Pure Imagination Childcare

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders are dedicated to ensuring they provide an inclusive environment that meets the needs of all children. Leaders and staff know the children well, fostering a sense of belonging and inclusion. Parents value staff's commitment to adapting planned activities and experiences to meet their children's needs. Staff work alongside other professionals, such as health visitors and children's social care. These collaborative relationships enable staff to assess children's individual needs, set next steps and review progress. This ensures that changing needs are quickly identified, reducing barriers to children's learning.

Leaders support the staff team to ensure the environment is thoughtfully planned to meet the needs of all children, for example providing children with weaker physical skills the opportunity to run, balance and climb daily, reducing gaps in children's development. Staff support all children to keep trying when they encounter difficulties, and children display pride when they achieve their goals.

Leaders use early years pupil premium funding purposefully to support children's development, for example by purchasing additional resources to help children achieve their next steps or membership to local wildlife parks to extend children's experiences beyond the setting. Monitoring the impact of additional funding ensures it makes a positive difference to children's learning and development.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Warm, responsive relationships with staff give the children a secure place from which to learn and grow. Leaders support children to gain the knowledge and skills they need to be ready for their next stage in education, both for moving to the older room and for transitioning to school. Leaders understand how children learn these skills in sequence, for example, from babies finding their own drink bottle to older children independently pouring their drinks. Staff encourage children to do things for themselves, such as opening packets from their lunch boxes.

Staff typically understand children's individual needs and how to support them in making progress. However, interactions with children are not consistently used to extend children's learning. For example, routines such as handwashing and snack time are not always used as opportunities to build on what children know and can do. Children are provided with opportunities to listen to and recall favourite stories and rhymes. The setting places a strong emphasis on giving children the opportunity to practise their physical skills in the intentionally resourced outdoor space. Children are given opportunities to practise mathematical concepts such as numbers and quantities.

Leaders and staff work closely with parents and other professionals to ensure that their teaching and the environment they provide meet the individual needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities or who face barriers to their learning.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children's ability to develop the skills they need is nurtured in this inclusive environment. For example, children make rapid progress in their physical development by having opportunities to climb different levels and surfaces. Children attempt new skills with motivation and display pride in their achievements.

Children's other prime areas of development are demonstrated through sharing books, singing songs, using actions and following spoken instruction, all of which support their communication and language development. Children engage in activities that support their personal and social development, such as discussing their emotions, sharing and taking turns.

Children are typically achieving well from their starting points, enabling them to prepare for their next stage of learning.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders and staff set high expectations for rules and boundaries, creating an environment where children can follow and understand routines, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or who face barriers to their learning. Leaders share with parents the importance of regular attendance and proactively remove barriers to it, helping children form good habits for future learning. This positively impacts children's opportunities to achieve, belong and thrive.

Children are supported in remembering the rules. For example, they are reminded to walk when near the water tray because the floor is slippery and they might fall. This helps children understand how to keep themselves safe at nursery.

Staff model collaboration to support children to take turns. For example, when children have finished, staff ask them to let their friend have a turn and praise them for good waiting and turn-taking.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders and staff provide a welcoming environment for all babies and children, who arrive eager to play and learn. Staff model how children can manage their emotions through the warm and positive attachments they have with their key person. For example, staff acknowledge the emotions children display, name them and offer support to regulate them, such as a gentle cuddle or a story. This enables children to learn to self-regulate and manage their emotions independently. Parents comment on how these positive relationships with staff support their children's overall wellbeing.

During nappy changes, safeguarding children is carefully considered by using a screen to provide children with privacy while carrying out personal care routines. Babies are closely supervised when eating, and staff check with leaders to ensure that food is cut to the appropriate size for each baby's age and stage of weaning. Food in children's lunch boxes is typically healthy and in line with nutrition guidance for young children. Leaders support parents to make healthy choices in the lunches they provide by inviting a nutritionist into the setting.

Leaders and staff are knowledgeable of safer sleeping arrangements and have designated areas for sleepers where resting children are frequently checked.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders are proactive in implementing new guidance, such as safer sleep and nutrition guidance, to ensure children are kept healthy and safe.

Leaders work in partnership with parents to promote the best outcomes for children, particularly for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities or those who face barriers to their learning. This collaborative approach typically enables children's needs to be met and ensures they are ready for the next stage in their education.

Leaders understand the setting's strengths and take appropriate action to improve outcomes for children. Staff's knowledge and skills are evaluated and developed through mentoring and training. However, leaders should support less-experienced staff in using all interactions with children to extend children's learning.

Leaders prioritise staff's wellbeing, creating a positive environment where staff feel supported. Leaders have robust systems in place for safer recruitment. Leaders support new staff with induction and mentoring to ensure they have the knowledge they need to keep children safe.