with parents and offer guidance and support about reducing the barriers to children's learning. Parents value this and feel the guidance is instrumental in helping their children thrive. Leaders ensure that additional funding is used to reduce the barriers to learning that children may face. For example, they use additional funding to purchase toys to promote babies' physical development. New toys encourage reluctant movers to practise crawling to reach toys of interest and best support control, coordination and confidence to flourish.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have a sound understanding of the quality of teaching and the learning experiences of children. Staff adapt teaching to meet the needs of all children. Staff monitor and support children's next steps in learning well. Interactions typically build on what children already know and can do. For example, staff are supporting toddlers to join 2 words together. As children enjoy holding and shaking magnifying glasses, staff show them how to look at objects through the magnifier. Babies are excited as they look at dinosaurs through them. Staff model language well as they describe the dinosaurs' features, such as 'long neck' and 'big wings'.

Staff teach children early mathematical concepts well. For example, as children build a tower of bricks, staff narrate their play and teach counting in sequence as they count the number of bricks in the tower. Staff ask if children can add one more brick to the top of the tower and speak with them about how tall the tower is compared to themselves.

Staff promote children's physical development as they help children see the joy in being active and spending time outdoors in all weathers. Children enjoy climbing through tunnels, planting containers, throwing balls and blowing their own bubbles for friends to chase. Babies' personal and emotional skills thrive as they enjoy looking at their faces in the mirror. Staff speak with them about their reflection and babies smile at themselves.

Achievement: Expected standard

All children achieve from their starting points and clearly feel settled and confident. Babies develop communication skills as they become confident babblers. Toddlers develop into confident talkers, joining words together to share information with others. Children confidently interact with visitors, waving, smiling and speaking to them. All children enjoy frequent interactions that help them thrive.

Children's personal, social and emotional skills flourish. They play well with friends and show care and consideration for each other. When children sit alone, others move to sit by them so they have company. Babies develop their balance and coordination as they practise walking skills. Older babies' confidence to crawl, cruise, walk and run soars, as they play on balance toys and chase bubbles. Children practise building control and core strength as they prepare soil, dig holes and plant flowers. Children are confident, inquisitive learners. They make choices in their play and share well with others.

Children thrive here. They develop independence, resilience and a joy in learning that will help them succeed in their next stage of learning.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Staff build warm, trusting, respectful relationships with children. Staff establish routines that build confidence and familiarity for children. Staff promote positive attitudes to learning and towards others. They model working together well and treating others with thought and care. Children follow their example well. Leaders and staff work in partnership with parents to understand children's backgrounds, needs and home lives. Staff swiftly identify any gaps in the wellbeing of children who are disadvantaged and provide targeted nurture and reassurance. They use their knowledge of children to provide interactions that meet children's individual needs.

Leaders promote the importance of attendance with parents to best support children to achieve. When children are absent, staff are quick to contact parents, check on children's wellbeing and offer support. This supports children to attend whenever possible. Leaders have a generally well-established key-person system. Staff typically support babies and children new to the setting to settle. However, children do not always benefit from the care of consistent key staff when they are new to the setting, to help their confidence and sense of belonging to grow.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders and staff create a safe, inviting environment. Children generally transition happily from their parents into the setting. There is a comprehensive handover between families and staff, and this promotes consistency in care.

Leaders promote children's wellbeing well. Staff promote good hygiene practices with children. Children are encouraged to blow their own nose and wash their hands with assistance. Staff help children understand the importance of healthy habits, such as drinking water and spending time outside each day. Staff know children's dietary needs and intolerances. They promote a balanced diet as they encourage children to try new foods. Staff encourage children to feed themselves and only offer support when needed. Staff sit with children as they eat and maintain effective supervision of children.

Typically, staff respond to children's care needs sensitively. However, staff do not always respond quickly enough to children's needs, such as when they clearly need to sleep. Staff demonstrate a good understanding of safe sleep practices and consistently promote these. They regularly physically check babies as they nap. Children enjoy nutritious foods that form part of a broad and balanced menu. Meals are cooked on site. Staff sit with children at mealtimes and model enjoyment in trying new foods while maintaining an effective overview of all children eating.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders are reflective and adaptive. They know the aspects of their provision that require focus and swiftly put plans in place to further develop the learning and care experiences for all children. Leaders are knowledgeable and invested in their roles. They provide leadership that is strategic and builds on the strengths of the setting. Leaders maintain effective oversight of the curriculum and teaching and value supporting staff as they work, coaching and mentoring continuously and modelling high-quality interactions with children that best support progress. The staff team is cohesive. All members greatly enjoy supporting babies and young children to thrive. Leaders have high expectations of themselves and staff and are aspirational for the children who attend their setting. They provide staff training that meets the needs of children who attend. Leaders prioritise staff's wellbeing and development. They provide dedicated time each term to focus on enhancing the skills and knowledge of staff, supporting them to thrive in their roles and responsibilities. Leaders have begun to embed targeted training for newer staff to support them well and to promote all children's progress effectively, although this has not yet had the time to be fully impactful in all aspects of the provision.

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, receive curriculum experiences that meet their age and stage well. Leaders ensure children's progress is robustly monitored. They work well with outside agencies to best meet children's care and learning needs. Leaders build highly effective working relationships with parents that are supportive and prioritise children. Communication with parents and carers is frequent and creates a shared understanding of children's learning experiences and activities when at home or at the setting. This supports continuity in care. Leaders are reflective and adapt provision to best meet children's current needs. For example, they have developed the outdoor learning environment to best promote babies' physical development and confidence to move. Soft flooring and all-weather clothing help children to enjoy time in fresh air.