Precious Little Ones daycare nursery and Forest School

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders have a clear understanding of children's individual needs. They work closely with parents to identify children's emerging needs, gaps and/or barriers in children's learning. Staff complete their own assessments of children's development, and monitor the progress children are making. Staff seek support internally from leaders to help them identify next steps for children to achieve.

When significant concerns are raised about children's development, leaders make timely referrals to other professionals. For instance, when staff identify delays in children's speech development. This ensures children receive the specialist support they require from external professionals. Staff follow and implement support plans and review these with parents and other professionals. When staff identify early gaps in children's learning, they set appropriate next steps and make changes to the environment to help ensure children are able to address them. For example, providing space and equipment for children to build on their physical skills, such as walking and pulling themselves up. Leaders do not consistently seek advice or strategies from other professionals when these early concerns are raised. This does not ensure that all children receive the early help they require.

Leaders monitor the use of any additional funding received, considering how it can be used to have the best impact on children. For instance, on staff training, purchasing equipment and/or resources, and providing new experiences for children. Leaders work well with carers and other professionals, to support children who are known, or previously known, to children's social care. They attend meetings and regularly gather and share key information about children. This helps to ensure these children continue to receive the support and care they require to thrive.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders and staff take positive steps to ensure all children are able to access the learning environment and experiences. They use their knowledge of child development to create a sequenced curriculum, which covers all areas of learning. Staff generally have an understanding of the aims of the curriculum for the age of children they work with. Leaders have an understanding of where staff's teaching practice could be improved. During focused activities, staff think carefully about what they want children to learn. For instance, older children learn how magnets work and make things stick together. Babies receive lots of reassurance from staff as they explore sensory items, such as flour, mud, water and grass, with their hands and feet. Staff surround them with language, as they describe the textures as 'cold', 'wet', 'spiky', 'smooth'. Younger children develop their resilience as they attempt to stick blocks together. Staff support them to count and teach them language, such as 'on top' and 'next to', as they build.

Children of all ages get lots of opportunities to listen to stories. At times, during free play, some staff lack the knowledge of how they can further extend children's thinking as they play. Consequently, all children do not have the same opportunities to consistently build on their knowledge and skills as they play.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children typically make progress in their learning from their starting points. They are generally ready for the next stage in their learning, including their eventual move to school. Children learn new skills, such as how to play socially with their peers. They practise how to share resources and play cooperatively with one another. Children start to understand the importance of eating healthily and why they should wash their hands before eating. They start to learn about their similarities and differences.

Children learn about the world around them. For instance, through gardening and forest school experiences, they learn about nature and what plants and seeds need to grow. Children develop their mathematical understanding, as they practice counting in sequence, learn about 'big', 'small', 'above' and 'underneath'. They are generally confident communicators. Younger babies and children use gestures and sounds to make their wishes known. Older children learn how to speak using words and sentences. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities typically make progress in their learning from their starting points. At times, during free play, some children do not fully extend their knowledge and skills as they play.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Staff are positive role models. They praise children for their effort and what they do well. This works well and supports children's self-esteem. For instance, younger children smile with pride as they learn how to pull themselves up and take steps. Staff talk to children in a positive and professional manner, occasionally reminding them of the rules. However, they do not consistently support children to fully understand the boundaries for their behaviour. Consequently, some unwanted behaviours can be repeated and children do not consistently learn how to play safely. For instance, when they play on the swings or when accessing some learning experiences.

Staff support children to share with one another. Children sustain their engagement and show an eagerness to join in. They start to develop their independence and confidence in their environment, choosing what they would like to play with. Staff notice when children require more support to join in, and provide them with the reassurance needed. They surround children with lots of care and love. This helps children to feel secure and happy. Staff adapt the routine as required to help them better meet children's individual needs. For example, when children become tired.

Leaders carefully monitor children's attendance. They work well with parents to help identify any reasons for absences and to determine where further support may be required. Leaders signpost to other agencies and professionals in the local area if needed, to help remove any barriers which may affect children's attendance.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders acknowledge the need to continuously ensure the risk assessment for learning experiences is consistently implemented by all staff, and have already started to take this action. This is having a positive impact on children's welfare. Staff are reflective and learn how they can make changes to activities to help prevent accidents from recurring. They follow the setting's procedures for recording and reporting accidents to parents. Staff do not consistently support children to learn the boundaries for their behaviour. As a result, they can start to play unsafely.

Leaders take steps to ensure the correct staff-to-child ratio is met. All children, including those who are new to the setting, form secure and warm relationships with the staff who care for them. They are confident to seek staff out. Staff notice when children are becoming tired. They place them to sleep with high levels of care and love. There are suitable facilities available for children to sleep on. Staff carefully monitor children as they sleep. Children have access to a range of balanced and healthy cooked meals, which they enjoy. Children learn to feed themselves, and staff deploy themselves well as children eat, to ensure they remain in sight and hearing. Children have lots of opportunities to play outside and to become physically active. For instance, children move themselves on bikes, climb up appropriate play equipment and laugh as they play 'chase' outside.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders are reflective and passionate. They take all complaints seriously. Leaders use their own observations, and the feedback from others, to help identify areas where the nursery is performing well and areas where improvements can be made. They are keen to continue to improve the overall quality of the setting over time. Leaders acknowledge that they need to further enhance some staff's teaching, to ensure all children are supported to make the best possible progress they can. Leaders also identify that they want to further enhance staff's organisation in the room.

Leaders regularly observe staff's teaching practice. They provide staff with feedback about their performance and coach them in the moment. Supervisions are used to help identify further training opportunities for staff, with an aim to further develop their knowledge and skills. Staff speak positively about the support they receive from leaders. They value how leaders support their own wellbeing and workload.

Leaders work well with parents to share and gather information about the children. Parents praise leaders and staff for how their children are settled and developing. Leaders ensure that parents are kept informed about their child's progress. They provide parents with resources, activities and information about how they can continue their child's learning at home. Leaders are keen to continue developing their partnership with parents. For instance, to strengthen their knowledge about other agencies and/or professionals available in the local area, where families can be signposted to, if they require further help.