Minee Monkeys

Inclusion: Needs attention

Leaders do not ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive support that is implemented consistently well to meet their needs and reduce barriers to their learning. Staff identify children's needs and complete assessments, but do not use this information precisely enough. Leaders and staff engage with external professionals and put personalised plans in place for children. However, support is not implemented consistently well in practice. Staff do not always adapt teaching and interactions to meet children's individual needs throughout the day. For example, some children are expected to take part in group times that are not developmentally appropriate for their stage of understanding, language development or attention. At times, activities are overly long and staff do not adapt the content or interactions well enough to support children's engagement and participation. Staff approaches are not implemented consistently enough to help children access learning fully. As a result, children's engagement is reduced and they do not make the progress they are capable of.

Leaders do not monitor the impact of support precisely enough or ensure that strategies are reviewed and adapted in a timely way. As a result, support is not tailored closely enough to children's changing needs, and barriers to learning are not reduced as well as they should be.

Leaders use additional funding to provide targeted support for children. For example, they incorporate musical sessions into the curriculum to support children experiencing language delay and to develop their listening skills. This demonstrates the intention to use funding to address identified needs and support children's development. Staff are aware of some children's home languages and use some strategies to support communication, including simplified language.

Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention

Leaders do not ensure that the curriculum is implemented consistently well to support children's learning and development. While a curriculum is in place that covers all areas of learning, leaders do not ensure that teaching is adapted effectively to meet children's individual needs. Staff provide some helpful learning experiences to support children's development. Children engage in role play, such as caring for baby dolls, which helps them make links to their own experiences. Staff also use books as a key teaching tool to support children's language and early literacy development. These experiences support children's enjoyment and engagement in learning.

The quality of teaching is inconsistent. Staff's knowledge of child development is variable and gaps in some staff's understanding mean that learning experiences are not always matched appropriately to children's age and stage of development, particularly for babies. For example, staff provide babies with writing tools that they are not physically ready for. At times, there is an over reliance on adult-led activities, which reduces opportunities for children to lead their own play and learning, especially for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. For example, staff read books to some children with content and language that is beyond their level of understanding. As a result, children become disengaged and are unable to access the learning intended.

Assessment is not used precisely enough to inform teaching. Staff identify next steps in learning more securely for older children than for babies. For example, activities for babies are not consistently matched to their developmental stage or emerging interests and staff interactions are reduced at times, due to routines and staff deployment. This means that babies are not supported consistently well to develop the communication, attention and independence skills they need for their transition into the toddler room. This variability means that learning is not consistently matched to children's developmental needs or their preparation for the next stage in learning.

Achievement: Needs attention

Children do not consistently develop the knowledge and skills they need across all areas of learning. While some children make progress, this is not secure for all groups of children, especially younger children. As a result, not all children achieve as well as they should from their starting points.

Some older children demonstrate age-appropriate skills. They communicate confidently with others, talk about their experiences and engage in simple imaginative play. They develop a 'can-do' attitude and listen attentively during story time. These skills support their readiness for the next stage of learning. However, this is not consistent across the setting. Babies and younger children do not always develop skills appropriate to their age and stage of development. They do not consistently develop their communication or exploratory skills due to reduced interactions by staff to engage them in purposeful learning.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities do not consistently make the progress they are capable of. This is because support is not implemented effectively enough to reduce barriers to their learning, such as to develop their communication and language skills.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Needs attention

Leaders do not ensure that daily routines are organised effectively to support children's learning and engagement. At key points in the day, particularly in the morning, children spend too much time waiting during transitions, such as snack, lunch and toileting routines. Although children wait patiently, this reduces the time children have to play, explore and engage in purposeful learning.

Children form positive relationships with staff and their peers. Older children cooperate with one another during play and follow simple expectations, such as sitting at the table and taking turns. Staff support children to begin to regulate their feelings and behaviour and help them understand how their actions impact others. Children attend regularly and leaders communicate with parents to understand and support any absence.

The quality of provision to support children's attitudes to learning is variable. Children are more motivated and engaged, when staff provide learning experiences that are matched to their stage of development. However, this is not consistent across the setting. At some times of the day, particularly for younger children, staff do not provide sufficiently purposeful or well-matched learning experiences. In addition, weaknesses in staff deployment reduce the quality of interactions and support available. At times, some children are not supported effectively to sustain their engagement or develop their attention.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Urgent improvement

Leaders do not ensure that children's welfare and wellbeing are met effectively. They do not ensure that staff implement policies and procedures, therefore, care and supervision compromises children's safety and places them at risk of harm.

Staff do not supervise children closely enough during mealtimes. This places children at risk of choking, including the risk of silent choking, as staff are not always positioned to observe children directly. While some food is prepared appropriately, safer eating practices are not consistently followed. For example, younger children, including toddlers, are given whole sausages during mealtimes and are expected to manage cutting these independently. However, staff do not consistently consider whether this is developmentally appropriate or adapt supervision and food preparation to reduce risk. Not all staff, including those working with babies, have received training in safe food preparation. This means that food is not always prepared in a way that promotes children's safety and wellbeing.

Staff support children to begin to understand and manage their emotions. For example, they have introduced a 'calm area' and resources to help children self-regulate. However, in the baby room, weaknesses in staff deployment mean that staff are not always able to respond promptly to children's care and emotional needs. As a result, some children receive reduced attention and supervision during routines and play. Staff do not consistently identify and manage risks effectively, and some resources are not suitable for children's age and stage of development. This exposes children to avoidable hazards, such as choking hazards from resources with small pieces.

Leadership and governance: Urgent improvement

Leaders have poor oversight of the setting. They have not ensured that statutory requirements are met, including those relating to safeguarding, safer eating and risk assessment. As a result, weaknesses in practice compromise children's safety and wellbeing. Leaders have not ensured that staff understand and implement policies and procedures consistently, including those relating to reporting concerns about children.

Leaders do not monitor the quality of teaching and care precisely enough. Weaknesses in staff deployment, supervision and teaching have not been identified or addressed effectively. As a result, staff practice is inconsistent and children's care, learning and safety are not supported well enough. Leaders do not ensure that staff are deployed effectively. Although overall ratios are met, staff are not deployed appropriately within rooms. For example, one member of staff was responsible for supervising a group of 10 toddlers at breakfast while also greeting parents, requiring them to leave children unsupervised.

Professional development is not sharply focused. While staff receive some training, this is not targeted effectively to address gaps in knowledge, including child development and safe food preparation. This means that staff do not have the expertise they need to carry out their roles effectively.

Leaders maintain communication with parents and share information about children's care and development. Staff report that leaders are supportive and consider their wellbeing. However, weaknesses in leadership and oversight mean that the setting is not providing a safe or consistently effective environment for children.