Shooting Stars Nurseries Hinckley

Inclusion: Strong standard

Provision for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is extremely well supported. Leaders swiftly identify and effectively address barriers to children's learning. Leaders and staff take time to get to know children to ensure that they fully understand their needs well. Staff provide thoughtful care to children who are looked after, and their carers, to help them manage changes in their lives. This allows children to settle well and for staff to plan learning to support the needs of every child.

Leaders ensure that they seek support for children with SEND from external professionals as appropriate. They work together to put appropriate targets in place for children, reviewing these regularly to ensure gaps in children's learning are narrowing. Leaders ensure that staff access relevant training, such as around the graduated approach, to help ensure that the curriculum fully supports those children with SEND. Parents and carers comment that they are very happy with the support they and their children receive. Leaders use additional funding highly effectively to develop staff's skills as well as providing additional resources for children, such as speech and language and music therapy. These have a positive impact on the development children with SEND make. Staff make adaptations systematically and swiftly implement these to be sure this makes a sustained difference for children who attend.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have an accurate understanding of the curriculum and support the staff team to deliver this effectively for every child. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those children who have barriers to their learning, are supported well by staff. Generally, staff have a clear understanding of what it is that children need to learn next. They organise play spaces to ensure that these help children to make appropriate progress in their learning. However, there are some inconsistencies in practice. Some staff do not always know how to make the most of every learning opportunity to extend children's learning. For example, when children are playing in the sand, staff do not consistently consider how to adapt their teaching to reflect the varied age groups and abilities of children in their room.

Staff make regular observations and assessments on the progress children make and understand how children learn. They promote children's language and communication skills well, using everyday tasks to enhance these. For example, they ask pertinent questions when reading to the children, encouraging them to think about what might happen next. Staff help all children to learn mathematics skills. They teach babies simple number songs and encourage older children to count and recognise numbers as they count the steps, that are labelled, when they walk up and down stairs.

Children demonstrate appropriate physical skills. They use scoops and jugs to transfer water into the sand, making a gloopy mixture. Staff help them use this to make a pretend wall from pretend bricks. This promotes children's social skills as they work well as a team and learn to take turns.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children benefit from activities that are varied, linked to their interests and what it is they need to learn next. Older children learned about 'space' following on from an interest children showed about this topic. This ignited their curiosity and developed their knowledge in this area. They talk about there being 8 planets, and some know that Pluto is no longer called a planet.

All children are developing their communication and language skills well. Babies babble well and respond well to staff speaking to them. Older children chat easily with each other and use a range of back-and-forth conversations. Children develop a love of books. They sit in quiet areas and look through books either on their own or with staff. Older children clearly know a range of stories and tell visitors about them. They talk about 'Stick Man' and why he is missing. Children have chances to practise what they know so that their learning is consolidated.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders and staff have high expectations for children's behaviour and understand how to adapt their expectations for the different ages and stages of children who attend. Staff create a calm environment and promote messages that support children's understanding of what is expected of them. They recognise that some children struggle with emotions and take time to listen and help children to learn words that reflect how they are feeling. Staff use stories and puppets from a story about a monster to help support this further. Children are kind and caring to one another and learn how to share and take turns. Staff praise them highly for 'good listening' when children are asked to take turns using the balancing ramp. Warm and caring relationships between staff and children are evident. All children are settled and display high levels of confidence.

Leaders monitor children's attendance carefully. They work with families and adapt attendance patterns to offer flexibility. As a result, children attend regularly and settle quickly on arrival. Children show positive relationships with their peers and begin to work collaboratively during shared experiences, such as when they make a pretend wall. Leaders and staff demonstrate an understanding of enabling children to become independent.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Staff are very nurturing and caring. Children consistently demonstrate positive relationships with staff. Leaders and staff demonstrate a deep understanding of helping every child to develop secure emotional bonds with key staff. The key-person system is embedded and tailored well to reflect the needs of every child. Babies show secure relationships with staff. This is demonstrated as they snuggle into them when they need cuddles or reassurance. Staff are quick to pick up on what it is babies need, recognising when they are tired, hungry or just want a change of play. Staff are highly skilled at monitoring the wellbeing of all children, including those with barriers to their learning or those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Leaders and staff support children to develop an understanding of the importance of physical exercise and a healthy diet. Children receive home-made nutritious food and learn to understand why it is good for them. Older toddlers and pre-school children enjoy helping set tables and clearing up after meals. Children love to play indoors and outdoors and develop their physical skills well in spaces. All-weather suits are in place to allow children to access the outdoor space throughout the day. Babies develop their confidence as they learn to move over ramps. Staff skilfully support them how to do this safely to be sure they remain steady.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders show a clear vision of what it is they would like children to know and do by the time they leave the setting. They are passionate about their role and understand the context of the setting, their strengths and what they need to do next. Leaders create an open and welcoming environment where all families who attend feel valued and involved in their child's day. Parents and carers comment on the positive range of information shared with them each day, either verbally or via the online app. Leaders consider the individual needs of all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or barriers to their learning, to structure plans for continuous improvement.

Overall, staff plan appropriately for children's learning and development needs. However, there are inconsistencies in teaching practice. While some staff are highly skilled and experienced, others sometimes struggle to deliver a consistent curriculum and are still developing their skills. This means there are times when children's learning is not consistently extended or supported appropriately for some children. Leaders are aware of these inconsistencies and have devised a planned programme of support to firmly embed this practice throughout the setting.

Staff comment on the highly supportive leadership team. They meet regularly with leaders to discuss how to improve the setting and feel their wellbeing is always considered.