Sticky Fingers Pre-school Spring Road

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders and staff identify children's needs quickly and accurately, including any emerging or changing needs. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face other barriers to learning or wellbeing are generally supported well. Staff use effective communication systems, such as basic sign language, visuals and aided language boards. Leaders work closely with external professionals to ensure that recommendations are followed consistently. This coordinated approach supports full inclusion and enables children to make the progress they are capable of. All children are included in all aspects of the setting and benefit from positive relationships with staff.

Funding is used purposefully to secure one-to-one support, resources and enriching experiences that strengthen children's communication and personal development. Leaders monitor the impact of funding carefully so that all children benefit from inclusive approaches. They address barriers to learning, such as low attendance, swiftly, ensuring that support is timely. Partnerships with schools are proactive, and transitions are well informed. This ensures that receiving schools have a clear understanding of each child's needs and strengths.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Following the last inspection, leaders have introduced a new curriculum. They are continuing to monitor how confident staff are implementing it. While many staff demonstrate secure practice, some are still developing confidence in understanding the curriculum intent. This means that teaching practice is not yet embedded and children do not always experience the full depth and ambition of the curriculum.

Generally, the curriculum is shaped to support every child's development and reflects the setting's core values. It is broad, ambitious and typically planned to build children's skills progressively. Staff use ongoing assessments to identify what children already know before planning next steps in learning. This helps children to build on their existing knowledge and skills.

Children's communication and language skills are a central priority. Staff create opportunities for children to listen and talk through meaningful activities, such as environmental sound-matching and prediction games. Children practise new words in context, engage in purposeful back-and-forth conversations and develop memory and recall skills. Generally, children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are beginning to benefit from tailored strategies. For example, some staff use visual supports and sign language to broaden children's vocabulary and strengthen their communication skills. This helps children to become confident communicators.

Achievement: Expected standard

All children, including those who face barriers to their learning, make progress in their learning from their unique starting points. They show curiosity and sustained engagement as they explore a wide range of sensory experiences. For example, children create flower petal potions and make play dough, experimenting with texture and smell and exploring outcomes. Children demonstrate early mathematical understanding, using comparative language such as 'big' and 'little'. Older children confidently take part in object-matching challenges. They use their recall to identify missing objects, showing secure prediction and memory skills.

Children develop physical confidence as they move around the outdoor environment, navigating different spaces with growing control. For example, they take part in ball games where they roll, throw and kick balls with increasing accuracy. Children negotiate space safely as they play chasing games, changing direction as they run. These experiences strengthen children's coordination and develop the physical skills needed for their next stage in learning.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Staff create a calm and supportive atmosphere for children. They offer clear and consistent guidance that helps children to understand expectations. Children respond well to the warm interactions they receive, sharing moments of joint attention with both staff and their peers. As a result, children show cooperative and friendly behaviour, including taking turns and sharing resources. This supports all children to build positive relationships with others. Leaders work with families to maintain steady attendance, helping children to experience stable routines.

Generally, children benefit from a structured day that helps them become familiar with routines. Staff are beginning to put in place specific support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, helping them to understand and cooperate in daily experiences. For example, staff typically use visual aids to prepare them for changes in activities. Children engage in group times and early language sessions, which helps to strengthen their communication skills. However, staff do not consistently adapt these experiences to meet the needs of all children. This means that, occasionally, some children become disengaged or distracted. Nevertheless, children continue to show positive interest and involvement in what is provided.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Children are settled, content and emotionally secure in the setting. They form trusting relationships with staff, who understand their individual needs and respond with sensitivity. Typically, some staff make thoughtful adaptations so that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities or barriers to their learning can join in some activities alongside their peers. This helps to strengthen children's sense of belonging and the emotional foundations needed to thrive.

Staff offer warm and responsive interactions throughout the day. They provide comfort and reassurance when children need it. Staff help children to recognise, express and manage their emotions in appropriate ways. For example, staff calmly support children to work through minor disagreements and encourage them to talk about how they are feeling. Consequently, children grow in confidence and develop secure emotional wellbeing.

Children benefit from well-planned toothbrushing activities, where staff model correct techniques and explain why oral hygiene matters. Children check their teeth in the mirror and explore the model teeth, which strengthens their self-care habits. During snack time, children confidently use tongs to pick up fruit, pour their own drinks and wash up afterwards. Staff encourage good manners and support children to clear spills, helping them to develop responsibility and social awareness.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders have taken purposeful steps since their last inspection to implement a new curriculum. They recognise that further development is needed to ensure practice is consistent across the team. They continue to provide targeted support to achieve this. Leaders place high importance on professional development, planning and monitoring training so it has a direct impact on the quality of teaching. Recent examples include sign language training and opportunities to strengthen creative play. They promote reflective practice through peer observations and regular supervision sessions, helping staff to understand their strengths, manage workload effectively and grow professionally. As a result, staff feel supported and are becoming more confident in delivering the curriculum.

Leaders work closely with parents and external professionals, particularly in their support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. These partnerships ensure that children's needs are understood early and that support is effective. Parents value the clear communication they receive and appreciate the progress their children make. Leaders also extend learning beyond the setting by offering home-learning opportunities, such as lending books and sharing ideas for activities at home. This collaborative approach strengthens children's progress and ensures families feel well supported.