Rascals Natural Learning

Inclusion: Needs attention

Staff work with external professionals to embed tailored plans to help children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing to achieve their targets. This includes during transition times within the daily routine, during large group times and at mealtimes. For example, staff gently support children with SEND to sit at the table with their friends and to try new foods. That said, during play activities, staff are not intuitive enough to notice children's emerging interests and adapt their teaching. This includes children with SEND. As a result, teaching is not adapted appropriately, and this impacts the overall progress children make.

Leaders use funding effectively to support children. Targeted funding is used to support one-to-one interventions and to provide opportunities that children may not otherwise have access to. Leaders work with staff to monitor and review the impact this has on learning to ensure that it helps to improve outcomes for children.

Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention

Leaders' recent improvements to the curriculum and learning environment are supporting children to progress, however, the delivery of the curriculum is not yet fully embedded. This is because the newly developed curriculum is still in its infancy. Interactions between staff and children often lack purpose, direction and challenge. As a result, the quality of teaching is variable, and children's experiences are not consistent throughout the setting.

Staff are aware of each child's level of ability. They adapt their vocabulary to support early mathematics. For example, three- and four-year-olds are helped to identify colours, count and compare sizes. For example, during a forest school activity, children are encouraged to compare different sized hammers. This helps children build on what they already know and can do.

Children develop their motor skills effectively, building their muscle strength and coordination during outdoor play. For example, staff work with children to create an obstacle course. Children are supported to balance as they walk across short planks and tyres. One-year-olds show increasing control and dexterity as they carefully turn the pages of board books while listening to staff read a story. Toddlers work with staff to stack brightly coloured discs onto a pole and then watch as the discs spin off when the pole is tipped. This helps children learn cause and effect.

Achievement: Needs attention

Children do not achieve as well as they could because there are weaknesses in staff's implementation of the curriculum. For example, children who are developing new interests in the environment and show a keenness to engage with certain activities, do not receive consistently purposeful interactions from staff. The lack of consistent support has a direct impact on their learning and their developing interests and curiosity.

Three- and four-year-old children benefit from small group work with staff. Children concentrate well, listening to staff instruction as they safely explore tools within the forest school area. Children say 'wow' as they are shown the tools and they repeat new words they have learnt from staff such as 'loppers' and 'secateurs'. They readily share with staff and their friends that they have some of these tools at home. This helps build on children's growing vocabulary and conversational skills.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Children are encouraged to behave well and learn to cooperate. Staff use praise and role model expectations to encourage children to share and take turns. They have built positive relationships with the children in their care. For example, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have developed secure and trusting relationships with their favourite members of the staff team. As a result, children with SEND settle quickly at the setting.

Staff encourage children to take part in large group activities, such as story time. In general, children sit and listen, predicting what may happen next and readily counting the seagulls in the pictures. When some children disengage, this is typically well managed with staff providing support to reduce disruption to the activity. Children with SEND and those who face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing receive targeted support during group times and mealtimes to help them take part in routine activities along with their friends.

Leaders routinely monitor attendance, ensuring that any lapses are checked to keep children safe. Staff work closely with parents to help them understand the importance of regular attendance and how it may affect their child's development.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Children build secure attachments with their key person. All children develop a sense of belonging and become increasingly confident and independent in their surroundings. Leaders understand the importance of supporting children's health and wellbeing. Children are provided with nutritious meals and fresh drinking water, and robust systems are in place to ensure that their dietary needs are met. Staff create a calm, comfortable environment for children who need to rest. They regularly check that children remain safe while they sleep.

All children have multiple opportunities throughout the day to access outdoor play. Children enjoy copying staff as they pretend to be crabs on the beach. They giggle as they walk sideways across the play area, pretending their hands are claws. This helps their developing coordination skills. Children are developing good hygiene practices and basic self-care skills such as washing their hands when returning from outdoor play, after messy play and before meals. Babies babble back and forth to staff during nappy changing routines.

Children are developing their growing independence skills. Older babies are supported to wash their hands and feed themselves at lunchtime. Two-, three- and four-year-olds are encouraged to take turns and serve themselves food at lunchtime and pour their own drinking water. Staff provide help when necessary. For example, staff gently help children position their hands, enabling them to hold cutlery correctly. This helps children learn to do things for themselves.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders have taken a positive approach to the actions raised at the last inspection. They have worked closely with the local authority to develop and implement a new curriculum to build on children's progress. While the recent improvements support staff to help children make steady progress, the delivery of the curriculum is not yet fully embedded. Leaders recognise that different confidence levels of staff have resulted in variable staff practice across the setting. As a result, leaders ensure regular team briefings, staff appraisals and dedicated time for training occurs to effectively enhance staff practice further.

Leaders consider staff's wellbeing and workload in their decision-making, ensuring that support is available when needed and expectations are realistic. This helps maintain a safe and positive environment for everyone. Staff say they enjoy working at the setting and leaders are supportive.

Leaders and staff develop positive relationships with parents. They share ideas with parents to try with their children at home. Parents state their children have developed positive relationships with staff and enjoy attending the setting. They say staff have helped support their child's health needs and that transition between rooms is well managed.