Littlebrook Nursery

Inclusion: Expected standard

Overall, leaders and staff have an appropriate understanding of how best to support individual children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This is strengthened by working closely with external professionals, who provide guidance and support to develop tailored plans with small, achievable targets. External professionals have also mentored individual key persons who support children who face barriers to their learning. This has enabled staff to deliver more effective interventions, such as one-to-one 'special time', where these children engage with high-interest toys while key vocabulary is modelled in context. This means there are positive early steps in reducing barriers and narrowing gaps in children's learning. That said, this is still in its infancy. Leaders and staff do not yet consistently review targeted support with parents and carers, as well as external professionals.

There is further scope to strengthen mentoring and coaching so that staff are more proactive in identifying and addressing emerging gaps in younger children's learning at an earlier stage. As a result, some children do not always receive targeted support swiftly enough, which can allow gaps in learning to widen. That said, as these children transition to the next room, staff who are trained to deliver targeted interventions provide more focused support, and gaps begin to reduce.

Support for children with barriers to their learning is promoted more effectively for their personal, social and emotional development. For example, these children increasingly learn to engage with others, smiling at staff and their friends as they interact and play alongside them. Additional funding is spent on helping those children who receive it to develop their physical skills well, such as purchasing resources that help to develop these children's stamina, coordination and control.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have been working with early years advisers to support staff to develop a clearer understanding of how to effectively implement a sequenced curriculum across the setting. As part of this ongoing support, the development of children's early writing skills has been identified as an area for improvement. Staff have received training to implement this, with some pleasing results already evident.

There is also a focus on developing children's communication and language skills alongside personal, social and emotional development. However, there are times when staff do not consistently take account of the age and stage of development of younger babies. For example, songs are occasionally sung too quickly, which limits opportunities for babies to hear and absorb language effectively. All children develop a love for books and enjoy looking at pictures as staff share stories with enthusiasm and expression. However, on occasions, when engaging in conversations with older children, staff do not always identify or address children's misunderstandings promptly. This means children's knowledge and skills are not accurate, leading to gaps in their learning potentially widening. In addition, although most staff use children's assessments and observations to highlight any gaps in their learning, this is not consistently identified or addressed promptly enough to reduce barriers to their learning.

Overall, staff interactions typically support children's developing knowledge and confidence in mathematics. Mathematical learning is often woven naturally into everyday routines, such as counting pieces of fruit on children's plates at snack time. Staff also introduce more explicit teaching, such as by asking simple addition questions and modelling the use of fingers to calculate totals. In this way, older children, in particular, learn that using fingers is a helpful strategy to support early problem-solving.

Achievement: Expected standard

Typically, children make expected progress from their starting points, including those who face barriers to their learning. However, inconsistences in staff subject knowledge and the implementation of daily routines mean that some children do not always consistently receive the most accurate information to build on further. For example, after pre-school children brush their teeth, staff ask them why this is important. Children explain that toothbrushing removes 'dirt' from their teeth. Staff do not consistently model more precise language to help widen children's vocabulary or deepen their understanding of how to keep their teeth healthy.

Children demonstrate growing confidence and knowledge through their play, exploration and interactions. For example, older babies demonstrate some actions from familiar songs, such as rolling their hands to 'wind the bobbin up'. Children develop their gross and fine motor skills in a variety of ways. Babies splash in water with their hands, helping to strengthen their hand and arm muscles. Toddlers scoop and pour sand into containers, supporting their hand-eye coordination. Pre-school children make marks on paper and understand that their patterns can convey meaning.

Children develop increasing independence in their self-care skills through everyday routines. For instance, older children self-serve their lunch and persevere at mastering the tricky technique of using a knife and fork to eat their lunch.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders and staff have high expectations around children's behaviour and are positive role models. Staff support children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to develop good social skills. Through sensitive interactions, modelling and gentle reminders, staff encourage children to take turns, share and cooperate with others. Praise is used effectively to reinforce positive behaviour. As a result, children treat one another with kindness and respect, often inviting their friends from indoors to join their outdoor play by taking them by the hand. In the baby room, staff use warm facial expressions and nurturing interactions, which babies respond to with smiles, laughter and giggles.

Overall, routines across the provision are well established, and children are familiar with them. However, at times, the organisation of these routines does not fully support purposeful learning. For example, children are instructed to wash their toothbrushes after brushing them, which creates a long queue and increases waiting times where there is minimal adult engagement. When they finish, children move to the carpet area where circle time is already underway. However, those still waiting in the bathroom queue become a little restless, arriving later on the carpet and missing aspects of learning that their peers are already engaged in.

Attendance and punctuality are promoted well. Parents recognise the importance of regular attendance and follow procedures when their children are absent. This helps to support children's safety and wellbeing.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders recognise the importance of outdoor play and fresh air, particularly in promoting children's physical and emotional wellbeing. They intentionally encourage staff to focus on children from disadvantaged backgrounds who may have limited access to open spaces at home. As a result, these children, in particular, flourish in the large outdoor environment. They benefit from plenty of opportunities to run freely, climb and balance with increasing confidence, coordination and stamina.

There are close and responsive relationships in place between children and their key person. Care practices are followed from home, helping children to settle, such as sleeping with their comforter. This is also evident for children who have recently transitioned to the next room, some of whom have speech delay. They quickly develop friendships with their peers and happily chase one another around the garden and engage in play activities indoors with growing levels of cooperation. This shows that all children feel safe, secure and valued at this welcoming setting.

Overall, children begin to develop an understanding of healthy food choices. However, staff do not yet consistently deepen older children's understanding of the effects that different foods, such as sugar, have on their bodies. This does not support children to consider ways to maintain their overall health.

Staff support children as they learn to recognise, express and manage their feelings. Since the last inspection, each room includes a thoughtfully planned calm area with suitable resources, such as books about emotions. These areas are used for children who need time to relax and regulate themselves. Children frequently choose to use these spaces independently, where they can quietly reflect or talk calmly with staff about their feelings and experiences.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

In general, leaders demonstrate a clear understanding of the setting's strengths and areas for improvement. Since the last inspection, they have implemented several positive changes, including providing children with increased time and opportunities to explore and investigate in the outdoors. Leaders are committed to driving continual improvement and plan to further enhance the outdoor environment by introducing additional sheltered areas, to enable children to play and learn safely in all weathers.

Leaders are proactive in supporting staff and provide ongoing guidance, including modelling ways to notice spontaneous moments and skilfully build on children's existing knowledge and skills. However, some staff do not yet use this approach consistently enough to strengthen their practice. Monitoring of individual staff's teaching is not yet sufficiently robust or sharply focused to inform highly personalised professional development. As a result, children do not consistently achieve to the best of their abilities. Nevertheless, leaders give careful consideration to staff's wellbeing and workloads.

Typically, leaders prioritise decisions that are in the best interests of children, including those who face barriers to their learning. This is reflected in the thoughtful use of any additional funding to meet the specific needs of individual children who are entitled to it, such as to promote regular attendance and punctuality at the setting, which helps to prepare children for their next move in education, including school. Leaders are committed to ensuring children have equal access to the curriculum and the opportunities available to them. They work closely with external professionals to secure appropriate support for children and their families, helping children thrive and be ready for their next move in education.