Precious Wings

Inclusion: Needs attention

Systems in place for assessing children's progress and planning next steps do not yet focus precisely on their unique developmental needs. This somewhat limits the progress that children make. There are some effective adaptations and adjustments in place for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) that help them to become involved in activities. For example, staff make good use of the sensory room to soothe children and help them regulate their emotions. However, leaders do not yet ensure that all children reach their potential. For example, while they implement a communication screening tool, leaders do not routinely share findings with key persons so that they can implement targeted interventions. This leads to inconsistency in the support children receive to develop their communication skills. Overall, staff identify concerns about children and initiate sensitive conversations with parents. This helps families to access external services that children with SEND may benefit from.

Leaders identify children receiving additional funding. However, it is unclear how this funding is used to positively impact children's individual learning and development. Leaders work in partnership with external agencies and professionals. They make contact with education settings, and also support parents through change. This helps children with SEND and those with other barriers to learning feel better prepared for the next stage of their education.

Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention

Leaders have not yet designed and implemented a curriculum that is sufficiently well sequenced and ambitious to ensure that all children make the best possible progress. For example, while staff develop next steps for children, it is not clear how these are consistently implemented into the learning opportunities on offer. Leaders do not yet place enough emphasis on the physical, personal, social and emotional development of babies and children to meet their unique needs. Staff members talk with children as they play, and children respond positively to them. However, the majority of adult interactions focus on instructional language and closed questions. This approach does not promote children's thinking and speaking skills effectively as they are not consistently encouraged to explore and extend their own thoughts and ideas.

Children enjoy spending time outdoors. While they have the opportunity to ride on wheeled toys, these are not always of an appropriate size to fully support children's development. For example, some smaller children cannot reach the pedals on the tricycles they use. Children in the toddler room enjoy using utensils to mix the mud they have added to the saucepans and older children are interested in filling and emptying jugs with lentils, using funnels. However, staff members do not consistently extend children's understanding of mathematics as they explore these resources. Children generally respond positively to staff as they engage in adult-led activities, such as cutting fruit to examine seeds. This helps to connect children's prior experiences of planting.

Achievement: Needs attention

Babies and children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make some progress from their starting points. However, they are not yet consistently achieving the best possible outcomes, meaning that children do not yet typically reach their potential across all 7 areas of learning. This is because learning is not consistently well sequenced or matched to children's individual needs. Children learn to interact positively with others and, overall, grow into confident communicators. As they develop, children become increasingly able to express their needs, seek support when required and share their feelings.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Needs attention

Leaders and staff have developed the 'golden rules' that are shared daily with pre-school children during group time. Although staff build positive relationships with children, they do not make the most of daily opportunities to embed the rules through simple explanations. For example, they ask children to 'get down' when they climb on furniture, rather than explain why this behaviour is unsafe. This does not extend children's understanding of their own health and safety effectively. Staff do not consistently consider the individual developmental needs of children with regard to their behaviour. For example, children are reminded they are not 'doing good sitting' if they do not cross their legs at group time. This is uncomfortable for some children, which makes it difficult for them to concentrate and remain engaged in adult-led teaching.

When older children engage in self-led play, they generally behave well, making choices and cooperating during tabletop activities. They demonstrate that they are learning to share resources, and staff support younger children to take turns and play alongside their peers as they explore sensory trays. Leaders promote children's regular attendance by implementing procedures that help families understand the importance of this. These procedures also support children in developing good habits for the future.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Needs attention

Leaders have not yet implemented effective procedures that consistently prioritise the welfare and wellbeing of babies. They do not support staff effectively in providing nurturing care and a safe environment that meets the unique needs of the youngest children. Leaders do not prioritise environmental hygiene. For example, older children learn to wash their hands after toileting, but bathrooms are not regularly checked to ensure a hygienic environment. Therefore, appropriate support for children's understanding of their own health and safety is not typically promoted.

Play spaces for babies provide some opportunities for them to explore. For example, they have access to equipment to practise crawling and climbing. Although children form relationships with staff, care is not consistently nurturing or well organised for babies. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) seek comfort from staff in a way that supports their feelings of security and emotional wellbeing. Staff typically respond sensitively to the needs of children with SEND and model language that supports children in recognising their own feelings and those of their peers.

Leaders engage in an external programme that supports children to make healthy food choices. They introduce new foods, which helps build children's knowledge and understanding of different food groups. Parents comment positively on how this has encouraged children to eat healthier foods. Leaders and staff support children to understand the importance of oral health through routines and play opportunities.

Leadership and governance: Needs attention

Leaders have developed a clear action plan from the previous inspection, which they are continuing to implement in order to drive improvement across the setting. Leaders have taken some steps to identify strengths. However, they have not accurately identified the areas that require prompt action, such as the arrangements for babies' sleep. This suggests that leaders do not consistently make decisions in the best interests of all babies and children. While staff attend training sessions and access continued professional development opportunities, leaders are not yet accurately identifying or addressing key areas for improvement. Leaders engage in regular one-to-one meetings with staff members who report that they are able to manage the workload expected of them.

Leaders and staff members build working relationships with other providers. This contributes positively to smooth transitions as children, particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or barriers to learning, move on to the next stage of their education.