The Little Learning Tree Preschool – Bayhall Road

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders demonstrate strong knowledge and expertise in meeting the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who face other barriers to learning. They have established a culture of close partnership with parents, enabling staff to know and understand each family well. Staff assess children's needs promptly and adapt their teaching and support accordingly. Leaders and staff develop support plans in partnership with parents and monitor them meticulously. Where necessary, they involve a range of external professionals to support the learning and progress of children with SEND. Leaders rigorously ensure that staff follow professional advice and monitor each child's progress. This thorough approach enables staff and parents to make timely referrals for further external support, if required. Leaders understand the local community and provide targeted support that helps families overcome barriers to learning. They ensure that staff receive appropriate training to meet children's medical needs. Staff also use visual timetables, sign language and communication boards to provide further support. Leaders hold appropriate qualifications. They and other staff continue to pursue further qualifications to deepen their understanding of working with children with SEND. This professional development strengthens their ability to provide effective support for children. Leaders allocate any additional funding strategically and with a clear purpose. For example, they have invested in resources that support children with speech and language delay and help children regulate their emotions.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have designed a curriculum that includes all areas of learning. They use themes, which are supported with a carefully selected book. Staff collaborate to plan a broad range of engaging activities, with a particular focus on communication and language. They speak clearly to children at their level and model correct pronunciation. However, staff do not consistently extend children's vocabulary during play. For example, children are not encouraged to name the sea creatures they play with in the water. Children enjoy creating music with a range of instruments and enthusiastically participate in songs and rhymes. Staff introduce mathematical language and help children understand ideas such as differences in size. Children begin to count and recognise simple shapes, such as circles.

All children learn to use simple tools. They move paintbrushes in different ways to create a variety of effects. Children cut and snip natural materials, using scissors appropriate to their stage of development. Children recognise common colours, but staff do not extend their learning by exploring what happens when they mix 2 colours. Outdoors, children use spades and scoops to build sandcastles or bury leaves in the soil. They show clear enjoyment when they turn out a sandcastle or rediscover the leaves they have buried.

Staff regularly observe and assess all children at play, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face other barriers to learning. They use these assessments to plan each child's next steps and communicate them to their parents. Staff prepare children well for school. Children manage their personal hygiene, form friendships and regulate their emotions.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children make steady progress in developing their communication and language skills. Younger children initially use single words and then progress to simple phrases and sentences. They describe the drawings they create on a large whiteboard and identify features of the face and body, such as arms and legs. Children also develop their understanding of counting as they progress through the nursery. For example, they recognise that they have 2 arms and 2 legs before learning to count in sequence. These skills prepare children well for school.

Children engage in a range of age-appropriate mark-making activities using pens, crayons, paintbrushes and chalk. Younger children make exploratory marks, while older children create pictures with recognisable features. They strengthen the muscles in their fingers by cutting and shaping modelling dough with a variety of tools.

Children concentrate well when activities capture their interest. For example, they use feathers to create a nest and watch with pleasure and curiosity as they blow the feathers into the air and observe them float to the ground.

Children are well prepared for the next stage of their education. They learn to manage their personal care and listen attentively to stories and instructions.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

The nursery maintains a harmonious, calm and purposeful atmosphere. Staff set high expectations for children's behaviour and model the values they want children to develop, including kindness and tolerance. They help children respond positively to these expectations, considering each child's age and stage of development.

Staff use a range of techniques to help children settle into the nursery, such as allowing parents to remain with the child if necessary. There are strong bonds between the children and all members of staff, and this encourages highly positive attitudes towards learning. Children are confident and are happy to seek comfort or reassurance from any member of staff, not just their key person. Leaders know families well and offer additional support and advice when needed, which parents greatly appreciate. Staff are effective in supporting new children to follow the routines of the nursery, particularly at transition times.

Children interact well with one another, and unkind behaviour occurs rarely. When children become anxious, staff respond calmly and sensitively, giving them time to calm down in a quiet area of the nursery. Children collaborate and build confidence through activities, such as sharing a book or taking baby dolls for a walk.

Leaders monitor attendance rigorously and follow up unexplained absences to confirm that children are safe. They also explain to parents that regular attendance enables children to gain the greatest benefit from the nursery and prepares children for school.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Leaders support independence by encouraging children to make choices. They provide a range of resources and activities while giving children the freedom to adapt them and develop their own ideas. For example, children turn a piece of climbing equipment upside down to create a see-saw and later transform it into a bed. Many families return to the nursery as they grow, enabling staff to develop a strong understanding of each family and build secure relationships. Staff respond attentively to children's care needs. They protect children's privacy during nappy changes and work closely with parents to maintain consistent routines that help children develop new skills, including toilet training. Children can access drinking water at all times, both indoors and outdoors. At mealtimes, staff encourage them to act independently and understand which foods support a healthy diet. Staff and children use these social occasions to discuss recent experiences. Children practise opening sandwich packets and managing their lunch boxes, which helps prepare them for school. They also use toothbrushes to practise cleaning teeth and observe how brushing removes the green 'plaque' from toy teeth. Staff make tissues readily available so children can wipe their noses independently. Staff help children recognise and manage their emotions. The nursery provides sensory areas where children can sit quietly, become calm and discuss their feelings with a member of staff.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders reflect effectively on their practice and clearly understand the nursery's strengths and priorities for development. They identify strong, well-established relationships and partnerships with parents as a key strength. Leaders have recognised that children who are new to the setting are not yet following routines at transition times. They are effective in supporting these children to become familiar with the routines, for example by using now and next cards. Leaders have also redesigned the curriculum to promote child-led learning. Leaders ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive high-quality, targeted support from nursery staff and external professionals. This coordinated support helps disadvantaged children make the best possible progress. Staff value their termly meetings with leaders, during which they review practice and identify training needs. Leaders observe staff interactions with children and provide comprehensive feedback to strengthen practice. They also provide accessible, and targeted, training that further develops staff knowledge and skills and responds to children's needs. For example, staff have completed training in a range of strategies for supporting children with SEND. Staff feel confident that leaders prioritise their wellbeing, and they maintain manageable workloads. Staff also value the support that leaders provide as they pursue higher qualifications. The nursery builds strong partnerships with parents. Parents report that they would not change any aspect of the provision. All parents, particularly those whose children have SEND, greatly value the support that leaders and staff provide.