Millies House Nursery And Preschool

Inclusion: Needs attention

There is a general inclusive culture. However, leaders have not ensured yet that all staff consistently adapt their teaching appropriately. Leaders identify children who need additional help and know the strategies they want staff to use to support children with barriers to their learning. However, they do not provide enough guidance to staff to ensure they use these strategies consistently. As a result, some children do not always get the help they need to fully take part into activities or receive targeted play opportunities. This limits the progress of some children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Leaders understand how to use additional funding to support disadvantaged children. For example, they would use funds to purchase resources to provide tailored support for children or to organise outings that would provide children with experiences they might not access elsewhere.

Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention

Children are happy to arrive at the setting and keen to engage in activities of their choice. Leaders attempt to create a curriculum that covers all areas of learning and supports children's development, both indoor and outdoor. However, the implementation of the curriculum varies across the age groups. Additionally, staff's interactions to support children's learning are variable. Therefore, children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are not always engaged in meaningful learning opportunities. Leaders' ambitions to improve this are appropriate. However, their plans for improvement are not fully embedded yet.

Children generally have access to activities that extend their learning. For example, babies explore open-ended resources, which promote their curiosity and language skills. Older children enjoy mark making and painting. There is a positive focus on promoting communication and language, with books and songs incorporated into the daily routine. Children's physical development is promoted well. For example, they have opportunities to run freely, climb and balance in the garden. Children manipulate play dough and complete threading activities that support their small-muscle development.

Achievement: Needs attention

Children show a love for outdoor learning and secure physical skills, such balance and coordination, when playing in the setting's garden. Younger children enjoy walking up and down bridges, while older children pedal on tricycles and climb apparatus. However, due to weaknesses in practice, their learning is not extended as much as it could be and it is sometimes interrupted. As a result, children, including those who face barriers to learning, do not always build effectively on what they already know. Consequently, progress is not consistently secure across all areas of learning.

Overall, children make some progress from their starting points. They develop confidence and are effective communicators. For example, they are eager to greet visitors and share their thoughts with them. Children invite staff to join them in activities, such as when playing with tractors at the sand tray.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Needs attention

Staff are not consistent in how they manage children's behaviour. They do not always establish consistent boundaries to support children to understand what is expected from them. Some staff do not have the necessary skills to tackle unwanted behaviours yet. For example, staff ask children to stop running in the classroom, when children refuse staff do not address this swiftly. As a result, some children do not learn the impact that their behaviour is having or appreciate the consequences of their actions.

The organisation of the daily routines sometimes hinders children's behaviour. At times, transitions between activities take too long and children lose interest. For example, children wait too long while lining up to go back indoors, which results in them becoming restless.

Relationships between staff and children are positive. Staff are kind and respectful and form warm bonds with children. Babies seek out staff for reassurance and to share cuddles. Older children are eager to share their ideas with familiar adults.

Leaders encourage punctuality, monitor attendance and swiftly follow up concerns. They work with parents to support their understanding of the importance to bring their children regularly and on time. This helps children to build suitable habits for the future.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Children develop an awareness of how to keep healthy and manage their personal needs. For example, staff teach them how to keep safe from the heat. Children understand why they put hats and sun cream on to go and play outside on sunny days. They explain they do this to not get sunburnt. Children develop effective hygiene practices. They routinely wash their hands after playing and before mealtimes.

Staff build positive relationships with children and their families. Children show they feel happy and confident in the care of the staff. Babies smile and stretch their arms to familiar adults. Older children call their key person to join them and play together, and are eager to show them their achievements.

Children are provided with healthy and balanced meals and have daily opportunities to enjoy fresh air and exercise. Older children develop their physical skills, enjoying running, jumping and sliding in the well-equipped garden. Babies have opportunities to pull themselves up to stand and are encouraged to take their first steps.

Staff provide calm and flexible sleep routines. They gently talk to babies while preparing them for their nap and allow them to wake up naturally. This supports babies' individual needs. Staff follow safe sleeping practice and monitor children while they rest.

Leadership and governance: Needs attention

Leaders acknowledge that there are areas of the setting that need improvement. They have plans for development, but these have not been fully implemented yet to improve children's outcomes. This means that children do not always benefit fully from their experiences at the setting.

Although leaders conduct regular staff supervision, this is not sharp enough to enable staff to receive meaningful feedback. Staff benefit from some professional development, such as in mandatory subjects like safeguarding. However, leaders do not target staff training well enough for it to drive changes. This limits improvements in practice, including in regard to behaviour strategies and consistently high-quality interactions.

Leaders have introduced systems to ease the workload for staff. For example, they are given out of classroom time to complete observations and individual plans. However, these measures are still in their infancy.

Leaders and staff communicate well with parents on a daily basis and through more formal opportunities. Parents praise the loving and caring staff and report their children thoroughly enjoy their time at the setting.