Sedlescombe Pre-School Ltd.

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders and staff swiftly identify the needs of all individual children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff routinely and vigorously assess children's progress and ensure they meet the children's individual needs. Staff attend specific training, such as sign language and therapeutic thinking, to support children to manage their emotions and behaviours in highly effective ways.

Staff make effective adaptations to support all children to achieve. For example, staff have implemented small focus groups and the use of visual timers, which have been highly positive to engage children with SEND and support them to manage changes in routine seamlessly.

Leaders and staff are highly skilful in identifying, assessing and meeting the needs of all children, reducing barriers to their learning. This includes supporting disadvantaged children, children with SEND, children who are known or previously known to children's social care and children who are facing barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing.

All staff have established highly positive links with outside agencies and families. This includes consistently sharing helpful and beneficial strategies to support children's development. Staff share ideas about how to support children to manage their emotions, such as the use of visual prompts.

Leaders and staff use additional funding highly effectively to support individual children and their needs. There is clear communication with key persons and staff, and funding is used in highly effective ways. This includes purchasing training and resources to support children to promote their oral health.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders work hard to ensure that their effective curriculum is well embedded to cover all areas of learning and children remain engaged and focused. All staff have a clear knowledge of what they would like children to learn next and how they intend to help children achieve, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Overall, there is a clear focus on supporting children to develop their communication skills. For example, children are excited to sing and enjoy stories. They are confident to communicate. However, at times, staff do not consistently provide children with thought-provoking questions to extend their use of language even further.

Staff support children with SEND to develop their communication well. For instance, staff and children confidently and consistently use sign language as a way of communicating.

Leaders and staff support all children to develop skills for their future learning and help prepare them for school. For example, children are encouraged to be independent. This includes children completing their own tasks with confidence. Children have a wide range of opportunities to develop their mathematical skills. This is demonstrated when children discuss shape, space and measure as they explore water. Children are confident to count and compare sizes as they are excited to find 3 slugs in the garden, excitedly telling each other, 'This one is bigger.'

Achievement: Expected standard

All children make progress in relation to their starting points, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those in receipt of additional funding. Children develop skills to support them to be ready for their next stage of learning. This is demonstrated when children know how to express and manage their emotions maturely and understand what is expected of them as they confidently follow routines. Children are patient, share and take turns well and develop positive social skills.

All children show each other care and consideration. For instance, children show concern for their friends if they appear sad and they happily play together.

Children have dedicated support by all staff. This includes staff completing specific training to support all children, including those with SEND, in inclusive and individualised ways. This helps children to make progress.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

All staff are positive role models and help children learn about the expectations of their behaviour. Children follow rules and boundaries and know the routines well. This is evident when all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), independently access sand timers to visually show their friends that when the sand runs out it is their turn on a resource. Therefore, children learn to wait patiently, share and take turns well.

All children fully understand and follow the routines. For example, when they hear staff provide a countdown for tidy-up time, they remind each other it is nearly time for lunch and they help each other to tidy up as a team. This includes children with SEND.

All children enjoy their learning. However, at times, staff are too quick to offer solutions before allowing children enough time to think and then trial their own ideas to problem-solve. Therefore, on occasion, children do not have consistent opportunities to explore and investigate some of their own ideas.

Children play well together and enjoy each other's company. Children build friendships, and they develop positive relationships with staff. Children enjoy the company of and interactions with staff. For example, children take pride in being praised and are excited to 'high-five' staff for their achievements.

Leaders closely monitor children's attendance and ensure that they follow up on any unexpected absences. This helps ensure they can promptly identify any potential patterns of attendance that may require additional attention.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

All children are happy, settled and confident. This includes those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who have potential barriers to learning. Staff have successfully created a safe and welcoming space to ensure that they support all children to feel secure and focus on their experiences. They have worked hard to make changes since their last inspection to enhance the support for children.

Staff have a well-embedded key-person system in place that supports all children to feel safe and secure, including those with SEND. Children play happily and are confident to engage in activities with the support of staff. For example, children learn about different ways to develop balance as they use bikes and balance ability equipment with confidence.

Children learn about their routines and the benefits of healthy lifestyles. This includes developing an understanding of the importance of following thorough hygiene routines and carrying out positive oral health practices. Staff support children to develop self-care skills. Children know how to meet their own needs, such as toileting.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders are evaluative and reflective on practice. They have made vast improvements and have worked hard to ensure they provide the level of care and teaching that is expected. Leaders identify areas they wish to continue to develop, such as enhancing staff's confidence and training opportunities even further. They celebrate the changes they have made, such as the development of their curriculum. Staff ensure children consistently enjoy learning and behave well.

Staff wellbeing is supported well, and leaders ensure staff workload is manageable. Staff have time to complete training and have regular meetings and one-to-one discussions to discuss progress. They use their findings to support their future practice.

Leaders and staff successfully establish positive partnerships with parents. For example, staff keep them fully informed of their children's learning, achievements and next steps. Parents speak highly of the pre-school and the support and communication they receive. Leaders and staff routinely share helpful tips and advice, such as how to support children to brush their teeth effectively and how to remain safe online.