Sunny Days Bridport

Inclusion: Expected standard

Typically, staff identify, assess and meet children's needs as they emerge. This includes children who are known or previously known to children's social care, and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff liaise regularly and effectively with leaders, specialists, children's social care and parents, to ensure they are responsive to children's progress and changes in need. They seek to understand the reasons for children's behaviour, and implement external guidance. Staff make adaptations so all children can access their entitlement. For example, they ensure planning is flexible enough to accommodate individual children's interests and fascinations, which supports engagement and learning.

Overall, these adaptations help to reduce barriers to children's learning and wellbeing. However, occasionally, staff do not ensure the structure of daily routines support all children to practise skills associated with their next steps of learning. For example, routines at tidy-up time do not yet consistently support all toddlers to participate, which means they miss opportunities to experience teamwork and collaborate with peers.

Effective use and monitoring of early years pupil premium funding means leaders narrow gaps in children's learning. For example, they purchase resources that they know will motivate and engage children who face barriers to their learning.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Overall, leaders have designed and implemented a well-sequenced curriculum that builds progressively on what children already know and identifies what they need to learn next. Music is placed at the heart of the curriculum, helping children to make meaningful connections in their learning and encouraging them to think independently. Leaders focus on securing children's knowledge, understanding, and skills across the prime areas of learning within the early years foundation stage framework.

Generally, staff tailor their teaching to deliver an effective communication and language curriculum for all children. For example, in the baby room they repeat words back and share books to build vocabulary. Staff engage babies in back-and-forth interactions such as 'peek-a-boo' so that babies start to develop the social interaction skills necessary to build relationships in the future.

Children's physical development is prioritised through access to well-planned and resourced indoor and outdoor areas. For example, children in the toddler room enjoy singing and manipulating play dough during the daily 'dough disco' session. This playful activity helps them to build the muscle strength and control needed for writing.

The teaching of mathematics is weaved through the curriculum and staff take opportunities to extend children's mathematical thinking and knowledge of number and shapes. Leaders and staff adapt the curriculum for children who face barriers to learning, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. However, at times, leaders do not ensure that routines support all children to transition smoothly between activities in the day. This means occasionally children's learning time is reduced.

Achievement: Expected standard

All children make steady progress from their starting points across all the areas of learning. They grow into confident communicators as they share their ideas, thoughts and feelings. Children show that they feel safe and quickly build secure bonds with staff. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those known or previously known to social care thrive with the personalised support they receive.

Across the nursery, children demonstrate high levels of engagement and curiosity. They benefit from a stimulating learning environment indoors and outdoors, where they explore, investigate and develop their creativity and problem-solving. As they move through the nursery, children become increasingly independent. They treat one another and staff with kindness and respect. These secure foundations ensure they are ready to flourish when they move on to school.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

The nursery provides a happy environment where warm, respectful relationships help children feel secure. Children demonstrate kindness and respect for others. Staff frequently praise children for both their effort and achievement. This helps children to be resilient and motivated to learn.

Leaders provide bespoke settling-in processes to meet the needs of individual children and families. Leaders monitor the pattern of attendance for all children and work closely with parents and carers to promote regular, punctual attendance. They take time to understand each family's context and put tailored plans in place to remove barriers. Their proactive approach ensures children benefit fully from the curriculum.

Expectations for behaviour are high for all children. Pre-school children and toddlers move around the building safely and confidently. They demonstrate that they know and understand the rules of the setting. Staff model positive interactions and encourage turn taking and cooperative play. They remind pre-school-age children of how to overcome minor disputes with their friends. As a result, these children learn about how to manage their feelings and regulate their behaviour.

Children generally follow the routines of the setting. However, at times, these routines could be strengthened to help children better understand and negotiate transitions between activities in the day.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders and staff create a nurturing environment where children are greeted by name as they arrive in the morning. This helps children to feel emotionally safe and builds warm respectful relationships.

There is an effective key-person system in place. Staff know their key children well and respond to their changing needs. For example, in the baby room staff work closely with parents to achieve continuity between home and setting routines, such as the time and length of naps.

Leaders ensure that staff implement procedures to support children's health and rest. For example, staff follow safe-sleeping procedures and check babies regularly to ensure their safety. They establish secure attachments with babies and are attentive to their needs. This supports babies' welfare.

Children enjoy nutritious food. At mealtimes, staff sit with children and talk about what foods help to make their bodies strong. This supports them to learn how to be healthy. Toddlers become more independent in their personal care needs, as they are encouraged to independently wash their hands before eating. Leaders ensure there is a clear system to identify children with dietary requirements. Staff consider where children with dietary requirements should sit in order to keep them away from food that may harm them.

Leaders and staff focus on helping all children, including those that face barriers to learning, to become independent from an early age. Staff regularly take children out in the local area, including walks and litter-picking events. This not only helps children consider how to care for their environment but also gives them opportunities to learn about road safety and to understand risks in the wider community.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

The newly established leadership team demonstrate a professional and reflective approach. They understand the strengths of the setting and recognise priorities for improvement. Leaders have acted swiftly to improve the experiences and environment for younger children and babies. The positive impact of this is already evident and leaders continue to monitor and reflect on these changes to ensure the best outcomes for all children.

Leaders prioritise staff wellbeing. They use responsive systems to monitor workloads and provide professional development that aligns with staff interests and children's needs. Staff speak positively about the supportive culture and particularly value the support for their mental health and wellbeing.

Leaders are ambitious for the children who attend. They work collaboratively with all professionals and families. Leaders endeavour to meet the needs of all children and work towards ensuring they are ready for their next stage of learning. For example, leaders maintain effective partnerships with local schools. They work together to facilitate enhanced transitions for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This enables children with SEND to have their needs met swiftly at their next place of education and to settle quickly.

Leaders build partnerships with parents and professionals. Their communication systems ensure children's learning is celebrated both at home and in the nursery. Parents comment warmly on the setting, reflecting the positive relationships that support smooth transitions and a strong sense of belonging.