Little Wildlings Nursery Limited

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders identify children's individual needs through ongoing observations, discussions with families and their close knowledge of each child. Practitioners recognise when children may need additional reassurance, adapted expectations or next steps set to help them participate. Inclusive practice is evident across the setting, although the level of support offered is not always applied with the same consistency for all children. For example, practitioners use emotion cards to help children recognise and talk about their feelings. This approach is positive, however, it is not yet applied consistently for other children who experiences similar challenges.

Leaders take actions to reduce barriers to learning and wellbeing. They make reasonable adjustments, such as adapting activities, offering comfort and responding sensitively when children need extra help. Practitioners encourage children to take manageable risks, develop independence and build confidence. These approaches contribute positively to children's experiences. Leaders monitor children's progress and discuss next steps regularly as a team. Practitioners know children well and use the environment to support emerging skills.

Leaders guide practitioners to break tasks into smaller, achievable steps, such as simplifying instructions or modelling the first part of a task before expecting children to try independently. They ensure practitioners work closely with families to follow the strategies used in the setting. This provides consistency for children.

Leaders engage with external agencies when needed, although this is still becoming established. Early years pupil premium funding has previously been used to enhance experiences, and leaders understand how to support the needs of all children. Leaders implement additional nurture strategies, such as additional key person contact and close communication with families and professionals, to reduce any barriers to learning or wellbeing for children known or previously known to children's social care.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders typically understand the quality of the curriculum and teaching. They reflect daily on how well children are learning. Leaders make decisions that improve the provision, ensuring activities are purposeful and support children's development. The curriculum is broad, sequenced and inclusive. It meets all of the early years foundation stage learning and development requirements. Typically, activities build on what children already know. Children experience a wide range of invitations to play both indoors and outdoors, with outdoor learning available consistently throughout the day.

Practitioners support children's communication and language purposefully. They hold conversations, typically model new vocabulary and encourage children to talk about what they are doing. Children sing songs, listen to stories and count during play, which helps build early mathematical understanding. Younger children benefit from older children's role modelling, and practitioners extend learning when children show interest.

Children's physical, personal, social and emotional development is prioritised. Practitioners support children to take manageable risks, develop independence and build confidence. For example, children are reassured when climbing wooden beams in the forest school area. This approach is typically effective, although reassurance and modelling are not yet applied consistently across all activities, meaning some children receive less support when attempting new challenges.

Practitioners know children well and tailor experiences to their ages and stages. For example, younger children explore sensory herbs to build early curiosity and fine motor control, while older children engage in counting, sorting and shape activities that extend their mathematical understanding and thinking. Practitioners use discussions, stories and songs to revisit learning, and they adapt invitations to play so children can practise skills and deepen understanding across the day.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children typically achieve well and make steady progress from their starting points. They show increasing confidence in exploring activities and demonstrate growing independence in managing routines, such as finding their belongings or helping to tidy away resources. Children develop early social skills, including taking turns, sharing equipment and seeking support appropriately from familiar adults. They show curiosity in their play and sustain interest when activities capture their attention. For example, they spend time playing with water and adding it to powder paints or mud.

Children's communication develops as they are encouraged to express their ideas. Many children use simple sentences to describe what they are doing, and younger children respond to familiar words, songs and actions. Children demonstrate early mathematical awareness, for example, noticing quantities during snack or matching objects by size.

Children who may be disadvantaged, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who are known (or previously known) to children's social care and those who may face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing make progress. They are provided with adapted expectations and receive additional reassurance or simplified steps so all children participate successfully. Although children typically achieve well, this is not yet consistent. Some children do not always experience the same level of reassurance or step by step guidance, which means their engagement and confidence is not maintained at times.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders create a positive environment where expectations for behaviour are generally understood. Relationships between practitioners and children are warm and respectful, and positive interactions help children feel secure. Older children understand routines well, while younger children are still developing this understanding and receive reassurance and guidance as they learn what happens next.

Children typically behave positively. When behaviour needs addressing, practitioners generally speak calmly and help children think about their actions. However, expectations are not always reinforced consistently during busy transitions. At these times, children may be redirected without clear explanations, which means they do not always understand why certain behaviours are not acceptable.

Children typically show positive attitudes to learning. They concentrate well when activities capture their interest, and they persist with tasks and show curiosity in their play. They collaborate with others, take turns, share resources and seek help appropriately. Leaders prioritise attendance and punctuality, contacting families when children do not attend. Practitioners consider children's ages, stages and individual needs when supporting them to meet expectations, including offering additional support. For example, tidying up is made a shared activity by turning it into a simple game and completing it alongside the children, helping them to understand expectations and work together.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Care practices meet children's individual needs effectively. Practitioners know children closely and respond sensitively when they need reassurance, clearer explanations or tasks broken down into manageable steps so they can participate successfully. Children who may be disadvantaged, have special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who are known (or previously known) to children's social care, and those who may face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing experience predictable care. For example, children benefit from consistent check-ins and transitions that help them feel secure. Inclusive practice is evident, with all children given opportunities to access the outdoor environment and forest school.

Secure and responsive relationships are well established. Children seek comfort from familiar adults, and practitioners offer warm interactions that help them feel settled and confident. The outdoor environment provides significant support for children's wellbeing. Children thrive outside, becoming calm, engaged and physically active.

Children learn about their physical development, personal safety and health through daily routines. Practitioners explain why rest is important and encourage healthy choices during snack time. Children are supported to recognise and express emotions through discussion, helping them develop emotional security. For example, practitioners talk with children about how their bodies feel when they are tired or upset, helping them understand and manage emotions.

Routines, including sleep and transitions, are considered and adapted to children's ages, stages and individual circumstances. Practitioners monitor children closely during these routines, offering timely reassurance so children feel secure and understand what is happening next. For example, children are given time to wake up slowly before being told what is happening next. Although children typically experience warm, predictable care, this is not yet fully consistent, and at times, some children do not receive the same level of clarity or reassurance during routines.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders have a clear understanding of the setting's strengths and areas for development. They reflect frequently and make decisions that improve the provision. Leaders consider information provided to them and adapt routines or expectations when needed, ensuring decisions are made in the best interests of all children.

Practitioners' wellbeing and workload are managed effectively. Practitioners comment on feeling supported, and training is offered to strengthen practice. Leaders ensure practitioners have time to complete essential tasks and work collaboratively, contributing to positive teamwork across the setting.

Professional development has a positive impact. Practitioners have completed training on recent updates to healthy eating, safer eating and sleeping routines, as well as communication and supporting children with communication. Leaders recognise that further development is needed to strengthen practitioners' understanding, particularly around explaining reasons to children and reinforcing expectations during transitions. Leaders have yet to consistently ensure that their own performance, and that of other leaders, is monitored carefully enough to secure continuous improvement over time.

Relationships with families and the community are well established. Parents feel well supported, and links with local schools help children experience shared events such as sports day and their Nativity.