Seabridge Little Stars Childcare

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders have established appropriate systems to identify children who face barriers to their learning and development and generally work closely with families to understand their individual needs. Staff typically gather information from parents, use assessments and ongoing observations to plan support and secure additional help where required.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities benefit from targeted support that is tailored to their individual needs. Leaders work effectively with external professionals, including physiotherapists, the area special educational needs coordinator and educational psychologists. Staff generally understand and implement agreed strategies and targets throughout the day, helping children develop their communication, physical development and independence skills. For example, they use visual supports and personalised resources to help children understand routines and communicate their needs.

Leaders use additional funding appropriately to provide specialist resources, equipment and targeted support. Funding is typically used for its intended purpose and helps to reduce barriers to children's learning and development. Leaders have provided staff with training to strengthen their understanding of communication and language development. Staff implement targeted interventions and strategies to support children who experience delays in this area. This generally helps children access learning alongside their peers and make progress from their starting points.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have established a curriculum that generally reflects the needs of the children attending the setting. Communication and language is a clear priority and staff typically use stories, songs, conversations and play experiences to introduce language and develop children's understanding of the world around them. For example, babies learn new vocabulary through carefully chosen books, songs and sensory experiences linked to current themes.

Staff generally use interactions effectively to support children's learning and development. They weave mathematical concepts into teaching and children's play. For example, babies join in with number rhymes using props, while older children explore quantity, sorting and number value through practical resources and play experiences.

Staff generally adapt teaching and learning experiences to help children access the curriculum. Targeted support, personalised resources and additional adult guidance through one-to-one support help children engage in learning and develop important knowledge and skills from their starting points. This typically helps children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to participate in learning alongside their peers and develop increasing independence.

While assessment information is collected and used to inform planning, next steps and learning priorities are not always identified with sufficient precision. As a result, some planned experiences are too broad and do not consistently focus on the most important knowledge and skills children need to develop next. This means that opportunities to maximise children's learning and progress are not always fully realised and embedded across the setting.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children generally make progress from their starting points and develop knowledge and skills across the areas of learning. Babies develop increasing confidence in their communication and understanding of familiar routines. Children who face barriers to their learning and development typically make progress because they receive targeted support that helps them participate in daily experiences.

Children develop positive relationships with others and learn how to play alongside and with their peers. Younger children seek out older peers to join their play and offer resources, while older children respond positively and engage in shared experiences. Children demonstrate developing social skills, such as sharing, taking turns and showing consideration for others. Babies happily play alongside one another and engage in shared experiences with increasing confidence.

Children are generally developing the age- and stage-appropriate knowledge and skills needed for their next stage of learning. Progress is not consistently maximised for all children because learning priorities are not always identified with sufficient precision and some daily routines do not consistently support children's learning as effectively as possible. As a result, opportunities to accelerate children's progress are not always fully realised.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders have established generally positive expectations for behaviour, attitudes and routines. Children understand what is expected of them and typically respond well to familiar routines throughout the day. Positive relationships between staff and children help create a calm environment where children feel secure and ready to engage in learning.

Children generally demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. They show curiosity, generally engage in activities and develop increasing confidence in making choices and participating in daily experiences. Staff use personalised approaches to help children understand routines and expectations, enabling children who face barriers to learning and development to participate alongside their peers.

Leaders promote the importance of attendance and work closely with families where concerns arise. For example, they adapt attendance arrangements where needed to help children access the setting successfully. This generally helps children attend regularly and benefit from the opportunities available to them. Staff do not consistently organise some daily routines as effectively as possible to support children's engagement, learning and wellbeing. For example, aspects of registration, group times and mealtimes are not always adapted sufficiently to children's age and stage of development. Babies typically access outdoor experiences later in the day, resulting in longer periods spent within the same learning environment before experiencing a change of space and activity. As a result, routines do not consistently maximise children's engagement and learning throughout the day.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders have established appropriate arrangements to support children's welfare and wellbeing. Staff know children and their families well and generally work closely with parents to understand children's individual needs and provide continuity of care. Personal care routines are implemented sensitively and children's privacy and dignity are respected, such as during toileting and nappy changing.

Staff and leaders support children's emotional wellbeing through warm and nurturing relationships. They provide personalised approaches that help children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, feel secure and develop increasing confidence. For example, staff provide some children with access to quieter spaces and sensory resources that help them regulate their emotions and engage in learning, when they experience difficulties. For example, they use visual prompts, mirrors and other personalised strategies to help children recognise routines, understand expectations and communicate their feelings and needs. Staff typically use these approaches to help children develop a positive sense of self and participate confidently in daily experiences.

Leaders promote healthy lifestyles and work with families to support children's health and wellbeing. They provide healthy meals, snacks and share information with parents about healthy eating, oral health and other aspects of children's wellbeing. They also work with families to address children's individual needs, such as feeding, weaning and toileting. Leaders and staff help to provide a consistent approach between home and the setting.

Staff generally implement appropriate procedures to support children's care and wellbeing. Staff understand about safe sleep, safer eating and implement effective hygiene practices.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders have established a generally clear vision for the setting that focuses on children's learning, wellbeing and inclusion. Staff understand this vision and typically implement it through their day-to-day practice.

Leaders support staff to develop their knowledge and skills through professional development opportunities. Staff report that they feel supported and valued and describe positive working relationships with leaders and colleagues. A particular focus has been placed on developing staff expertise in supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and leaders continue to prioritise this area in response to the needs of children attending the setting.

Leaders work closely with parents to support children's learning, development and wellbeing. Ongoing discussions with families help staff understand children's individual needs and agree consistent approaches. Parents value the meaningful discussions they have with staff about their children's development and wellbeing. Leaders also work with other settings to support children's transitions and continuity in learning.

Leaders do not strategically use information from their monitoring activities to provide a shared understanding of strengths, priorities and improvement actions across the leadership team. As a result, improvement planning does not consistently focus leaders' actions on the areas that will have the greatest impact on children's experiences and learning.