The Play Corner Paulsgrove

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders support all children and promote a highly inclusive culture across the whole setting. Every single child is valued and well supported by knowledgeable, experienced staff. They monitor each child's learning and development thoroughly, taking time to get to know the children and their parents and carers well. This enables them to identify needs quickly and accurately so they can put supportive measures in place. Leaders understand the benefits of asking for help at the earliest opportunity. They have built great partnerships with external professionals and work closely with them. Staff appreciate the strategies provided and use these regularly in their work with children. Consequently, all children are supported and developing extremely well.

Leaders support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities confidently and effectively. Staff access relevant training to enhance their knowledge and understanding of specific needs. As a result, they skilfully support the children so they thrive in their care. They use funding provided to ensure these children can access resources appropriate for them to enhance their learning. For example, leaders have purchased sensory equipment and organised stimulating activities, such as a farm visiting the setting. Children consistently meet their learning targets, and these are shared and celebrated with parents.

Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard

Leaders provide a unique and ambitious curriculum, which all staff enthusiastically helped to create. The curriculum is well sequenced for all children and staff are skilled at making adaptations as necessary to reflect children's current interests. They work closely with parents and carers to share children's upcoming targets for learning as well as recent progress. This allows for collaborative working between the setting and home. There are many opportunities for children to choose and lead their own play. For example, they find empty snail shells in the garden and this immediately leads to a game and conversation about snails and slugs. Children show compassion as they handle the shells with care. Staff are extremely knowledgeable about what stage of learning their key children are at and what they still want them to achieve. This helps to ensure that children are well prepared for the next stage in their learning.

Staff encourage children to engage in a range of high-quality learning experiences. For example, children demonstrate impressive concentration skills as they use tools, such as an allen key, to manipulate screws into small pieces of wood. Staff introduce new language such as clockwise and anti-clockwise to explain how children can complete the task. Staff praise children's efforts and children smile proudly. This helps to build the muscles in their hands to help with early writing skills and helps to develop children's self-esteem.

Achievement: Strong standard

All children are making excellent progress in their development. They have a thirst for learning and are extremely curious in the well-resourced environment. Children receive targeted and accurate support from external professionals in a timely manner to put support and interventions in place as necessary. Children demonstrate determination and resilience while playing. For instance, babies carefully climb up to the top of a slide with impressive control before sliding down, giggling and smiling as they do so. Older children concentrate with skill as they carefully trace over the letters in their names, being careful not to go over the lines. Then then reflect and think before drawing an animal which begins with the first letter of their name. Children are thrilled when they receive praise and hold their efforts up for all to see. They are happy and confident learners who are extremely well supported in the setting.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders and staff generally have high expectations of children's behaviour. They are positive role models and laugh and joke with children and one another. Children understand the routines well and know what to expect and when. They eagerly take part in the range of activities on offer, both indoors and outdoors. Older children are respectful of younger children, and help them to solve problems they come across. Staff use calm language and gentle reminders towards children. However, approaches to managing unwanted behaviour are not always consistent, which can lead to children receiving mixed messages about expectations.

Staff treat children with respect and kindness. They value children's responses, such as asking if they can change their nappies. Younger children are soothed to sleep with cuddles and soft music. All children enjoy playing with staff and invite them in their play. For example, they sit on a wooden car and laugh as staff sit behind them. This demonstrates that they feel comfortable and secure in the presence of staff.

Leaders monitor children's attendance to keep them safe. They work with families to make adaptations to children's attendance patterns when required so that children can continue to attend. For example, children can move from morning sessions to afternoon sessions if required. This helps break down barriers for families and promotes children's social skills.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Leaders are passionate about prioritising children's welfare and wellbeing and putting their needs first. They have comprehensive policies and risk assessments in place, which are reviewed and adapted as necessary. Leaders and staff are skilled at knowing the children in their care. They have extensive knowledge of each, including those with barriers to their learning, as well as their families. This enables them to be proactive in knowing how best to support them, and how to adapt any changing needs or circumstances without delay. For instance, being able to support children when a new baby enters the family. This leads to impressive partnership working.

Leaders have high expectations to promote children to lead healthy lifestyles. They encourage children to bring healthy lunch boxes and also provide a hot, nutritious meal if required. Children concentrate well and show determination as they put toothpaste on their individual toothbrushes, demonstrating to staff how well they can brush. Staff praise their efforts and tell them they will have healthy teeth. Children have daily access to an outdoor environment where they can be physically active. They run, jump and hop, showing off their skills to attentive staff. Children jump into a ball pit, shouting, 'cannonball' with great excitement as they do so. Extra activities such as trips to the park and an athletics session help children to stay active and learn healthy habits.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders demonstrate a secure understanding of the setting's strengths and areas for development. They are passionate about providing a nurturing, child-led, safe and inclusive environment that caters for all children. Leaders encourage staff to attend training courses to improve their knowledge and skills. Recent training on developing children's communication through music has had a positive impact on children's outcomes. Leaders hold regular one-to-one and team meetings with staff, which helps them to feel appreciated. Leaders also prioritise staff workload so they do not feel overloaded. This allows staff to feel supported and valued.

Leaders have a clear oversight of the setting, its strengths and areas for improvement. They have high standards and support staff well to achieve these. When something does not meet their standards, leaders clearly communicate their expectations and address the situation instantly. This means that expectations are accurately managed and recognised by all staff, which has a positive impact on children's wellbeing. Leaders value and appreciate the secure relationships they have built with all parents and carers. The setting offers regular meetings, and gives detailed, daily feedback to parents. They work together harmoniously so that all children are supported and well cared for. Children are able to borrow books from the setting to share with parents at home. This allows them to work together with staff to share children's learning. Parents are extremely happy with the care given to their children, and feel they well supported and looked after. As a result, all children benefit from the secure, supportive staff.