Triangle Centre

Inclusion: Needs attention

Children who have been identified as having special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are not always supported to make progress based on their individual needs. Staff do not have a consistent approach to ensure meaningful, focused interactions are consistently implemented. As a result, children with SEND do not always receive opportunities that foster their progress and development.

There is generally inclusive practice at the setting and new leaders have started to implement systems to better help children who may face barriers to their learning, including one-to-one support. Leaders have plans for staff to access specialist training to extend their knowledge of how to support children with SEND. However, it is too soon to determine the impact of these changes.

Leaders understand how to use additional funding to support disadvantaged children. For example, they use funds to purchase resources to provide tailored support for children or to provide children with experiences they might not access elsewhere.

Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention

Teaching is not consistent across the setting, and the implementation of the curriculum is variable. Staff's interactions to support children's learning are not always effective. Therefore, children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are not always engaged in purposeful play and activities that extend their learning further. Leaders' ambitions to improve this are appropriate. However, their plans for improvement are not fully embedded yet.

Leaders attempt to create a curriculum that is designed to support children's development indoors and outdoors. Staff generally provide activities that extend children's learning. For example, they give babies a variety of open-ended resources, which promote their curiosity and language skills. They encourage young children to join in mark-making and painting activities. There is a positive focus on promoting communication and language. Staff read to babies with expression. They involve older children in songs and encourage them to sing 'fast' and 'slow'. Staff give children regular opportunities to run freely, negotiate space and balance in the garden to develop their physical skills. They support children to mix ingredients to make play dough, trace on sand and complete threading activities that support their small muscle development.

Achievement: Needs attention

Children's learning is not extended as much as it could be, and it is sometimes interrupted. As a result, children, including those who face barriers to learning, do not always build effectively on what they already know. Consequently, progress is not consistently secure across the setting.

Overall, children make some progress from their starting points. They develop confidence and communicate with one another and adults. For example, babies approach adults, smile and share resources with them. Older children greet adults and share their thoughts with them. Children invite staff to join them in activities, such as when playing with tractors and digging in soil. Children enjoy outdoor learning and show positive physical skills, such as balance and coordination when playing in the setting's garden or walking on indoor small apparatus. Younger children enjoy exploring water and natural materials, while older children run freely, build houses with crates and use their big muscles to play with water pumps.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Needs attention

Behaviour strategies are not yet applied consistently enough to manage instances of challenging behaviour or to support all children to understand behavioural expectations. For example, while staff explain that they use a sand timer to help children to learn to share resources, this strategy is not used consistently in practice. Leaders recognise behaviour management as a priority for improvement and understand the impact that inconsistency has on children's behaviour and attitudes. Plans to strengthen practice are at an early stage. Although staff promote positive behaviour through verbal reminders and encouragement, expectations are not always reinforced or followed through.

Overall, relationships between staff and children are positive. Staff are kind and form warm bonds with children. Babies seek staff for reassurance and to share cuddles. Older children are eager to share their ideas with familiar adults. For example, they invite staff to look at them while they re-enact the story of the 'Three Little Pigs' and share laughs when they pretend the wolf is climbing up a tree to escape from the pigs.

Leaders monitor attendance and swiftly follow up concerns. They work with parents to support their understanding of the importance to bring their children regularly and on time. This helps children to build good habits for the future.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Children play happily at the setting and form positive bonds with staff. Babies smile and stretch their arms to familiar adults. Older children are eager to share their games and ideas with staff. For example, they smile with delight as they make 'foam ice-cream' together and staff clap it between their hands to create 'snow'. Children enjoy exploring the environment, where they make their own choices and follow their interests.

Babies and children generally benefit from opportunities to enjoy outdoor play and fresh air. Older children develop their physical skills while they enjoy running and testing their skills in the garden. Babies have opportunities to pull themselves up and are encouraged to take their first steps. Children develop good hygiene practice and are becoming increasingly independent. They know when they need to wash their hands and do so independently and with confidence. Children serve themselves at lunchtime and enjoy healthy and balanced meals. However, staff do not always encourage conversation about healthy food and the importance it has for their bodies and health.

Staff provide calm and flexible sleep routines. They work with parents to understand their routines at home and let children wake up naturally. This supports their individual needs. Staff follow safe sleeping practice and monitor children closely while they rest to ensure their wellbeing.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

New leaders and recent changes in management have strengthened the day-to-day running of the setting. Leaders have a clear vision for the setting and have taken decisive actions to drive improvement. They have introduced clear systems and procedures and are taking effective steps to embed these into practice. Leaders have already made some changes in the children's best interest, including those who are disadvantaged, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities or those facing barriers to learning. They have also identified key priorities for improvement, including increasing consistency in practice and raising the quality of teaching. For example, leaders have reviewed the layout of the rooms and made changes to create a more inviting environment where all children are encouraged to make independent choices and engage in activities that interest them.

Leaders generally promote a positive working culture and foster staff wellbeing through an open door approach. As a result, staff feel better supported and more confident in fulfilling their roles. This contributes to positive morale and improved practice. Leaders have strengthened access to professional development, although some opportunities, such as training on working with boys, are broad rather than closely tailored to individual staff development needs.

Leaders have a clear focus on maintaining these improvements and ensuring that new arrangements are consistently embedded across the setting. They have a sound understanding of the setting's strengths and areas for development and are taking purposeful steps to improve the quality of care and education for children.