Tiny Tots Academy

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders and practitioners typically identify children's differing needs and consider potential barriers to their participation and learning. They use observations and discussions with families to understand children's needs and make thoughtful adaptations. Practitioners use visual prompts, quieter spaces and children's interests to adapt experiences when children need additional support to participate. This helps children to become more confident, communicate their needs and increasingly engage alongside their peers.

Practitioners work with parents and other professionals when they identify emerging concerns about children's development. They share observations and seek further advice where appropriate, while continuing to adapt experiences to support children. Practitioners introduce additional support while further advice or assessment is being sought.

Leaders consider how disadvantage may affect children's participation. For example, practitioners used funding to provide a scooter for a child who engaged particularly well through physical activity, using the scooter and numbers to combine movement with mathematical learning.

Children who speak English as an additional language are supported through visual prompts and familiar words from home. Practitioners work with families to understand important home-language vocabulary and reinforce this alongside English. This helps children to understand routines, communicate and access learning alongside their peers.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have developed a curriculum that reflects what they want children to know and be able to do. They prioritise communication and language, physical development and independence, adapting their curriculum to reflect children's starting points, interests and experiences. Practitioners understand the importance of preparing children for their next stage. Learning builds from babies' earliest communication and physical development through to older children developing greater independence, vocabulary and confidence.

Practitioners typically provide engaging experiences that help children build knowledge and skills. They use books, songs, rhymes and practical activities to introduce and reinforce vocabulary. For example, during practical exploration of volcanoes, practitioners introduce words such as 'lava', 'magma' and 'eruption'. Children also develop mathematical and physical skills through counting, measuring, scooping and pouring.

However, practitioners do not consistently recognise and build on opportunities to extend children's learning and thinking. At times, questioning and vocabulary are limited when children's play provides opportunities for deeper discussion and exploration. Consequently, some opportunities to build further on what children already know and can do are missed.

Leaders monitor the curriculum and practitioners' teaching through observations, discussions and coaching. They have accurately identified extending learning opportunities as an area for further development.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children make suitable progress from their individual starting points. Babies develop early communication and physical skills as they listen, interact and explore. As children move through the setting, they build their vocabulary, confidence and independence and develop skills that prepare them for their next stage of learning.

Children build knowledge and skills across the areas of learning. Their early mathematical understanding develops through practical experiences involving counting, numbers and measures. Children become more confident communicators as they listen to stories, join in with songs and rhymes and use an increasing range of vocabulary. However, children do not always benefit from opportunities to deepen their knowledge and thinking because practitioners do not consistently build on what children already know and can do.

Children who experience barriers to learning can participate in experiences alongside their peers and make progress from their individual starting points. Children develop greater confidence in communicating, interacting and engaging in learning. This helps children, including those who need additional support, to develop the knowledge and skills they need for future learning.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Children behave well and develop positive attitudes towards their learning. They confidently make choices about what they want to explore and show enthusiasm when experiences capture their interest. Children are developing the confidence to play alongside others, share resources and take turns. Practitioners notice when children need additional support to join in and sensitively help them to become more comfortable and confident alongside their peers.

Clear routines and expectations help children know what happens throughout their day. Children respond positively to these and develop increasing independence. They serve themselves at snack times and learn to manage their belongings and personal care routines. Practitioners use visual prompts and familiar routines where these help individual children to understand what is happening next and manage transitions successfully.

Practitioners encourage children to persevere, participate and make choices in their play. Children enjoy songs, stories, sensory experiences and practical activities and are supported to follow their interests. This contributes to children becoming confident and willing participants in their learning.

Leaders promote regular attendance and help families understand its importance. They monitor absences, contact families when children do not attend as expected and take further action when necessary.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Children have warm and nurturing relationships with practitioners who know them well. Practitioners respond sensitively to children's emotional and physical needs and provide reassurance when children need comfort. Babies are supported to form secure attachments through gradual settling arrangements with their families. Practitioners follow children's individual routines for feeding, sleeping and personal care, helping younger children to feel safe and settled.

Children develop an understanding of healthy lifestyles. They are provided with nutritious meals and snacks and have regular opportunities to be physically active indoors and outdoors. Practitioners encourage children to develop healthy habits, including handwashing and making appropriate food and drink choices. Leaders work with families to reinforce positive messages about oral health, including limiting sugary drinks and foods and using appropriate drinking cups. However, opportunities to develop children's understanding of oral health through the curriculum are not yet fully established.

Practitioners support children's growing independence while remaining attentive to their individual care needs. Children learn to manage aspects of their personal care and are encouraged to do things for themselves as they become ready. Leaders consider children's welfare when reviewing practice and work with families to understand individual needs, including allergies, dietary requirements and care routines. This contributes to children feeling secure, cared for and confident in the setting.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders have a clear understanding of their setting and the community they serve. They identify appropriate priorities for improvement, including communication and language and extending children's learning. Leaders regularly spend time in rooms, observe practice and talk with practitioners about the quality of children's experiences. Where practice needs to improve, they provide feedback, coaching and training and revisit this to consider whether improvements have been made. However, this has not yet resulted in practitioners consistently recognising and building on opportunities to extend children's learning and thinking.

Practitioners benefit from regular supervision and opportunities for professional development. Leaders consider staff wellbeing and provide additional support when needed. For example, leaders use coaching, reassurance and targeted training to strengthen practitioners' confidence and practice. They evaluate the impact of this support and have seen improvements in practitioners' interactions with children and the overall calmness of the learning environment.

Leaders work closely with families. They provide opportunities for parents to discuss their children's development and use meetings and workshops to share information about settling, toilet training and attendance. Parents speak positively about the support, communication and care their children receive. Leaders also provide experiences beyond the setting, including visits in the local community and opportunities such as swimming and football.

Leaders reflect on the quality of provision and recognise where further development is required. They have identified that practitioners need to make better use of opportunities to extend children's learning and thinking. Their monitoring accurately identifies the setting's strengths and areas for further improvement.