Shepherd Hut Outdoor Day Nursery

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders have created an inclusive environment where children and their families are warmly welcomed and generally supported well. Leaders have high expectations for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and with other barriers to learning.

Staff identify emerging needs quickly through observation, assessment and working closely with external partners and children's families. Once any needs are identified, staff work with special educational needs coordinators (SENCo) to plan and monitor support and to introduce strategies, which are generally effective. However, SENCo's recommendations and suggested strategies are not consistently implemented by all staff to rapidly reduce gaps in learning and development. For example, where SENCo's suggest a sand timer to support children with transitions and emotional regulation, staff do not consistently use this to help children to benefit from it.

Children with SEND and other barriers to learning are typically supported to participate in daily experiences and activities alongside their peers. Staff make adjustments and adaptations to accommodate children's varying needs throughout routines, activities and the environment. This means that children typically make steady progress from their starting points.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have created a curriculum that typically has clear intentions for children's learning. Staff consider and make adaptations to activities and the environment so that learning is accessible for all children. Staff provide experiences that build on children's interests, knowledge and starting points. They identify areas where children need the most support, but do not consistently set appropriate next steps to make sure teaching is well targeted to promote the best possible progress.

Staff prioritise communication and language development through singing and signing. Babies enthusiastically copy the Makaton actions during engaging story-time sessions. Older children pretend to go on a bear hunt through a forest. Story times are successful and meaningful as staff link stories to children's lived experiences, such as discussing places they have visited or referring to the butterflies that they raised from caterpillars at the setting.

Staff's interactions with children are typically positive. Staff skilfully use discussion, questioning and modelling to support learning. For example, staff encourage children to think about healthy eating through conversation, discussing where raspberries grow. They discuss what they will be having for lunch, and children engage in enjoyable experiences, pretending to make pasta as staff talk about the ingredients. Staff use mathematical language continually throughout the day. They model simple language, such as 'more', for younger babies. For older children, staff use mathematics and related vocabulary as a powerful means to encourage problem-solving. For example, staff count how many objects a child has and discuss how to share them out, so everyone in the group could have the same amount.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children develop skills in communication, concentration, curiosity and generally have high levels of engagement and motivation in their learning. They work collaboratively and extend each other's ideas during play. For example, children use their imaginations, pretending that watering cans are babies as they huddle and chat in their tree-den. They talk to each other enthusiastically and build relationships and imagination as they play.

Children develop skills that support their next stage of learning, such as building relationships, communicating with others and developing independence. From a young age, babies can pick up a spoon and scoop their food. They enjoy the independence of feeding themselves and show pride in their achievements. Older children develop communication skills that allow them to work collaboratively with others, such as creating a car track together.

All children generally make steady progress from their starting points. For example, children with barriers to learning now sit and join in when listening to stories, as staff use engaging resources to hold their attention. However, children's identified next steps do not always ensure that learning is well targeted, so progress is not always rapid.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders have created a positive environment. Staff develop secure relationships with children, who feel safe to explore and play in this unique setting. As children watch alpacas from the fence, staff gently remind them to keep their feet on the floor and not climb up the fence. Children generally respond positively to reminders of behavioural expectations. Staff offer praise and encouragement, helping children learn to share, take turns and cooperate with others during play and daily routines.

Leaders set clear expectations for parents and carers to promote prompt and regular attendance. They explain the importance of preparing for school and have a clear action plan for addressing any barriers to attendance. Children transition very well between activities, and they enjoy each aspect of their day. Staff are responsive and caring, offering comfort and support. Leaders have introduced strategies to support all children's emotional and behavioural regulation, including for those with barriers to learning. However, these approaches are not consistently used by staff. Incidents of poor behaviour are generally quickly addressed, but incidents are not always seen by staff. While children are always within sight or hearing, staff's positioning does not always enable them to identify and respond to incidents consistently. This means that children's understanding of behavioural expectations and boundaries is not promoted consistently throughout the day.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders and staff work closely with families to support children's individual care needs. Staff create activities and experiences based on children's interests and make adaptations, so all children can fully access the curriculum. Children are supported to understand and make healthy choices and to keep themselves safe. For example, staff remind children of the safety rules around the fire pit and how to safely climb. Older children remind their family members of these important rules, while enjoying activities together at home.

Children collaborate very well during play and develop positive relationships with staff and peers. They build on each other's knowledge to extend a narrative, such as creating and acting out stories together. Staff use explicit praise regularly to encourage children's confidence and to celebrate achievements. They encourage manners throughout the day and typically promote mealtimes as a social time and to develop independence.

Children are typically happy and seek reassurance and comfort from familiar adults when needed. Staff generally support children as they experience different emotions. Staff support children's wellbeing and welfare through meaningful interactions and purposeful activities. For example, children take part in a 'wellbeing circle time' that helps them recognise and understand different feelings. However, staff do not always quickly recognise when children are upset as a result of unwanted behaviours, which delays the support they can offer.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders have an ambitious vision for the setting. They have created a positive culture where staff feel valued and supported. Staff are confident to share their ideas for positive changes and work with leaders to implement these. Leaders provide ongoing guidance, supervision and training opportunities to support staff in developing their knowledge and practice.

Leaders typically understand the setting's strengths and areas for development and are committed to continuous improvement. They are reflective and seek feedback to continue to progress towards the best outcomes for children. Leaders understand that the key priorities for improvement are to successfully implement their intentions. They are developing ways to ensure that all staff understand and implement these intentions to provide children with consistent experiences. Leaders have begun implementing strategies to improve staff's positioning, such as creating 'zoning'. Although leaders create plans for appropriate actions and strategies, they are not yet consistently embedded in practice.

Leaders and staff work closely with parents and carers, building partnerships that support and promote children's welfare and wellbeing effectively. They host events throughout the year, giving families opportunities to discuss their children's progress and meet other families. Children visit the local farm shop and engage in unique community activities, such as visiting the growing Christmas trees, on site.

A breach of requirements has previously led to an incident affecting children's safety. Leaders have taken appropriate action since this incident to ensure that the requirements are now met. For example, all staff have completed further training, new gates have been installed and leaders have introduced revised safety procedures, which staff now follow consistently.