Your Co-op Little Pioneers Nursery and Pre-School, Bristol

Inclusion: Needs attention

Staff do not use strategies consistently or review them regularly enough to ensure they continue to meet children's changing needs. Some staff use strategies, such as visual 'now and next' boards and quiet spaces where children can regulate their emotions. However, weaknesses in teaching and the inconsistent implementation of support strategies mean that some children with additional needs do not receive the help they require consistently. As a result, some children do not develop the knowledge and skills they need for the next stage of learning. For example, staff do not consistently teach children how to manage their behavioural and emotional needs successfully. At times, children take toys from each other, raise their voices and disrupt the learning of others.

Leaders and staff recognise children's individual needs, including those who speak English as an additional language, children with medical or behavioural needs and those with gaps in their development. Staff use observations and assessments to identify children who need additional support. Leaders ensure staff understand their responsibility to identify concerns about children's development and seek advice from senior staff with greater experience or specialist training. They understand the processes for working with external professionals to secure additional support for children.

Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention

Staff have a suitable understanding of the curriculum, although this is not yet securely embedded. They generally know their key children's individual learning needs and are aware of the support they require. However, staff do not consistently provide teaching and interactions that help all children to make the progress they are capable of. Staff have started to use strategies to support children with barriers to learning, including visual communication cards, visual timetables and approaches to help children manage their emotions and behaviour. However, these strategies are not implemented consistently, reviewed effectively or adapted to have the intended impact.

Staff do not ensure that all children benefit from purposeful learning experiences. For example, staff read stories to older children during busy and noisy times, making it difficult for children to listen, concentrate and fully develop their communication and language skills. Staff do not consistently use opportunities to extend babies' and younger children's learning as interactions are often brief. Children move away from activities without further encouragement to engage. Nevertheless, younger children enjoy singing familiar songs and rhymes. They enthusiastically use sponges and soapy water to wash toy vehicles. Staff support children's physical development as they encourage children to climb over and under obstacles in the garden. They also promote independence for older children by encouraging them to pour their own drinks and clear their plates after lunch.

Achievement: Needs attention

Some children make appropriate progress from their starting points. However, not all children, particularly those with barriers to learning, make the progress they are capable of. Children do not consistently receive the support they need to achieve well. The learning environment for babies and older children is not fully considered. At times, high noise levels, inconsistent behaviour management and arrangements for sleeping mean some children become unsettled and are unable to engage fully in learning. This limits their progress.

Children do not consistently experience an ambitious curriculum that helps them to build the knowledge and skills they need for future learning. For example, older children do not receive consistent support to share, take turns or develop an awareness of the feelings and emotions of others. Nevertheless, younger children show developing independence as they use cutlery with support at mealtimes and join in with familiar routines. Babies become increasingly confident movers as they navigate the environment and handle a range of toys with growing control.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Needs attention

Staff do not consistently establish routines that help all children ro feel settled and ready to learn. For example, older children leave the table during mealtimes and spend time waiting for their snacks to be served. During these periods, children are not engaged in meaningful learning and the environment lacks a calm atmosphere. Staff working with younger children generally manage routines more effectively. They gain children's attention through singing, give clear and simple instructions and provide appropriate support as children wash their hands. This helps younger children to understand daily routines and encourages some to follow them independently.

Leaders work with parents and carers to promote regular attendance so that children develop positive habits for school. Children who attend regularly settle well and build positive relationships with staff. However, staff do not organise babies' sleep routines effectively. They encourage all babies to sleep at the same time, regardless of their individual needs. Babies who are not ready to sleep become unsettled and move around while staff prepare sleep mats. Staff working with older children do not consistently have high expectations for their behaviour or respond promptly to unwanted behaviour. For example, children become upset when others knock down the models they are making. Staff do not consistently support children to share and take turns. This leads to children being upset and unsettled, disrupts their learning and has a negative impact on their wellbeing.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Needs attention

Staff do not consistently promote children's wellbeing and welfare. At times, the pre-school room becomes noisy because children are not engaged in purposeful learning. This does not provide a calm environment where children feel secure and ready to learn. Staff do not organise babies' sleep routines effectively. They do not always follow children's individual sleep needs, which results in some babies becoming unsettled and crying. Hygiene practices are also inconsistent. Staff do not always maintain appropriate standards during snack times. For example, children eat from bowls and cups while sitting on the floor, allowing them to roll across the carpet where children walk and touch them with outdoor shoes. In addition, staff do not replace dirty or damaged blankets and sheets used at sleep time promptly enough.

Staff are typically caring and treat children with kindness. They comfort children who become upset, for example, by cuddling babies when they need reassurance. Staff know children's dietary requirements and ensure children enjoy healthy meals. They encourage children to wash their hands before eating, apply sun cream and make sure children wear hats when playing outdoors. Some staff help children to understand the benefits of eating healthy foods, supporting their awareness of healthy lifestyles, and talk to children about washing germs from their hands.

Leadership and governance: Needs attention

Leaders do not monitor the impact of training and professional development effectively enough. Supervision arrangements are not robust and do not consistently identify individual staff's development needs. As a result, leaders do not ensure that all staff have the knowledge and skills required to provide consistently effective care and education for children.

Leaders generally understand the provision's strengths and identify areas where improvements are needed. They have an action plan in place to improve the quality of care and education children receive. Leaders support staff wellbeing and manage workloads effectively. Staff report that leaders listen to them and provide regular opportunities to discuss their work-life balance. Leaders offer a range of training opportunities, including in-house and online training. For example, some staff have completed training to support children's behaviour and specific training to develop their understanding of babies' needs.

Leaders work with other agencies to support children and families. They seek advice from health visitors and speech and language therapists when children need additional support with their development. Leaders also work with local schools to support children's transitions, particularly those who face barriers to learning. However, leaders do not ensure that agreed strategies are embedded consistently enough to improve outcomes for all children.