Ludwell Valley Centre

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders and staff create an inclusive environment that enables all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged to successfully access all learning opportunities. Staff hold high expectations for every child and provide the support, experiences and experiences children need to thrive. Staff follow robust assessment and monitoring procedures that help them identify gaps in children's learning and development at an early stage. They quickly identify concerns in children's development and take prompt action. Staff make timely referrals to speech and language therapists, seek additional funding where appropriate and work closely with parents. This helps children receive the support they need and make progress from their starting points.

Leaders ensure all staff receive training to implement a range of strategies effectively. Staff adapt teaching, resources and learning experiences to meet children's individual needs and reduce barriers to learning. They implement advice from professionals consistently. This includes staff using sign language, communication boards, photographs for choice making, small group activities and one-to-one support. Staff review these adaptations regularly to ensure they support children's learning and progress effectively.

Staff prioritise additional time with key persons for children who need extra support with personal, social and emotional development. This helps children build trust, regulate emotions and develop confidence and self-belief. Staff communicate effectively with parents and provide targeted support when families need additional help. Leaders use additional funding to provide extra sessions and enrichment experiences, including collecting and observing tadpoles and visits to the local shop and post office. This approach ensures all children feel included, valued and part of the group.

Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard

Leaders and staff design and consistently deliver a carefully planned broad, ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum that builds children's knowledge and skills across all areas of learning. Staff skilfully provide a wide range of meaningful experiences that support children to develop confidence and independence and give them a secure foundation for school and beyond. Staff support learning through their positive interactions with children. They continually join children's play and extend children's learning through careful questioning, suggesting ideas and encouraging children to persevere with challenges such as managing zips and opening packets at lunchtime. Staff thoughtfully adapt teaching for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities by offering simple choices, using clear language and providing pictures for children to use when selecting options. Staff skilfully adjust their support according to children's ages and stages. For example, they help younger children by holding jugs when pouring or beginning to peel fruit so children can complete tasks successfully.

Staff implement the communication and language curriculum highly effectively. They model vocabulary, repeat language, extend children's sentences and allow time for responses. Staff use communication boards to support children with limited speech to express themselves and make choices. Staff teach mathematics well. They use children's play to develop counting, number recognition and measurement skills and thoughtfully extend children's mathematical thinking and vocabulary. For instance, when children choose to measure themselves, staff ask, 'Have you grown since last week? Look at the lines on the chart,' and encourage comparisons between children.

Staff promote a love of reading through daily story sessions and individual reading. Staff enthusiastically read to children and build excitement. Children eagerly anticipate story time and select props to support their understanding. Children say, 'Yes, story time!' when they see staff preparing to read.

Achievement: Strong standard

Children make rapid and sustained progress across the curriculum and develop the knowledge and skills needed for their next stage of learning. Younger children use a range of equipment with increasing control and accuracy. For example, they use different-sized scoops to pour seeds into pots, they use fishing rods to hook sea creatures and they join in with key words and actions from familiar stories. Older children communicate confidently, share ideas with adults and peers, focus for extended periods and show developing knowledge of letter names and sounds during group activities.

Children show increasing independence in self-care. They find their own coats, put them on and persevere when fastening zips. Children enthusiastically engage in mathematical experiences, exploring numbers, shapes and quantities during play showing high levels of understanding. They join in with songs knowing how to tap out rhythms and how to vary the volume of their voices. Children who are still developing verbal communication use pointing, gestures and simple language to express their needs and participate alongside their peers.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Children consistently behave appropriately and show positive attitudes to learning. They follow instructions, understand expectations and manage daily routines. Children respond promptly when staff use a tambourine to signal transitions. They stop, listen and help tidy resources before moving to the next activity. Younger children complete simple tasks such as using dustpans and brushes alongside adults as they help tidy for lunchtime.

Children engage in learning with great enthusiasm and are keen to participate. They join group activities, saying, 'Yes! story time,' and enthusiastically saying 'Don't start without me!' Children collect their listening mats and find a space on the carpet. They sit attentively, share books with adults and ask for additional stories.

Children form secure attachments with staff and separate from their parents confidently. They form positive friendships and show care towards one another. Children play cooperatively, take turns in games without adult support, listen to each other's ideas and share resources. For example, children say, 'You're my best friend' and 'You can have this next.' Staff provide consistent support, praise and encouragement, helping all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, feel secure and ready to learn.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Children's welfare and wellbeing is prioritised through consistently responsive care practices and the effective partnerships staff build with parents. Children build secure attachments with all staff. They confidently seek out their key person to share achievements, ask for help and talk. Staff continually respond with warmth and care and recognise children's achievements.

Staff support children's emotional wellbeing. They identify when children need support and use strategies to help them regulate emotions, including one-to-one support, validation, active play and quieter spaces. Children identify and express feelings through ongoing discussions with staff and through using resources such as emotion pebbles as part of their play. Staff skilfully and consistently adapt care practices to meet individual needs and work closely with parents. They review medical and/or dietary care plans regularly and provide additional support for children facing barriers or difficult circumstances. Parents describe staff as 'caring, approachable and supportive.'

Staff embed hygiene and safety routines, including handwashing before meals. Children brush their teeth as part of daily routines. Staff use visual communication boards to support communication and choice-making at snack and lunchtime to ensure children with communication difficulties are always included. Mealtimes are calm social occasions where staff promote healthy lifestyles and help children understand how food supports their health and gives them energy. Leaders and staff follow clear procedures to help monitor and support children's regular attendance and punctuality to build positive habits for school.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders maintain a clear oversight of strengths and areas for development and take swift action to improve provision. They have a secure understanding of the needs of children, families and the local community and adapt provision, resources and teaching accordingly. Leaders identify children's needs promptly and secure additional support without delay. They work with external professionals, including speech and language therapists, advisors and schools, to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged. Leaders monitor additional funding and target support effectively through small-group work, the use of different resources and enhanced adult support for those children who need it.

Leaders prioritise staff development through robust supervision processes, peer observations, regular staff meetings and targeted training. Staff use these development opportunities to continually improve practice. Staff report that leaders support their wellbeing and manage their workload well. Leaders and staff are reflective and dedicated to improving outcomes for children. Staff enthusiastically take responsibility for different areas of provision and work effectively as a team to ensure continuity for children.

Leaders prioritise partnerships with parents and regularly seek their feedback. For instance they speak to parents about potential changes to sessions times or any changes they are considering. Leaders provide newsletters, signpost parents to different services and offer support with school applications and transitions. Parents speak highly of staff and appreciate the guidance they receive to help their children develop and learn.