Ragamuffins Day Nurseries Limited

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are warmly welcomed by caring, attentive staff as they arrive at this well-resourced and nurturing setting. Strong relationships with families are clearly established, and children separate from their parents with confidence. The environment is thoughtfully organised, offering a wide range of high-quality, inclusive resources that promote independence and reflect children's interests, such as dinosaurs. Children explore freely, make independent choices and eagerly join their peers in play. This demonstrates that they feel secure, confident and ready to engage in meaningful learning.

Staff form strong, nurturing bonds with children and respond to their needs with genuine warmth and sensitivity. Physical reassurance, such as cuddles, is freely offered, for example when children are tired or upset. This creates a safe, emotionally supportive environment. Children's photographs and achievements are proudly displayed, reinforcing their sense of belonging and boosting self-esteem.

Staff have a clear understanding of how behaviour links to children's developmental stages. They support emotional development by helping older children begin to self-regulate and manage their feelings, while encouraging sharing and turn taking among younger children. As a result, children learn to make positive choices and consistently demonstrate positive behaviour throughout the day.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

• Staff have developed a suitably ambitious curriculum that supports children's development across all areas of learning. For example, as children enjoy a game of hopscotch, staff model hopping and jumping while promoting numeral recognition. This approach enables children to develop gross motor skills alongside early mathematical understanding. Additionally, fine motor skills and concentration are enhanced through creative use of recycled materials. Younger children thread coloured pipe cleaners through holes in cardboard tubes, which helps them identify colours and improve hand-eye coordination.
• Staff demonstrate an unwavering commitment to inclusive practice, ensuring that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have full access to the curriculum. They thoughtfully adapt activities and provision to meet individual needs. This approach supports children to make consistent progress from their starting points. Staff work closely with families and external professionals, sharing information effectively to ensure a consistent approach and positive outcomes for children with SEND.
• Staff promote equality and diversity through inclusive resources and meaningful learning experiences. They work closely with parents to share cultural traditions, including Eid and Vaisakhi, enriching children's understanding of different beliefs, cultures and communities. As a result, children develop respect for others and a deeper awareness of the world around them.
• Some routines are not consistently effective in preparing children for the next stage of learning. For example, while staff encourage independence at mealtimes, utensils are not always suitable. Furthermore, children have staggered sittings that extend mealtimes and reduce learning time. Other daily routines, such as lining up, are not always well managed. As a result, children miss valuable opportunities to develop and practise essential skills needed for later learning and life.
• Staff set clear, age-appropriate expectations for behaviour and support these with visual aids and gentle guidance. Children sing a 'please and thank you' song at mealtimes and take turns during group play. As a result, they develop emotional regulation, strong social skills and a clear understanding of behavioural expectations.
• Staff support early language development by modelling vocabulary, which enhances children's communication and language development. They use tools such as communication passports and picture references to aid understanding. Story times are generally engaging but are sometimes delivered too quietly. Additionally, staff occasionally use informal language, such as 'horsey'. Furthermore, staff do not maximise opportunities to extend vocabulary through targeted teaching. As a result, while children make steady progress in their language and communication skills, opportunities to develop this further are missed.
• Leaders have fostered a strong team approach through curriculum development with tailored mentoring and coaching for staff. This enables staff to work confidently and effectively to provide all children with high-quality experiences. Effective partnerships with parents further support children's learning and development.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review and improve routines to better promote children's independence, building on their current skills to prepare them effectively for the next stage of learning, including their transition to school
• ensure that staff consistently model correct language for all age groups to further strengthen support for communication and language development.