Positive Steps Childcare LTD

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders and staff work closely together to help make sure that all children learning benefit from a welcoming and inclusive environment. They assess children's individual needs and any barriers to their learning. Staff appropriately identify areas where children need additional support. Ongoing review and reflection, in the main, help to ensure that leaders recognise when interventions for children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, have been successful or when further adaptations are needed.

Leaders and staff work sensitively with parents and carers. They understand the importance of building trusting relationships. Leaders complete home visits to enable them to see children in their familiar environment and to help build a rapport with them and their families from the start. This helps leaders and staff to identify any concerns about children's development early and put appropriate interventions in place.

Leaders and staff work with external agencies to help ensure appropriate support for each individual child. Leaders demonstrate a sound understanding of the appropriate use of funding. They ensure that this is used to benefit the individual children it is for.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders and staff design a curriculum that reflects the needs of children that attend, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those with barriers to their learning. Staff use observation and assessment effectively to identify what they want children to learn next. They work closely with parents and carers and gather useful information from them to help understand children's backgrounds and experiences. Leaders and staff recognise where children need the most support. They use their knowledge of individual children well to help inform the activities they provide.

Staff work well together to ensure that all children receive appropriate support and are included. Overall, their interactions with children are positive. Staff promote children's love of books. They regularly read to children. Staff's engaging delivery helps to capture children's interest and enjoyment. Staff regularly revisit favourite books with children and encourage them to think and share what they remember about the familiar story. Staff introduce new words and repeat them in both English and children's home languages to help support children's understanding. However, on occasion, staff do not consistently make sure that the information they offer is accurate or built upon. This does not help to avoid any misconceptions and extend children's knowledge further.

Typically, staff introduce mathematical ideas through children's play, activities and routines. For example, staff narrate play and incorporate mathematical language, such as 'full', 'empty', 'heavy' and 'light', as children play with sand. Staff encourage children to join in and count the number of scoops it takes to fill a container.

Achievement: Expected standard

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those with barriers to their learning, make steady progress from their starting points. Overall, children develop the key skills they need ready for their next stage in learning and move on to school.

Children develop the confidence they need to separate from their parents and carers. Typically, children develop appropriate communication skills, and engage in conversation with staff and each other as they play. Children gain important social skills and learn to manage their emotions. They learn to share, take turns and build warm relationships with staff and their peers. Children understand the rules and expectations for behaviour and engage positively in the daily routine.

Children receive encouragement to do things for themselves and be independent. They wash their hands, put on their shoes and make choices and decisions. Children develop their small-muscle strength as they use their hands and tools to pat, squeeze and roll dough.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders and staff implement a consistent approach to helping children to understand the expectations for their behaviour. They are positive role models, lead by example and help children to understand the impact of their behaviour on others. Leaders offer lots of praise and encouragement. This contributes positively to children's sense of achievement and confidence. Staff use visual tools to help children to understand and recognise their emotions. For example, they consider how the environment can impact on how children feel. Children build positive relationships with staff and each other. They learn to share and take turns, and play cooperatively with each other.

Typically, children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face barriers to their learning, demonstrate a positive attitude and motivation to join in. Generally, children are supported appropriately by staff, and remain engaged in activities that they enjoy. However, staff do not consistently motivate children to want to find out more and extend what they know and can do.

Leaders and staff understand the importance of attendance and punctuality. They promote and help families to develop consistent routines to support children's learning now and in the future. Leaders monitor and follow up on unexplained non-attendance to help support children's safety and wellbeing.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders ensure that robust policies and procedures are in place, are up to date and reflect current guidance and expectations. They ensure that these are understood by staff and consistently implemented to support children's welfare and wellbeing. Leaders and staff take time to get to know children and their parents and carers well. They promote a regular two-way exchange of information to help ensure children's care and needs are consistently met.

Leaders and staff work hard to create a welcoming environment, where children can play safely indoors and outside. They actively promote healthy lifestyles through activities and daily routines while considering children's different lifestyles and experiences. Leaders and staff ensure that children are supervised and remain seated at all times when they are eating, to promote their safety. Staff take time to explain to children why this is important to help build healthy habits for the future. Staff talk to children and encourage them to make healthy food choices at snack time, and talk about the importance of keeping hydrated. Staff are positive role models and hygiene routines are well established. Children learn about the importance of washing their hands before eating and how to appropriately brush their teeth.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders have worked effectively with staff to make the necessary improvements since the last inspection. They have an action plan in place and share a commitment to continue to develop and further improve the quality of the provision.

Leaders and staff work very well together. Leaders recognise and value staff's knowledge, skills and contributions. Staff wellbeing is high. Leaders demonstrate a proactive approach to continually improving their own and staff's knowledge and practice through training and research. They recognise the importance of reflecting on their own and each other's practice, offering constructive feedback during daily discussions and planned supervision meetings.

Leaders and staff understand the importance of working in partnership with parents and carers. They maintain frequent contact through daily discussions at arrival and drop-off times. Leaders share the setting's policies and procedures with parents. They advise them on relevant guidance, often translated into different languages to help ensure that all parents are kept well informed. Leaders and staff engage positively with other agencies and professionals to help support children's care and education both at the setting and when it is time for children to move on, including to school.