S4YC @ Whitegate Preschool

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders and staff track the progress of all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), closely. This enables staff to identify any gaps in learning and development quickly and to measure the impact of any additional support. Leaders have a proactive approach to engage with parents and refer children who are not making expected progress to seek professional support. Staff and leaders work effectively with other professionals, such as social care professionals and health visitors. Leaders and staff also benefit from advice and support from the area special educational needs coordinator.

Staff and leaders know the children and families very well. They ensure that all children are able to get the most out of their time at the setting, for example by supporting families with equipment and resources. Leaders use any additional funding effectively. For example, children benefit from additional resources to support their development in communication and language. Children who speak English as an additional language are effectively and sensitively supported. Staff use symbols and words in children's home language to ensure that all children are aware of routines and are fully involved with activities. Leaders have ensured that staff have accessed training on relevant areas of SEND. Staff talk knowledgeably about the additional support in place for vulnerable children, their role in supporting children with SEND and the progress that these children have made.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have worked with staff and the wider team to review and further improve the setting. For example, leaders and staff have developed the curriculum to reflect the needs of younger children and reviewed and made changes to the environment, both indoors and outdoors, to enhance children's learning further.

Staff know the children very well. Positive and thoughtful interactions support all children to feel emotionally secure. Parents report that their children are happy and settled at the setting because of the firm relationships with staff. Children's next steps are shared on 'learning boards' placed around the room. This ensures that staff keep a sharp focus on supporting children to make good progress in their learning from their starting points. The progress children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make is carefully assessed on a regular basis. Staff and leaders work in partnership with parents and professionals to review the effectiveness of any additional support their child receives and the impact this has to help children make progress in their learning and development. This ensures that all children make secure progress.

The support for children's communication and language is a particular strength of the setting. For example, staff develop vocabulary during an activity where children dance and wave scarves. Staff discuss the different body parts that the children use, encouraging them to name their ankle or wrist. Physical skills are well developed due to a clear and progressive curriculum and targeted teaching, both indoors and outdoors. Typically, staff introduce mathematical vocabulary and concepts to the children as part of their play. However, staff do not consistently build on this to help children become confident in their understanding and use of mathematical vocabulary.

Achievement: Expected standard

All children, including those who are disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, gain knowledge and skills across all 7 areas of learning. Children demonstrate well-developed independence skills. For example, at mealtimes, they confidently unpack their lunch and clear away afterwards. Children successfully learn to play cooperatively and are confident speakers. They learn new words as they play, such as ankle and wrist as they dance and move scarves around their body. Children confidently lead their own play. For example, they demonstrate well-developed imaginations when they engage in role play. They gain increasing concentration skills, showing sustained attention as they discuss what dinosaurs eat. Children enjoy being outside and gain increasing physical control as they move about and practise using a range of equipment. Children are well prepared for the next stage in their learning, including school.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

There are clear expectations for behaviour that are commonly understood by all children. For example, children stop their play when staff tap a tambourine at the end of a session and help to tidy away the toys. Children work together to meticulously stack wooden bricks in the correct place. They demonstrate patience and concentration as they do so, and a real sense of pride as they step back and look at the carefully arranged bricks. There are very few instances of unwanted behaviour and children are absorbed in their play. Relationships between practitioners and children are warm, respectful and caring. There is lots of laughter and chatter in the setting. Staff and children clearly enjoy spending time with each other.

Leaders promote the importance of regular attendance with parents from the start. They encourage punctuality and explain to parents the benefits of children joining in with start-of-the-day routines, such as circle time. Leaders and staff provide lots of opportunities for children to play and talk together. However, at times, younger children are not as fully included as possible as they spend time in an area not accessed by other children. This means that at these times their opportunities to benefit from social interactions with other children are limited.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Relationships between staff and children are warm and nurturing. At the start of the day, children separate confidently from their parents and make their way into the setting, keen to talk to the staff and to each other, and to play with their friends. Babies are relaxed and settled and have secure bonds with staff at the setting. They settle easily to sleep in the secure and nurturing environment, with familiar staff close at hand. This demonstrates that children feel emotionally secure.

Children are well supported to understand how to keep themselves safe and healthy. They discuss the benefits of drinking milk at mealtimes and the reasons why they need to wash their hands after they have used the toilet. In the role-play area, children discuss with staff the fact that irons can be hot. Later, children incorporate this into their play, picking up the toy iron and saying to their friend, 'Look out - it's hot!' This shows that children have understood and remembered the important safety messages that they have been taught.

Leaders and staff have a focus on children being able to recognise and manage their emotions. Staff intentionally introduce vocabulary related to emotions during play and encourage children to talk about how they are feeling. Staff know that children need to understand and explain their feelings to help them self-regulate and be emotionally ready for the move to school.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders are highly reflective and have worked hard in partnership with staff to refine and develop the environment and organisation, and how they ensure children gain the skills and knowledge they need. Leaders are ambitious for the setting and have a clear plan to continue to improve the offer for children and families. Leaders act in the best interests of children, particularly those who have barriers to learning or are disadvantaged. Staff and leaders know the children and families very well and respond sensitively to individual circumstances. For example, leaders recognise the importance of additional emotional support for some families or access to free resources for children.

Staff say that they thoroughly enjoy working at the setting and that they work well together as a small team. Staff benefit from regular supervision meetings, where they discuss areas of strength, areas for development and any additional training that they might need. Leaders ensure that staff are well supported with their wellbeing. This includes ensuring that they have a manageable workload. Leaders are well supported by the wider team, especially when they are new to their role. They benefit from sharing best practice with other settings and from focused professional development sessions. These sessions support staff to reflect on their practice and further improve their delivery of the curriculum.