Melling Preschool

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders create an inclusive culture. Staff know children well and identify children's individual needs promptly. They use observations, assessment tools, such as recognised communication screening tools, and information from parents and carers to identify emerging needs and provide early support.

Leaders work effectively with parents and carers and professionals, such as speech and language therapists, to secure appropriate support, including education, health and care plans where needed. Furthermore, staff implement a graduated approach to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff receive relevant training that strengthens their understanding of the graduated approach and how to identify, assess and review support effectively. This helps staff apply agreed strategies consistently in practice.

Staff reduce barriers to children's learning by adapting routines, using visual supports and objects of reference, and setting small-step targets. For example, they identify emerging needs through observation and introduce targeted strategies, such as small-group support. Staff review children's progress regularly to decide whether additional or specialist support is required. Leaders monitor children's progress and review support to improve outcomes for children.

Leaders promote the importance of regular attendance and work with families to support children's engagement in the setting. Leaders also use funding, including early years pupil premium where applicable, appropriately to support disadvantaged children, which contributes positively to their progress.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders provide an ambitious curriculum that supports children's learning across all areas. This helps children to build confidence and independence from their starting points. The curriculum includes regular opportunities for children's learning indoors and outdoors and reflects children's different interests and needs.

Staff support children's communication and language through regular conversations, questioning and modelling new words. For example, staff encourage children to use vocabulary, such as 'precious' to describe special objects, or 'binoculars' during their play. This helps children to explain their ideas more clearly. Staff also support early mathematics through everyday activities. For example, they introduce mathematical vocabulary, such as 'cylinder', as children use loose parts to create models. Outdoors, staff encourage children to count movements during games, such as how many times they hop during a game of hopscotch. This helps children to apply early mathematical skills naturally within their play.

Staff also place appropriate emphasis on children's physical development and personal, social and emotional development through the curriculum. Children develop their large and small muscle control as they take part in a range of planned indoor and outdoor experiences, including active movement and using malleable materials. Others engage in imaginative play, showing that learning opportunities reflect different interests and preferences.

Staff encourage children to talk about their feelings during play. Children recognise emotions, such as feeling happy and sad. They begin to notice similarities and differences between their own feelings and those of others. However, teaching is not yet consistent. For example, at times, staff continue group activities when some children lose interest, and quieter children do not always receive enough support to take part fully. Therefore, some children do not benefit as fully from the intended learning.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children make progress across the areas of learning and development, particularly in their communication and language. They listen attentively to one another, take turns in conversation and share ideas during play and group activities. Many children use increasingly confident language to explain what they are doing and to express their needs.

Children who face barriers to learning, including disadvantaged children and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, achieve appropriately from their starting points. They take part in activities alongside their peers and develop growing confidence. However, some children benefit more consistently than others, particularly during group activities where not all children are equally supported to remain engaged and participate fully.

Overall, children develop independence and positive attitudes to learning. They manage simple self-care tasks, make choices in their play and show perseverance when activities become more challenging. Older children are prepared suitably for their next stage of learning and benefit from transition arrangements that help them move on with confidence.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders promote the importance of punctuality and attendance and work with families when attendance affects children's engagement and learning. Staff take account of children's age and stage of development and individual circumstances when supporting children's behaviour. For example, staff give children who arrive unsettled reassurance and time to regulate before joining activities.

Leaders establish a calm and positive environment where children clearly understand the expectations for their behaviour. Staff build warm and respectful relationships with children. This supports children's sense of security and willingness to engage. Children behave well, cooperate with one another and show positive attitudes to learning. They respond promptly to staff and show pride in following routines.

Staff use routines effectively to support children's behaviour and transitions. For example, they use a tambourine to signal timings during the session. When children hear the tambourine to indicate that 5 minutes of play remain, they stop what they are doing, put their hands up and listen attentively. When staff use the tambourine again, children tidy up independently and calmly. This consistent approach helps children to manage transitions smoothly and develop skills in regulating their emotions.

However, staff do not apply their expectations consistently across all routines. For example, while staff encourage children to manage their self-care and wash their hands before snacks and after toileting, they do not consistently support children to wash their hands on arrival before sitting down for breakfast. This inconsistency limits how effectively routines promote children's independence.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Staff meet children's individual care needs effectively. They know children well and provide reassurance and emotional support, particularly for children experiencing changes or challenges at home. Secure and responsive relationships help children to feel emotionally safe and confident to take part in daily routines and activities.

Staff support children to develop their physical development, personal safety, health and wellbeing. Children take part in regular physical activity, particularly during outdoor play. They ride bicycles, run with friends and join energetic games that raise their heart rates and support developing stamina and coordination. Other children choose quieter activities, such as imaginative role play outdoors. This shows that the provision meets a range of needs and preferences.

Staff promote healthy eating and manage children's medical and dietary needs effectively. Mealtimes are calm and sociable. Children develop independence and positive social skills as they serve themselves and manage their belongings. Children independently carry out self-care routines and show an understanding of washing their hands to remove germs after activities, such as blowing their noses. However, staff do not apply hygiene routines consistently across the day. As a result, children do not always develop an understanding of secure and consistent habits that support a healthy lifestyle.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders understand the setting's context. They work collaboratively to establish and maintain effective systems, routines and a curriculum that meet the needs of all children. Leaders accurately identify strengths and areas for development. They remain open to developing the setting further.

Leaders make decisions in the best interests of children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those facing barriers to learning. They use funding appropriately to support inclusive practice and children's wellbeing. For example, leaders have purchased specialist resources, such as chew toys, to support children with sensory needs. This helps children to regulate their behaviour and engage more effectively in learning and daily routines. In addition, leaders review staff's practice and take appropriate action to strengthen systems where improvement is needed. For example, leaders have strengthened accident recording procedures following reflection on practice. This demonstrates leaders' commitment to continuous improvement.

Leaders support staff's wellbeing through regular supervision sessions and an open-door culture. This helps staff to feel valued and supported. Leaders provide access to professional development opportunities. However, staff largely self-direct their training, so it is not sufficiently targeted. As a result, improvements in staff's practice are not applied consistently for all children.