RAFA Kidz Cosford

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders and staff generally identify children's needs quickly and work closely with parents, outside agencies and other settings to build an accurate understanding of children's individual circumstances and starting points. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities benefit from targeted support plans and interventions that are reviewed regularly with parents and professionals. Staff use language screening tools and advice from external agencies, such as speech and language therapists, to help shape support for children. Leaders generally use additional funding appropriately to help reduce barriers to children's learning and wellbeing. For example, they have further developed sensory spaces and targeted resources to support children who face barriers to their learning.

Leaders and staff generally understand the barriers some children may face and take appropriate steps to support them. This includes supporting children through changes in home circumstances, helping children settle into the nursery and adapting approaches for children needing additional emotional or communication support. Staff use strategies, such as visual prompts, signing and targeted communication opportunities, to help children access routines, learning and interactions alongside their peers. However, staff planning is not always precise enough to ensure learning experiences are consistently matched to children's stage of development, particularly during some group activities. This means that learning is not maximised.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders generally have an accurate understanding of the quality of the curriculum and teaching across the setting. Staff weave mathematics and understanding of the world into children's daily play and learning experiences. They provide opportunities for children to explore shape, pattern, size and capacity through play and routines, including filling and emptying containers with sand and water. Staff use both indoor and outdoor environments to provide children with a range of learning experiences, including opportunities to explore the natural world and develop their large-muscle movements outdoors.

Staff generally support children's communication and language development appropriately through conversations, stories, songs and play experiences. Leaders monitor children's development and implement targeted one-to-one language interventions. However, the use of staff's observations and assessment to inform targeted planning is not always precise enough. This does not ensure that teaching and learning experiences consistently focus on what individual children need to learn next, across the essential areas of development. At times, planning focuses too broadly on general provision rather than sharply responding to children's individual learning needs. In addition, staff do not always plan group-learning experiences precisely enough to match children's age and stage of development, including for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This reduces how fully all children benefit from the learning experiences provided.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children generally develop the knowledge and skills they need for their future learning and next stages of development. Babies develop early communication skills through babbling, gestures and simple words and increasingly communicate their wants and needs with confidence. Younger children develop their physical skills through opportunities to climb, balance, move in different ways and explore sensory experiences. Older children typically develop increasing independence in self-care routines, such as toileting, handwashing and serving their own food at mealtimes. Children begin applying their mathematical understanding during play and routines. They show curiosity during learning experiences and begin making links through exploration and discussion.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face barriers to their learning make progress from their starting points. However, inconsistencies in how learning experiences are matched to children's individual stages of development mean that some children do not benefit fully from all learning experiences provided.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders and staff generally establish clear routines and expectations throughout the day that help children understand what comes next and feel emotionally secure within the setting. Staff support children appropriately during arrivals, transitions, mealtimes and sleep routines. They use visual prompts, reassurance and familiar routines to help children settle and understand expectations. Leaders monitor attendance appropriately and generally help families understand the importance of establishing regular attendance and punctuality.

Staff are positive role models and support children to develop appropriate attitudes and behaviours through daily interactions. They model sharing, turn taking and kind behaviour during play and routines and positively reinforce these expectations. Staff use praise, reminders and clear language to help children understand expectations and learn to be fair and considerate towards others.

Staff use a variety of strategies to help children develop positive attitudes towards learning. For example, they use props, songs and visual prompts during stories and group experiences to help children focus and become involved in activities. However, during some group learning experiences, staff do not always adapt expectations and teaching precisely enough to children's age and stage of development. This reduces how effectively all children remain engaged in learning and routines.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders and staff generally prioritise children's welfare and wellbeing appropriately throughout the setting. Staff know children and their families well and provide care that supports children to feel safe, settled and emotionally secure. Staff work closely with parents to support continuity between home and the setting, including supporting children through changes in home circumstances, toileting routines and emotional wellbeing.

Staff typically support children's physical wellbeing appropriately. Leaders carefully plan menus to ensure children receive healthy and nutritionally balanced meals and snacks. For example, meals include starters rather than desserts to help children develop healthy eating habits and avoid expecting sweet treats after meals. Mealtimes are calm and well organised. Staff help children develop increasing independence, social skills and understanding of healthy lifestyles.

Staff generally manage children's health needs appropriately, including the use of care plans and individual risk assessments where needed. Staff follow appropriate procedures when children become unwell and ensure parents are kept informed about children's care and wellbeing throughout the day.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Overall, leaders understand the setting's context well and generally respond appropriately to the changing needs of children and families. They have implemented changes to strengthen routines, communication with parents and outdoor provision. Leaders generally demonstrate an accurate understanding of the setting's strengths and areas for development and have identified appropriate priorities for improvement. However, leaders' monitoring and evaluation of planning and teaching are not yet precise enough to ensure high-quality practice is consistently embedded across all areas of the setting. As a result, inconsistencies remain in how effectively some learning experiences are matched to children's individual stages of development and learning needs.

Leaders use monitoring, supervision and professional development to support staff practice and wellbeing. Staff speak positively about the support they receive and leaders consider workload appropriately, including providing non-contact time for training and curriculum responsibilities. Leaders provide staff with access to a range of professional development opportunities, including safeguarding, safe sleep practices, food safety, language support and curriculum development.

Working in partnership with parents is a priority for leaders. Parents speak positively about communication with staff and leaders and value the daily discussions with their children's key person. Leaders and staff work effectively with outside agencies, local services and other settings to support continuity of care, learning and wellbeing of the children.