Section 1; Unique Child

INADEQUATE /

REQUIRES IMPROVEMENT

/

GOOD

/ OUTSTANDING
Child Development
Children are supported by adults who do not respond effectively to children’s needs. / Children are supported by adults who understand child development and are interested in and responsive to all aspects of development and learning. Observations of children inform planning and provision for learning and development. / Effective adults recognise that children develop and learn at different rates. They are responsive to this and meet the needs and interests of children effectively, involving parents/carers in the process. Observations of children inform planning and provision for learning and development effectively.
Adults effectively identify areas of strength for children and also ways to support development by setting appropriate next steps of learning. / Effective adults meet the needs and interests of children’s social and emotional development and learning by providing learning environments that allow children to develop and learn through play in a secure and supportive way.
Adults understand what children need to develop and learn and are able to share this effectively with parents/carers.
Children are encouraged to talk about their learning and are given opportunities for sustained self chosen play. Observations of children inform planning and provision for learning and development effectively.
Inclusive Practice
Support is ineffective for children for whom English is an additional language. / Support is effective for children for whom English is an additional language and provision supports children’s learning through a range of strategies. / Bi-lingual support is provided to extend vocabulary and to support children’s developing understanding (eg. books, numberlines, labels etc)
The learning environment fully reflects the diversity of the school / Parents/carers are fully informed and involved as partners in their children’s development and learning
Practitioners do not consistently value and respect all children and families. /

Practitioners have limited strategies to support the diverse needs of children and families.

/ Practitioners and children value and respect each other. The diversity of individuals is celebrated within the school. / Practitioners have many strategies to support the diverse needs of children, parents/carers and the wider community. All families feel included.

Keeping Safe

Practitioners have unclear expectations of behaviour.

/ Children respond appropriately to clear expectations of behaviour and feel safe and secure. / Practitioners use a good range of strategies which promote positive behaviour. / Practitioners ensure that learning is enjoyable as a result of positive relationships and an extensive range of methods are used to promote learning.
Health and well being
Children’s personal, emotional and social development is not fostered appropriately. / There is some evidence of children’s personal, emotional and social development being fostered appropriately. / Evidence of children’s personal, social and emotional developments is fostered appropriately. / Clear evidence that children’s wellbeing is a priority.
Clear evidence of children’s personal, social and emotional evidence is fostered and encouraged appropriately.
Aspect; / inadequate / RI / Good / Outstanding / Quality Matters, Section 1; Unique Child
Evidence (What we have in place) Action points (What we need to do)
Child development
Inclusive Practice
Inclusive Practice
Keeping Safe
Health and Well-Being

Section 2;Positive Relationships

INADEQUATE /

REQUIRES IMPROVEMENT

/

GOOD

/ OUTSTANDING
Respecting each other
Adults do not always show respect for others. /

Adults understand that respect for others is the foundation of good relationships. They foster this within learning environments.

/

Adults understand that within effective relationships children feel safe and secure to express their thoughts and feelings and their learning and development is supported effectively.

/ Adults are able to be responsive, warm, supportive and respectful with all children and their learning and development is effective. Good relationships between practitioners and parents/carers enable all key adults to be able to ‘tune in to’ the needs and interests of children.
Parents as Partners
Parents/Carers are not actively encouraged into the school. There are insufficient opportunities for parents/carers and practitioners to work together. /

Parents/Carers are welcomed into the school but there are limited opportunities to work together to impact on children’s development and learning.

/

Parents/carers are welcomed into the school. Parents/Carers and practitioners work together to positively impact on children’s development and learning.

/ The school works effectively with all parents/carers to support children’s learning. Parents/Carers feel a strong sense of partnership based on mutual trust and confidence in the school. There is comprehensive sharing of information about children, their play, learning and behaviour and how they can be supported at home. Parents/Carers are actively involved in the school.
Transitions
Some personal information is collected about children on entry to the school but the information is not used effectively. The school has no clear transition process, procedures or policy and parents have limited opportunities to be involved in the transitions process. / Personal information is collected about children on entry to the school but the information is not always used effectively. The school has a transition policy/induction programme to support children’s transitions which offer opportunities for parents/carers to be involved, but the processes are not rigorous and consistent. / Personal information is collected about children on entry to the school and the information is used effectively informing practitioners about children’s needs and interests before they start at the school. The school’s transition policy enables parents and children to feel informed about starting school, and effectively start a genuine partnership. / Personal information is collected about children on entry to the school and the information is used effectively informing practitioners about children’s needs and interests before they start at the school. The school’s transition policy enables parents and children to feel informed about starting school, and effectively start a genuine partnership. Parents/carers are clear about how their children are supported within transitions and are given the opportunity to feedback about the process.
Supporting Learning
Communication with parents/carers is inadequate and leaves them unclear about what the school provides for their children’s well-being and progress. /

