Tiny Toes Childcare

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders and staff have created an inclusive culture where all children's individual needs are consistently recognised, understood and responded to swiftly. Staff know children and families exceptionally well, communication with parents is highly effective and key persons build strong, trusting relationships from the outset. Leaders use assessment information, two-year checks, termly reviews and parent meetings effectively to monitor children's progress and identify emerging needs at the earliest opportunity.

When concerns arise, staff take timely and appropriate action, including recording information, working closely with parents and liaising with health professionals where required. All staff have relevant training and understand how to use observations, referrals and targeted strategies to reduce barriers to learning. Staff adapt the provision sensitively to meet individual needs, for example by implementing strategies that support communication, transitions and sensory exploration. Additional funding is used purposefully, with its impact carefully monitored to ensure it improves outcomes for children. As a result, young children who face barriers to their learning make excellent progress.

Leaders work closely with families and external professionals, including health visitors and speech and language services, to secure the best possible outcomes for children. There are currently no children known to children's social care; however, leaders have effective systems in place and demonstrate that they would respond quickly and appropriately should concerns arise. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, additional needs or other barriers to learning are fully included in all aspects of the provision and make exceptional progress from their individual starting points.

Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard

Leaders have designed a curriculum that is consistently highly ambitious for babies and toddlers and is rooted in a clear understanding of what young children need to learn and achieve next. The curriculum prioritises personal, social and emotional development, communication and language, independence and physical development, ensuring children are well prepared for their next stage of learning. Planning is developed collaboratively as a team and carefully adapted to reflect individual children's next steps and developmental needs.

Staff implement this curriculum with confidence, purpose and a strong understanding of how young children learn. They use songs, books, signing, role play and meaningful conversations to develop children's vocabulary and communication skills throughout the day. Mathematical language is naturally woven into children's play and routines, for example through counting objects, comparing size and dimensions, and naming colours with babies and toddlers. Teaching is practical, engaging and highly responsive to children's interests and developmental stages.

Young children develop strong levels of core strength, coordination and fine-motor control through a wide range of experiences, including climbing, balancing, riding bikes, squeezing paint, pouring water, spreading butter and using tools. Staff observe children carefully and adapt learning opportunities effectively, for example supporting mobility through the thoughtful use of low-level furniture and strengthening communication through rich interactions, signing and repeated vocabulary. Assessment information is shared effectively with parents through online records, progress reviews, two-year checks and regular meetings. Training, peer observations and leaders' feedback consistently support improvements in practice, ensuring staff know how to extend learning and meet the diverse starting points of all children.

Achievement: Strong standard

Children make rapid and meaningful progress from their starting points because staff know them exceptionally well and use assessment to shape next steps. Communication and language are promoted consistently through songs, stories and role-play. Young children confidently use new words, for example young toddlers confidently speak in 4 word sentences and say the word 'dinosaur'. The confidently name colours like 'yellow' and 'orange' and confidently communicate their needs.

Babies and toddlers develop independence as they access water, drink from open cups and chop up the fruit they will eat for snack time. Young children, when they are ready, confidently manage self-care tasks, for example hand washing and toileting. Children who need additional support make secure progress because staff adapt provision thoughtfully.

Children show high levels of concentration, playing with deep engagement for significant periods of time. Children are socially confident. They show high levels of curiosity during sustained play with sand and water and imaginative resources. They are very well prepared for their next stage because leaders support transitions, liaise with preschool settings and help children develop the communication, independence, social and physical skills they need for their move and beyond.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Leaders have established calm, predictable routines and a positive environment where very young children understand what happens next and they show they feel secure. Staff use warm, respectful relationships to guide behaviour and consistently take account of children's age, stage and circumstances. Children respond very well because expectations are clear, routines are familiar and adults support them with patience and kindness.

Staff help children learn to collaborate and manage everyday challenges for example, sharing a toy pram, taking turns with toys and joining group activities at their own pace. Children show confidence in making choices, requesting activities, using toilets and accessing resources independently. They are not pressured when they need time to observe or regulate. Staff provide reassurance and opportunities to join when they are ready.

Leaders promote attendance through daily records and prompt follow-up if children do not arrive as expected. Highly effective parent partnerships further support consistency between home and nursery, including work around transitions, toileting, sleep and behaviour. As a result, children behave very well for their stage of development. They show independence skills beyond their age and build positive relationships with the adults and their peers.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Care practices are consistently well matched to children's individual needs. Staff know children's routines, health needs, allergies, sleep patterns, dietary requirements and family circumstances in detail. Key persons form secure, highly responsive attachments with babies and toddlers, which helps children feel safe, confident and emotionally settled.

Children are supported sensitively during transitions, mealtimes, toileting and nappy changing, rest and play. Staff promote health and wellbeing through introducing a wide range of nutritious snacks, for example kiwi and pineapples, careful lunchbox monitoring, safe food storage, handwashing routines and regular outdoor activity.

Children learn about their physical development as they climb, balance, ride bikes, pour, squeeze, dig and explore sensory materials. Leaders have effective arrangements for safer sleep; babies are placed appropriately in cots, with suitable bedding and regular checks. Staff support children to recognise and manage emotions through calm reassurance, kind explanations and choices that respect their developmental stage.

Children with additional health or dietary needs receive highly attentive support, including adaptations and extra staff to child ratios where needed. Children are safe, emotionally secure and able to flourish in routines that support their wellbeing and independence.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders provide strategic, child-centred leadership for a small setting that is deliberately focused on babies and toddlers. They know children, families and staff exceptionally well and make carefully considered decisions in children's best interests. Leaders have an accurate understanding of the provision and use what they learn to drive continuous improvement. For example, after identifying that the toddler garden could be enhanced, they adapted the space to further improve children's learning experiences. Leaders use additional funding effectively and purposefully, liaise with professionals to secure positive outcomes and support children's transitions to preschool successfully.

Staff wellbeing and workload are consistently prioritised. Staff report high levels of wellbeing, effective communication and genuine enjoyment in their roles. Leaders reduce workload through close teamwork, shared planning, daily communication, termly supervision and weekly peer observations. This has a clear impact, with staff feeling confident, valued and able to explain their practice clearly. Supervision and oversight are highly supportive, proportionate and effective, ensuring staff receive the guidance and support they need.

Professional learning and ongoing training are highly relevant and have a positive impact on practice. Staff complete training in areas such as effective outdoor learning, language development, focused baby care, leadership and effective assessment. This training is carefully selected to reflect the needs of the children in their care and the context of the setting. Staff also undertake specific training to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, including speech and language development and supporting children through transitions. Leaders use their specialist baby development knowledge and weekly peer observations effectively to strengthen interactions, curriculum delivery and care routines.

Parental engagement is highly effective. Feedback demonstrates that families highly value the communication, guidance and support they receive, particularly around toileting, speech development, transitions and understanding their children's progress. Leaders are reflective, highly ambitious and continually seek ways to strengthen outcomes for children, particularly those who may face barriers to learning and development.