Little Waves Daycare

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders create a profoundly inclusive culture where every child is valued. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, as well as those previously known to social care, receive sensitive and effective support. Leaders and staff have a thorough knowledge of child development, which enables them to identify children's emerging needs. Any barriers children are facing are quickly acted upon and involvement from other professionals is swiftly sought.

Individual education plans are created for children who need additional support. Staff work on individual targets to enable children to access learning swiftly and sustain engagement within group activities. Regular reviews of progress enable staff to adjust support to better meet the needs of children. Professionals such as speech and language therapists and portage workers are welcomed into the setting to ensure a collaborative approach to support. Any advice is then reflected in children's individual plans.

Leaders think carefully about how to support children further using additional funding to enrich their learning and experiences. Early years pupil premium is used to purchase spinning chairs to help some children regulate. Colourful magnetic blocks help staff to expose children to richer language opportunities, enabling children to extend their vocabulary.

Parents are happy with the progress their children are making, commenting how confident their children are now. They notice that their children's talking is 'coming on wonders due to the learning and attention they receive'.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders demonstrate a clear and thoughtful understanding of their curriculum that supports children to achieve and thrive. They design it to meet the full breadth of the early years foundation stage. Staff know children well and use assessment effectively to shape teaching from each child's starting points. Planning for children's individual next steps is precise, and children are making progress. Disadvantaged children, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face additional barriers receive personalised support that helps them to succeed.

Children have opportunities to extend their mathematical skills throughout the nursery. Staff weave mathematical language into the day. For example, they talk about the size of structures in the block area. Staff help children understand prepositional language using words such as 'under' and 'over' when children are moving around the outdoor equipment. Older children join in with number songs as they count down from 5 at the end of an activity. Children cheer and respond with 'finished' at the end of this familiar routine.

Overall, staff consider how they implement the curriculum and offer learning opportunities across the day well. However, further use could be made of routine parts of the day, such as snack time and lunchtimes. Fruit is offered already cut up, meaning children do not get the opportunity to see it as a whole first or practise their fine motor skills by chopping their own snack. The flow of language and conversations is sometimes hindered as staff focus on more functional elements at these times.

Achievement: Expected standard

Typically, children are making steady progress across their learning. Children engage in meaningful conversations with staff. They pretend to mix ingredients and make curry for lunch. This helps children to use their own experiences in their play and learn new vocabulary. Those with less language make their needs known, such as through touch, sounds and visual prompts.

Over time, children gain the confidence and early skills they need for their next stage in learning. Children show increasing independence in managing their self-care needs, such as washing hands, putting on coats and tidying resources away. They confidently make choices, follow routines and show pride in their achievements. This supports children to become resilient learners who are well prepared for the expectations of school.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

The nursery is a very happy place, and relationships are characterised by warmth and kindness. The effective key-person system means staff, children and families develop warm and trusting relationships. Parents have confidence in the 'nurturing, supportive and positive' environment.

Staff interactions are warm, calm and respectful, providing excellent role models for children. Overall, this has a positive impact on children's behaviour. Staff intervene promptly when children struggle to understand the needs of their friends. They help them to negotiate and come to a resolution. This helps them to understand the impact of their actions on others and supports them to form positive friendships with their peers.

Children typically demonstrate a 'can-do' attitude. They are positive and excited to learn. Older children respond to the exciting 'what's in the bag' activity, taking their place next to each other at group time and waiting patiently for their turn. Babies are encouraged to work together to share the chunky cars and take great pleasure in responding to staff's positive reinforcement of, 'Well done, good sharing, your turn now.'

Leaders have a considered approach to attendance that balances their families' need for flexible childcare while still taking steps to ensure good habits of attendance. They consider individual family circumstances and work together with parents.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Children feel safe, welcomed and valued because staff know them well and respond sensitively to their individual needs. Staff promote children's wellbeing and sense of belonging within safe and stimulating play spaces. As a result, children develop confidence and show positive attitudes towards new experiences.

Staff are respectful and provide plenty of encouragement, helping to raise children's self-esteem. For example, they ask younger children's permission to change their nappies and praise children for waiting well at lunchtimes. Staff use colours, stories and songs to help children understand how they are feeling. Children use words to describe feeling happy and sad linked to the colours of the rainbow. This generally helps children to begin to manage their feelings and emotions appropriately.

Overall, care routines support children well. Leaders are aware of the importance of dental hygiene and have worked closely with outside agencies to encourage toothbrushing at home and in the setting. Children are familiar with the toothbrushing routine, which is embedded across the nursery. Staff use timers with the children to help them understand how long they need to brush for. Children remind each other to 'keep going' until the sand runs out. Children are provided with fruit, milk and water at snack time to support a healthy diet. However, the organisation of mealtimes means that children do not benefit fully from the social aspect of the routine. Children understand routines. Babies visit the bathroom to clean their hands before snack, while older children know to put their coats on before they play outside.

Children enjoy outdoor play. They confidently explore the garden spaces and engage in activities to develop their physical skills. Babies practise throwing and catching small balls, while older children skilfully persevere until they kick balls through hoops, cheering as they 'score'.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders have worked hard to make improvements to the nursery curriculum. They have worked alongside the local authority to develop an inclusive, sequential curriculum that supports children's learning, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who face other barriers to learning. Leaders continue to regularly evaluate practice and recognise what is working well and where further developments are needed.

Leaders carry out rigorous inductions for new staff. Staff wellbeing is of paramount importance. Leaders keep in regular contact with the staff team and support them through individual supervision sessions, where workload and wellbeing are discussed. Leaders work with staff to identify further professional development needs. Staff comment that they feel supported and valued.

Leaders work closely with external professionals to secure the support children need, such as specialist advice for children with SEND. They coordinate with therapists and other specialists to ensure strategies are implemented consistently, helping children make progress and fully access activities.

Leaders liaise with schools to plan smooth transitions, sharing information about children's needs, routines and achievements to support continuity in learning and wellbeing. However, for children who attend more than one setting, partnerships are not so well developed. Information is not routinely shared between staff to develop a more complementary approach to supporting children's learning.