The Caterpillar Clubhouse

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders demonstrate a consistently strong and holistic approach to supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They ensure that staff access a broad range of relevant training, resulting in informed and high-quality practice. For example, targeted speech, language and communication programmes and Makaton are used effectively to promote children's speech, language and communication development. Leadership is highly responsive and child centred. For example, a tailored 'yellow day', introduced to reflect children's emerging interests, exemplifies the team's capacity to adapt provision creatively and maintain effective communication with families.

Staff have a secure understanding of each child. They use accurate observation and assessment to identify individual needs at an early stage. Targeted strategies are implemented promptly and consistently, enabling children to engage successfully in learning. Strong partnerships with parents contribute meaningfully to children's progress. Staff maintain open communication, involve families in decision-making and, where appropriate, work effectively with external professionals to secure timely support and ensure continuity for children with emerging or identified SEND.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

The curriculum is implemented well, overall. The learning environment is well organised, with resources consistently accessible to children. This successfully promotes independence, decision-making and sustained engagement in play and learning opportunities. All children are supported through tailored methods that recognise their unique needs, ensuring they can fully engage and make meaningful progress in their learning. Communication and language development is prioritised effectively across the setting. Staff support children to express their needs and feelings with increasing confidence. In addition, opportunities such as the lending library and themed borrow bags further enhance children's early literacy skills and emotional understanding.

Leaders and staff have worked hard to create a high-quality learning environment. For example, the treehouse offers a calm, sensory area to help support children's emotional development, while the tools workstation enables children to safely explore risk, develop fine motor skills and engage in teamwork. Leaders and staff provide fun, playful activities to help children learn early mathematical skills. However, they do not consistently model mathematical language or counting sequences through routine activities. This means some opportunities for children to develop these skills are missed.

Staff aim to provide a nurturing, active learning environment where all children can make progress at their own pace and reach their full potential. However, at times, the intervention of leaders in staff practice limits staff's ability to develop their own skills and professional judgement. This reduces staff confidence in independently scaffolding children's learning and responding to their ideas.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children across the setting make clear and measurable progress in all areas of learning. They are happy, settled and confidently make independent choices about their play, engaging for continued periods of time. Children demonstrate a developing love of reading, showing high levels of attention and enjoyment of books. Singing and nursery rhymes further enrich their early communication and language development. Staff use visual aids and Makaton to support communication for all children. Occasionally, staff do not routinely model mathematical language or counting in everyday routines. As a result, some opportunities to embed and extend children's mathematical development are not fully maximised.

Children enjoy working together as they play with resources such as guttering and wheeled toys. They practise taking turns and sharing, and by exploring how objects move on slopes, they begin to develop early problem-solving and investigation skills.

Outdoors, they develop gross motor skills through climbing and balancing while also learning to manage risks and take turns. Staff support children's emotional development effectively, using resources such as the treehouse to help them manage their feelings. Children are confident, curious and well prepared for the next stage of their learning.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders and staff create a structured, nurturing environment that supports children's emotional, social and behavioural development. Staff model positive behaviour and use gentle reminders, clear routines and visual prompts, such as sand timers, to help children share, take turns and cooperate. Children are kind, respectful and confident when playing together. Children form secure relationships with their key person, helping them feel safe and ready to explore. Warm interactions and consistent routines support children's emotional wellbeing and help them understand and manage their feelings.

Routines are well established and promote children's growing independence. Younger children move smoothly between activities, while older children manage tasks such as putting on coats and practising good hygiene. This inclusive approach ensures that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, meet their individual goals and develop positive attitudes to learning. Children build friendships and cooperate during play, group times and meals. Attendance and safety procedures are robust, ensuring children are well supported and regularly engaged in learning.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Staff know the children extremely well and use this understanding to promote their independence. Children confidently manage their self-care needs, including accessing a rolling snack table, with staff ensuring a clear cut off so they still benefit from a nutritious lunch. Leaders support children's dietary needs through clear communication between parents, carers and all staff. Leaders and staff provide nutritious and balanced meals and snacks. Children are actively supervised during mealtimes, with staff engaging them in meaningful conversations that support their speech, language and emotional development.

Leaders and staff implement robust safeguarding arrangements, with clear procedures for allergy management, sleep routines and hygiene. There is a clear focus on helping children communicate well, feel secure and develop emotionally. For example, the treehouse provides a calm sensory space that nurtures children's emotional development. Staff model calm behaviour and use gentle, age-appropriate guidance to help children understand and manage their emotions.

The environment, both indoors and within the community, is used creatively to support children's learning. Although the setting does not have its own garden, children benefit from rich outdoor learning experiences in the local community. They enjoy activities such as hunting for bugs, using magnifying glasses to see what is hidden under leaves and twigs in the nearby woodland. Staff build on children's interests in imaginative ways. For example, when children become interested in the character 'Harry Potter', they created a pop-up woodland classroom with themed learning zones, including potion making, herbology and broomstick workshops. This themed approach helps children feel confident, curious and eager to learn.

The setting also provides meaningful intergenerational experiences. Children regularly visit a local care home and engage in shared activities with residents, such as playing gentle ball games, which are carefully matched to the abilities of both groups. These interactions help children practise empathy and social awareness in real contexts. The care routines, outdoor learning and personalised approaches demonstrate a setting that knows its children deeply and adapts to meet their needs especially well.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders and staff create a nurturing, safe and well-organised environment where children's learning, independence and wellbeing are supported effectively. Leaders demonstrate a clear understanding of the setting's strengths and proactively take steps to address areas identified for improvement, helping to ensure that practice continues to develop over time. Professional development is prioritised through regular supervisions and targeted training. Leaders are highly involved in day-to-day practice and maintain an effective presence in the nursery. While this ensures they have a clear overview of children's experiences and can offer immediate support to staff, their hands-on leadership style occasionally limits staff initiative. This reduces some opportunities for staff to problem-solve, reflect and lead interactions independently.

Partnerships with parents are robust. Parents receive regular updates on their children's progress through an online app, including observations, assessments and development goals. Partnerships are strengthened through initiatives such as the lending library and borrow bags, which support learning beyond the setting. This inclusive approach helps all children, including those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to maintain the setting's expectations and develop positive attitudes to learning.

The learning environment is thoughtfully planned to support children's wellbeing and development. Recent adaptations include the sensory treehouse, tool station and a cosy reading tent. This promotes children's emotional development, independence, early literacy and emerging interests. The setting also enriches children's experiences by engaging with the wider community through visits and charitable events.