Little Wonders Bradford (M)

Inclusion: Needs attention

Generally, leaders and staff compete observations and assessments to monitor children's progress well. They identify appropriate next steps learning targets and plan effective strategies to help close any gaps in children's attainment. For example, they have recently introduced story and nursery rhyme sessions that are delivered at key points throughout the day to help develop children's social interactions and communication skills. Children who face these barriers to their learning engage in these activities with high levels of enthusiasm. During these short focused sessions, children engage deeply and thoroughly enjoy themselves, moving their bodies along to the rhythm and join in with action songs. This helps to develop children's social skills and vocabulary during structured adult-led activities. However, leaders and staff do not consistently apply effective strategies in practice to ensure all children receive the tailored support that they need during independent play. For example, some children are left to walk around the setting aimlessly for periods of time during free-flow play without support or interactions from adults. Staff are aware that these children need additional support to play alongside others and engage in meaningful play. However, they do not remain vigilant and aware of these children to ensure that they receive the targeted support that they need. As a result, some children who face barriers to their learning do not make the levels of progress of which they are capable.

The provider does not ensure all parents are provided with a written summary of their child's development in line with the statutory progress check when a child is aged 2. This does not help to ensure information is promptly and effectively shared with parents and external professionals outside of the setting, particularly when gaps emerge in children's development.

Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention

The quality of teaching and learning is variable. Leaders have a clear vision for their curriculum. They are clear about what skills and knowledge they want children to build across all areas of learning. However, they do not have a clear oversight into how the curriculum is applied in practice. As a result, they do not recognise inconsistencies in the implementation of the curriculum and staff practice. For example, staff do not consistently recognise when to adapt what they are doing to ensure all children are provided with the targeted support that they need. Some staff do not include children who are less-confident communicators in discussions and generally ask questions to children who are more confident. Staff do not consistently support children to manage their feelings and emotions. They fail to recognise and respond accordingly when children walk around without purpose and disrupt other children's learning.

That said, on occasions, some staff support older children to develop their mathematical skills as they cut food into different shapes to make butterflies. They encourage children to count the number of items in a group and recognise shapes in the environment. Staff support children to develop their love of reading and literacy skills. They read to children daily and choose books that match the different topics they are learning about. Staff read books to younger children that they have self-selected. They teach younger children how to handle books with care and turn pages. Older children are encouraged to recall what comes next when reading familiar stories. However, all children do not have the same opportunities to learn and develop these skills due to inconsistencies in staff practice.

Achievement: Needs attention

Overall, children have some opportunities to develop the knowledge and skills that they need for their future learning. All children enjoy adult-led activities and benefit from these opportunities as they learn how to play and cooperate with others, share their ideas and enjoy listening to familiar stories and singing. However, these opportunities to learn become more inconsistent during independent child-led play. During these times, less-confident children do not receive the same level of interactions and support from staff as their more confident and forthcoming peers. Consequently, children who face barriers to learning have fewer opportunities to develop their speech and language skills than their peers. Some children do not learn the impact their actions have on others as they go unchallenged when they lash out and take toys from their friends. Some children are frequently left walking around the setting without purpose and have limited experiences as they play with the same toy during independent play. As a result, some children do not make the levels of progress of which they are capable and are not well prepared for their future learning.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Needs attention

Leaders and staff do not remain aware and vigilant of children. There are some children who walk around the setting without purpose and do not receive the support that they need to engage in meaningful play. Some of these children become disruptive to other children. For instance, they knock down towers that other children have taken time to carefully build. They push and snatch toys from their peers. Leaders and staff do not always recognise and respond to address these instances of poor behaviour. This impacts some children's motivation to learn, as they give up trying to rebuild the tower after this is knocked down for the third time. Children move away from the sand tray and stop filling their containers as children continue to throw sand. Even when staff do witness these incidents, they do not talk to children about the impact their actions have on others or challenge these behaviours accordingly. For example, they allow children to continue to play with toys that they have snatched from others. These inconsistencies in staff practice have a negative impact on some children's emotional wellbeing and learning. Children do not have consistent opportunities to build effective relationships with some of their peers, particularly those who face barriers to their learning.

That said, some children build trusting relationships with staff. They generally arrive at the setting happy and eager to start the day. Attendance is monitored, and information is shared with parents about the importance of regular attendance.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Needs attention

There are occasions when leaders and staff do not complete robust risk assessments to ensure all areas of the premises children access are safe and suitable. For example, at times, children have easy access to batteries and string lights left on the benches in the cloakroom and take items from staff's handbags that are left on the floor. Although children are generally supervised in this area, there are occasions where children are left unattended in the cloakroom for periods of time, such as when they arrive at the setting and when they go to collect their coats and shoes for outdoor play. This has the potential to place children at risk of harm when they are not supervised by and in sight of staff.

Leaders and staff form warm relationships with children. They work in partnership with parents to gather key information about children before they start at the setting. Staff use this information to plan familiar routines and provide children with the support they need as they settle in. However, due to inconsistencies in staff practice, some children's experiences are variable. Some children do not develop a sense of safety and security because staff do not always recognise and respond to instances of poor behaviour. This has a negative impact on some children's emotional wellbeing as they become visibly upset and do not receive the reassurance and support that they need.

Leadership and governance: Needs attention

The provider does not have a clear oversight of the quality of the setting. They do not have an effective system in place that helps them to monitor staff's performance and recognise and address inconsistencies in their practice. For instance, the provider was not aware that leaders and staff do not complete robust risk assessments to ensure all areas of the premises children access are safe and suitable. They were not aware of the varied ways that staff implement the setting's behaviour policy and procedures in practice. The provider did not recognise that leaders and staff do not remain vigilant and aware of all children to ensure their safety, wellbeing and individual needs are consistently met. Consequently, staff do not receive the support, coaching and training that they need to improve their personal effectiveness and fulfil their roles and responsibilities.

Leaders and staff form effective relationships with parents. They gather key information from parents about children's individual needs and use these to support children's transitions as they settle in. Leaders and staff use an online system and have daily discussions with parents to share information about their child's day and progress. However, they do not complete a written summary to share information with parents about their child's development in line with their requirements to provide a progress check at age 2.