Victoria Pre-School

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders are committed to ensuring that all children are included and make progress from their starting points. They gather information from parents when children first start and use ongoing observations to identify needs early. Leaders act promptly when concerns are identified and collaborate closely with external professionals, including speech and language therapists and portage, to secure appropriate support. Where required, leaders complete education, health and care plans to ensure children's needs are clearly identified and met.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those from disadvantaged backgrounds benefit from targeted support. Staff make suitable use of additional funding to support children's engagement and access to learning. For example, they purchase resources linked to children's interests to increase motivation and provide specialist seating to support children with attention and sitting skills. Staff model language consistently, engage children in conversation and share stories to support early communication skills. Leaders make appropriate referrals to specialist services, who also visit the setting to provide guidance and strategies for staff to use in practice.

Leaders adapt provision to meet individual needs through structured activities, such as 'bucket time', to help children engage and develop focus. However, wider curriculum experiences are not always consistently adapted or delivered through high-quality interactions. This means learning opportunities, such as early mathematics, are not always reinforced effectively across the setting. Despite this, leaders maintain an inclusive ethos, ensuring children are supported to participate fully in daily routines and activities.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have oversight of the curriculum and teaching through regular meetings and discussions with staff. They review the provision and agree children's next steps. The curriculum is broadly child-led. There is a focus on communication and language development, alongside opportunities to support physical development. Leaders and staff track children's progress from their starting points through ongoing observations and shared discussions. This helps to ensure that support is responsive to identified needs, including for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who face barriers to learning.

Teaching is variable across the setting. There are strengths in small-group work led by staff and leaders. In these focused sessions, children benefit from structured opportunities that support communication, confidence and engagement. Staff also provide learning experiences to support physical development, for example, through squeezing and manipulating dough to strengthen hand muscles and offering bikes to develop coordination and balance.

Mathematical learning is introduced informally through play and daily routines. Staff model counting in sequence, for instance, when counting blocks in a tower and introducing mathematical language linked to size. However, this is not consistently reinforced across the wider curriculum to deepen children's understanding of mathematics.

Staff support children with SEND and those who face barriers to learning appropriately within teaching practice. They use visual aids, such as 'now and next' boards. This supports transitions and understanding of routines. Additionally, staff use signing to aid communication. Overall, teaching supports inclusion. However, the quality of adult interactions is not yet consistently high across all areas of learning.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children make suitable progress from their starting points across the areas of learning. Communication and language are a strength. Children use sentences confidently and take part in conversations with adults and peers. Children who speak English as an additional language develop their understanding of English well. Those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children facing barriers to learning make progress through targeted language interventions and support from other professionals. This helps to build their confidence and communication skills over time.

Children are confident and form positive relationships with staff and peers. They share ideas for play and are developing independence. For instance, they collect their own lunch boxes and use spoons to serve their own snack. Physical development is supported effectively through activities such as balance bikes and climbing equipment. This helps children to build coordination and strength.

Children's early mathematical skills are developing through incidental opportunities to count and compare. Children show interest in books and enjoy stories. This supports early literacy. Although children participate in routines, their understanding of expectations is not yet secure. At times, this can affect their engagement in learning.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Children form positive relationships with staff and their peers. They chat happily and play together and alongside each other. This helps them to feel secure in the setting. Children generally enjoy their time and engage in activities. However, their focus is sometimes limited. Staff provide targeted experiences, such as adult-led attention activities. This is designed to support children's engagement. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face barriers to learning are supported through key-person relationships, small-group work and the use of visual aids.

Staff have established daily routines, such as arrival procedures and handwashing. This helps children to settle and be confident. Leaders monitor practice and provide guidance through discussions with staff. However, this is not fully effective in ensuring that all staff consistently reinforce expectations. For instance, children do not always respond to tidy-up routines and continue to play.

Staff support children's behaviour generally well. However, they are not consistent in their approach to managing behaviour. At times, staff move children to support listening without providing explanations. Subsequently, children do not fully understand why they are being repositioned or how to improve their behaviour. At times, noise levels increase and staff do not consistently model appropriate voice levels. This means children do not always develop a secure understanding of how to behave in group situations.

Leaders promote regular attendance through positive partnerships with parents and ongoing discussions. They monitor attendance patterns and take appropriate action where needed.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders lead children's welfare and wellbeing effectively. They take responsibility for safeguarding and function as designated safeguarding leads. Staff understand their roles in promoting children's welfare. They benefit from regular supervision and support. They report feeling well supported by leaders. This contributes to consistent care practice across the setting.

Children are cared for in a safe and nurturing environment. Staff support their emotional wellbeing through calm interactions, comfort when needed and structured small-group experiences such as 'bucket time'. This helps children to feel secure and settled. Leaders use additional funding to provide resources that support children's emotional needs and engagement. Care routines, such as hand hygiene and allergy and intolerance procedures, are followed consistently to support children's health and safety. Children are supported to understand and manage risk. For instance, children are taught to use bikes in designated outdoor areas. They are generally independent in self-care, although staff provide additional support where needed, such as during toilet training.

Children are typically settled and confident and are developing their emotional regulation skills. However, at times, children become noisy or less regulated and require additional support to maintain focus and engagement.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities benefit from support from external agencies, such as portage workers. This helps to promote their emotional wellbeing. Leaders and staff collaborate closely with parents. They share daily communication and offer guidance on care routines at home, including toilet training. This supports continuity of care and wellbeing.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders have a clear vision for the setting, with a strong focus on supporting children's communication and language, particularly for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language. They evaluate provision through regular discussions with staff. They have made improvements, such as developing the outdoor area to increase access for all children. Leaders are aware of areas for development, including the consistency of behaviour management and the quality of teaching interactions.

Governance is provided by the owner, who is also the manager. This ensures clear oversight of the setting's day-to-day practice and priorities. Leaders monitor provision and make appropriate changes where needed, although systems are not yet fully effective in securing consistent practice across all staff.

Leaders support staff wellbeing appropriately. Staff receive regular supervision and are given time during sessions to complete tasks. Staff report that they feel valued and supported. Professional development includes mandatory training. Additionally, staff complete autism spectrum disorder and word awareness courses. However, opportunities to further develop staff expertise in managing behaviour and delivering high-quality interactions are not yet fully established, which limits consistency in practice.

Leaders build positive relationships with parents. They communicate daily and hold regular meetings to discuss children's progress and next steps. Parents participate in decisions about additional support, including referrals and education, health and care plans. Leaders collaborate closely with external professionals and local schools to support children's development and transitions.