Malborough with South Huish Pre-School

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders and staff provide a supportive and inclusive environment where children's individual needs are identified and understood. Practitioners adapt their interactions to meet children's individual needs. For example, children who need additional reassurance receive this from familiar adults. Children are also given time to observe activities and participate when they feel ready. Leaders and practitioners know children and families well. Observations and snapshot assessments help practitioners identify children's needs and plan suitable next steps.

Leaders work closely with parents, carers, professionals and external agencies to support children. This collaborative approach improves continuity of support for children. Leaders are committed to building staff's expertise in supporting children's communication and language development. Leaders' expertise strengthens the timely support children receive alongside advice from external professionals. For example, leaders work with speech and language professionals to identify appropriate strategies for individual children. Leaders recognise that staff would benefit from further training to strengthen their confidence in using these strategies independently.

Leaders understand the value of inclusive approaches that benefit all children. They are building on existing practice by considering greater use of visual timetables and other suitable visual supports. These embed and promote children's communication, independence and participation.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Staff implement a broad and suitable curriculum that supports children's learning across the early years foundation stage. Leaders understand what they want children to learn and regularly consider how to strengthen experiences. The curriculum prioritises communication, independence, confidence and children's personal, social and emotional development.

Communication and language are deeply embedded throughout the curriculum. Staff consistently talk with children and purposefully extend their language during play and everyday routines. For example, during jigsaw activities, staff connect letter sounds to familiar objects and encourage children to respond. Children confidently contribute during stories and conversations, recall familiar events and predict what might happen next.

Staff recognise that different areas of learning are interconnected. For example, mark making in sand develops early literacy alongside children's physical skills. Staff use opportunities to develop mathematical concepts, including shape, space and measure, through children's chosen activities, such as pouring.

The curriculum promotes children's independence throughout. During lunchtime, children are encouraged to manage their belongings and open food independently. Staff model techniques when needed, then allow children to try for themselves. Staff know children well and adapt experiences according to their development, confidence and individual needs.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children make good progress from their individual starting points and achieve well across the early years foundation stage. Children's communication and language development is a strength. During story time, children remain engaged, recall familiar parts and confidently predict what is going to happen next. Children respond to questions and express their own ideas, demonstrating developing vocabulary, listening and understanding.

Children apply their developing literacy skills through play. They recognise letters, connect sounds with familiar words and independently choose mark-making activities. Children achieve through a 'can-do' attitude. Children demonstrate increasing independence and confidence through everyday experiences. They manage familiar routines, attempt practical tasks and show pride in their achievements.

Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or other barriers, make progress from their starting points. Their communication, independence and developing knowledge prepare them well for their next stage in learning.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Leaders and staff establish a consistently calm, positive and nurturing environment. Children understand well-established routines and expectations. Staff are consistently effective in considering children's age, development and individual circumstances when supporting behaviour. For example, staff use clear explanations, modelling and sensitive reassurance to help children understand routines and regulate their responses.

Warm, trusting relationships between staff and children are consistently evident. Children confidently seek familiar adults for reassurance, support and interaction. Staff respond attentively and model positive, respectful behaviour. Their highly effective interactions support children to develop the social skills needed to play cooperatively, share resources and manage minor difficulties.

Children are consistently supported to collaborate and make a positive contribution to their setting community. For example, children enthusiastically help to tidy resources and confidently recognise where equipment belongs. During group activities, children listen respectfully and eagerly contribute their ideas. Leaders are highly reflective and recognise opportunities to further strengthen turn-taking when children become particularly enthusiastic.

Leaders place importance on attendance. They consistently monitor attendance and promptly contact families when children do not attend as expected. Leaders are effective in identifying individual circumstances and working constructively with families to reduce barriers to attendance.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Staff consistently place children's welfare at the centre of their practice. They are highly vigilant and maintain effective oversight throughout the day, including during eating and personal care routines. Mealtimes are managed safely and consistently, with careful consideration of age-appropriate food, allergies and appropriate supervision. Staff position themselves effectively, ensuring children remain closely supervised while eating. Healthy practices are consistently reinforced, including effective handwashing before meals.

Staff have a secure understanding of children's individual physical and emotional care needs. Sleep routines are highly responsive to individual children, rather than determined by fixed routines. Key persons sensitively support children to settle and ensure arrangements reflect children's changing needs. Staff consistently recognise children's emotional cues and respond warmly with reassurance, comfort or additional time when needed. These highly effective interactions have a positive impact on children's emotional security and help them regulate their emotions successfully.

Leaders have a strong understanding of how effective care, supervision and responsive routines promote children's safety, health and emotional wellbeing. They are highly reflective and consistently review arrangements as children's needs change. This has a highly positive impact on children, who experience safe, responsive and individualised care throughout their time at the setting.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders demonstrate consistently reflective and committed leadership. They understand the setting's strengths and accurately identify opportunities to strengthen practice. Leaders respond positively to professional discussion and carefully consider improvements. Their decisions place children's best interests at the centre, demonstrating a clear commitment to continually developing the quality of provision.

Leaders maintain effective oversight of children's safety and additional needs. Strong partnerships with parents, carers, external professionals and the wider community enable information and expertise to be shared effectively. Parents are valued as important partners, helping leaders and staff understand children's individual needs and provide appropriate, consistent support.

Leaders prioritise professional learning and identify opportunities to strengthen knowledge and confidence. However, leaders require further training to develop their confidence around online safety. For example, opportunities to support children's understanding of safe digital technology use are not consistently embedded. Further training would enable leaders to support practitioners more confidently.

Staff wellbeing and workload are carefully considered. Leaders understand individual circumstances and organise responsibilities sensitively. They reflect on staff deployment and recognise where responsibilities could be distributed more effectively as practitioners' expertise and confidence develop. This thoughtful approach supports staff wellbeing while maintaining effective provision and positive experiences for children.