Lottie & Ollie

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders have established an inclusive culture, where they identify and respond to children's individual needs with care. They work closely with parents and carers to understand what may help each child feel secure. This, in turn, supports children to settle and participate confidently. Although no children currently receive additional funding or have identified special educational needs and/or disabilities, leaders and staff take appropriate steps to recognise emerging needs and reduce potential barriers to children's learning and wellbeing.

Where children experience difficulties, such as separating from their parents, leaders work closely with families and implement effective strategies. For example, staff encourage children to bring familiar items from home. This provides comfort and reassurance, and helps them settle more quickly. As a result, children are beginning to feel more secure. Staff use daily interactions and time spent playing alongside children to get to know them well and notice early signs of emerging needs. Through ongoing observation, staff assess children's emerging needs and follow a simple assess, plan, do and review process to decide on and evaluate the support that helps children to take part with confidence.

Typically, children receive the help they need to engage confidently in routines and activities. Staff respond promptly when children may require additional guidance and adapt their approach sensitively. Leaders are developing the curriculum further so it gives staff clearer guidance on how children's learning builds over time. This ongoing work will help staff to continue refine how they support children's individual needs.

Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention

The new leadership team has begun reviewing and adapting the curriculum. However, it does not yet give staff the guidance they need to plan learning that connects clearly to children's ages and stages of development. Staff are not yet confident in deciding what children need to learn next. As a result, activities do not always reflect what children are ready for. For example, during a sensory activity linked to a story about a bear hunt, staff continue reading even when children lose interest because the story was too long. Children who were keen to practise emerging walking skills were placed in the group but moved away quickly, showing that the activity did not meet their needs or interests.

Leaders have strengthened some aspects of the curriculum, particularly in personal, social and emotional development. This early work is helping staff to support children's emotional security more effectively. Staff introduce early concepts naturally through routines and play, such as using songs and rhymes to support simple counting. They model how to explore musical instruments and using positional language, such as 'under' and 'over', to develop children's early understanding. Leaders know the curriculum needs clearer sequencing so staff can plan learning that ensures children's knowledge and skills develop securely over time, and they have begun work to address this.

Achievement: Needs attention

Children do not make the progress they are capable of in some areas of learning because planned activities are not consistently matched to children's ages and stages of development. For example, during some group activities, younger children lose interest quickly because the task is too demanding for their stage of development. Some activities are not always matched well to what children already know and can do, which limits how securely they build their learning over time.

Despite this, children generally make progress in their personal, social and emotional development. Children enjoy joining in with songs and rhymes and show clear delight as they sing and dance. They are beginning to develop early independence in their self-care routines, such as washing their hands before eating. Children hear numbers used naturally and begin to develop an early awareness of counting. As they play, children benefit from staff commenting on what they are doing, which supports their early communication.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Children are cared for in a warm and calm environment, where effective key-person relationships help them to feel secure. Staff use gentle and reassuring interactions that support children when they are unsettled and help them to grow in confidence. Children form trusting bonds with staff and show they feel at ease. For example, they cuddle on their laps or giggle as staff follow their lead in play.

Children generally behave well. Staff act as positive role models and show children how to use resources safely. During group times, staff and children sing a welcome song that greets each child by name. Most children join in with enthusiasm and enjoy being part of the group. Staff encourage turn-taking and cooperation, which helps children to develop early social skills.

Children benefit from predictable daily routines, such as getting ready for snack or moving between activities. Staff know children well and help them to settle quickly during transitions. Leaders work with parents and carers to promote the importance of regular attendance. They explain how consistent routines help children to build positive habits that support their learning. At times, some children lose focus in structured activities, when these are not fully matched to their stage of development. Leaders recognise that clearer curriculum sequencing will help staff to plan activities that sustain children's interest more consistently.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Children are generally happy and settled in the setting. Leaders offer settling-in sessions and agree on simple and bespoke approaches with parents and carers before children start. This helps children to adjust and supports their wellbeing. Care practices are gentle and nurturing. Staff sing songs to children during nappy changes, and children enjoy these interactions. Older children invite staff into their play, showing that they feel secure and valued. Children enjoy their time in the outdoor area, where they dig, explore and transport water between activities. These experiences give them space to move, investigate and follow their interests.

When children become unsettled, staff make thoughtful adaptations to meet their needs and work closely with parents to understand what may help. There are consistent routines, such as offering healthy snacks and home-cooked meals. This supports children's wellbeing and helps them to feel comfortable and secure in the setting. Staff use simple language and reassurance to help children begin to understand their feelings, when they become unsettled.

Staff place a focus on building warm and trusting relationships from the moment children start. Key persons stay close to children, who are new or who find separation difficult. They offer calm comfort and respond quickly to their needs. This sensitive approach helps children to form secure attachments and explore the environment with growing confidence.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

The new leadership team has taken appropriate steps to address the actions raised. They have strengthened their risk assessment processes and now review these routinely with staff. Leaders have replaced equipment, where needed, to keep the environment safe. In addition, they have improved how accidents are recorded and shared with parents and carers, so records now contain clearer and more accurate information.

Leaders understand that the curriculum requires further development and have begun to refine its design and sequencing. They have clear plans in place to support this work. Leaders have chosen to prioritise personal, social and emotional development. This focused approach is already having a positive impact, particularly for children who needed greater emotional support. Staff now help children to feel more secure, and children are becoming more confident and settled as a result. Although the wider curriculum development is ongoing, leaders' actions show purposeful direction and are contributing to steady improvement.

Leaders ensure staff have access to relevant training to develop their knowledge and skills, which is helping them to gain confidence in their roles. As many staff are new, leaders are mindful of staff's workload and provide ongoing support. Staff say they feel valued and well supported. This contributes to a positive and improving culture across the setting.