Tiddlywinks Nursery Ltd

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders and staff have high expectations for what all children can achieve. They know children extremely well and have effective partnerships with parents. They use clearly understood assessment procedures to identify any gaps in children's learning swiftly. This means that they can identify any development needs early and put in place the correct level of support for all children. This includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities or those who face any other barriers to their learning. Leaders ensure focused plans are developed and implemented for children when required. They make adaptations and agree support strategies with staff and external experts. Overall, this support helps children to feel included and make progress alongside their peers.

Leaders have established positive links with the local authority and other external agencies. They access training where needed to develop staff's skills. For example, staff have been trained to use additional intervention techniques to support children's communication and language development. Children who speak English as an additional language see and hear words in their home language, and this helps them feel included. Leaders have clear oversight of the use of additional funding, and this is used effectively to support children's progress.

Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention

While leaders' recent improvements to the curriculum and the learning environment are supporting progress, the delivery of the curriculum is not yet embedded consistently. The learning environment does not always fully support children's attention, motivation and interest. This is particularly evident outdoors for older children. There are not enough activities available, which means that children become bored quickly and are not focused on their learning.

Staff complete ongoing observations and assessments on children. However, next steps are often generic and expectations for individual learning are sometimes unclear. This means teaching is not always sharply focused on building children's current knowledge and skills.

The quality of teaching and interactions is not consistent for all children. This means that children are not always encouraged to think, solve problems and become active learners. Staff involve themselves in children's play and engage with them. Babies benefit from staff who know about their development and offer intriguing and fascinating learning opportunities. This helps to minimise any impact of the weakness in teaching, and generally children make steady progress, although not as rapid as it could be.

However, staff generally provide opportunities for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to develop consistently. They help develop language, offering new words to build their vocabulary. They support children's physical skills, helping children to manipulate objects like sticks and tools in the play dough. They offer activities to help children practise their balance and physical coordination. There is a focus on building children's independence and individual personalities.

Achievement: Needs attention

Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those known, or previously known, to social care, do not consistently make the best possible progress in all areas of learning. The quality of experiences in learning across the nursery is inconsistent.

Leaders have highlighted that interactions and quality of teaching needs attention, but there has not yet been enough time to support all staff to develop their skills in this aspect. This means that children do not typically receive enough challenge to deepen their thinking, language and problem-solving skills. As a result, children do not always build fully on what they already know and can do or develop the skills they need for their next stage in learning.

Generally, children do enjoy their learning. Babies enjoy games of peekaboo through the play tunnel. Toddlers enjoy singing their favourite nursery rhymes. Older children enjoy mixing paint colours together, noticing when they make pink, grey and brown. They use pens and pencils to make marks and draw pictures. They repeat mathematical words, such as 'tall', 'long' and 'short', which are used by staff as they all use the construction resources.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders and staff successfully embed a calm, caring environment for children. They prioritise well-considered settling-in processes to ensure children settle well and quickly when they start. They thoughtfully establish respectful and secure bonds with children. This helps all children to feel safe and secure. Leaders and staff nurture close partnerships with parents, and this ensures the care needs of all children, and particularly those of babies, are fully met every day. Leaders have embedded clear attendance policies, and this helps children to build positive habits and routines.

Staff model kind and caring behaviour with children, for example as they encourage turn-taking on the climbing frame and slide during outside play. They play alongside children, gently modelling positive interactions and showing interest in what children are doing. They notice and celebrate children's achievements. For example, staff enthusiastically smile and say, 'Wow, well done on that word,' as babies say words such as 'apple' clearly for the first time. Staff and children show respect for each other as they say 'thank you' and, 'You are welcome,' as they share resources in play.

Leaders and staff generally plan an interesting, motivating and engaging environment that encourages children to play, explore and develop a love of learning. Overall, children engage for long periods in the experiences on offer. They become immersed in investigating sensory items in a large tray, watching closely as the ingredients mix. All children are involved and spend time engaging with staff as they investigate.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders and staff are caring, attentive and obviously enjoy their time with children. They have excellent relationships with all children and place high importance on supporting children's emotional wellbeing. Leaders and staff successfully embed an effective key-person system, which helps all children to build close bonds with staff. Leaders have recently implemented stronger routines to support children's play and engagement, and this has helped with transition periods, so children know what is happening next.

Staff encourage all children to spend time outdoors, where they play and explore the garden and benefit from fresh air and exercise. Staff use books to support children's understanding of foods that are healthy and unhealthy. For example, staff read the story of 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' to toddlers and describe apples and plums as being good for their health. Children develop an understanding of how to keep themselves healthy as they brush their teeth daily in the nursery. They know to keep brushing until the timer stops after 2 minutes.

Children typically have plenty of opportunities to develop their independence and self-help skills. Babies and toddlers are praised as they attempt to feed themselves at mealtimes. Toddlers are skilled at feeding themselves their healthy lunch. Older children develop confidence as they serve their own meals and attempt to pour their own drinks.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leadership has strengthened significantly since the last inspection. The new leadership team has embraced support from the local authority and is addressing identified weaknesses promptly while being aware of the importance of embedding change. The team has worked hard to improve the oversight of the provision.

Leaders prioritise staff wellbeing and have strengthened the training and support on offer to staff considerably. Staff say they are happy at the setting and are committed to improving the outcomes for children. Leaders have a clear understanding of the strengths and next steps for all staff and are in the early stages of implementing processes to bring about rapid change. For example, leaders are currently supporting staff who have recently taken on new roles, such as leading a room. They have started modelling and coaching to ensure greater consistency in teaching and interactions throughout the nursery.

Leaders make informed decisions about additional funding to positively impact on children's individual needs. This helps all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face other barriers to learning, to make progress.

Leaders are fully committed to working in partnership with families and other agencies to support children's education and care. They have established strong links with other professionals since the last inspection. Parents and carers are informed about their children's care needs and progress every day. These positive partnerships encourage and support consistency for children's learning.