Parents/carers are encouraged to settle their children at the start of the day.They are kept well informed about their child’s progress and achievements and practitioners are able to discuss ways their child’s development and learning can be supported at home.

/

All parents/carers are kept well informed about their child’s progress and achievements within a genuine two-way communication where parental involvement is encouraged and welcomed. Learning journals * provide evidence of the partnership. Parents/carers are able to support their child’s development and learning in meaningful ways.

/ All parents/carers are kept very well informed and have a clear understanding about their child’s progress and achievements. The key worker and parent/carer talk regularly about the progress of the child. Parents/Carers are effectively informed about how to support children’s development and learning and home experiences are also effectively used to inform planning provision and experiences/activities that support the progress of development and learning for each child. Learning Journals effectively reveal how information about children is gathered from a wide context (school and home) and children themselves are involved in this process.
Key Person
There is no evidence of a key person system in place.
*learning journal refers to books of evidence which may be called memory/treasure books, I can journals, etc /

There is evidence of a key person system in place.

/

A key person system is in place and roles are established and clear. Information is shared with parents/carers on a regular basis.

/ A key person system is established and clear with all practitioners able to feed into observational assessment and planning. Learning journals* are shared with parents/carers and information is shared on a regular basis.
Aspect; / inadequate / RI / Good / Outstanding / Quality Matters, Section 2; Positive Relationships
Evidence (what we have in place) Action points (what we need to do)
Respecting each other
Parents as partners
Parents as partners; Transitions
Supporting learning
Key person

Section 3;Enabling Environments

INADEQUATE /

REQUIRES IMPROVEMENT

/

GOOD

/ OUTSTANDING
Observation, assessment and planning
Observation systems
-there are systems in place to observe children but children are not observed systematically or as part of a daily practice /

- observational systems and resources are in place to support all practitioners

- all children are regularly observed in a variety of contexts

/ - a variety of observations are made (narrative, snapshot, frequency/ flow/movement etc) and they inform planning effectively
- all children are regularly observed in a variety of contexts and observations are shared with them / - all practitioners effectively feed into observation systems
- all children are regularly observed in a variety of contexts and observations are shared with children and parents/carers
- parents/carers are encouraged to make observations of their children and these are discussed with practitioners
Observational assessment
-there are systems in place to observe children but these are not used to highlight children’s interests, learning styles, and progress
-learning journals* do not contain observations and are not individual records of achievement (they focus on adult led experiences) / -practitioners observe children and respond appropriately to help them make progress. Next steps of learning for children are identified
-Practitioners observe children systematically and use them to highlight children’s interests, learning styles, and progress
-Learning journals * contain observations which reveal children’s progress and evidence within the journals shows child initiated learning /

- Practitioners use observational assessment to identify next steps of learning and plan relevant and motivating learning experiences for each child.

- Practitioners are able to use their observations of children’s learning styles, interests and need’s effectively to plan relevant learning opportunities and provision.

- Learning journals * use a variety of observations and evidence of child initiated learning to show children’s progress

- Children and parents/ carers are involved in collecting evidence and observational evidence

/ - effective observations systems ensure that children’s needs and interests are being met
- observations are discussed with children and next steps of learning are also shared with parents/carers
- Practitioners make good use of carefully planned and targeted observation of children to ensure that children make good progress.
- Learning journals * use a variety of observations. Children and parents/ carers are involved in collecting evidence and observational evidence. Learning journals * are individual records of children’s interests, learning styles and progress.
Planning
  • Learning experiences and environments are not well planned and organised. There are limited opportunities for children to access activities independently
  • Observations are made but do not inform planning
/
  • Learning experiences and environments are well planned and organised. Children are able to access activities independently
  • Practitioners use observations to inform planning flexibly
/

Planning is flexible and effective enabling children’s learningto be exciting, varied and progressive.

Through observational assessment practitioners gain knowledge of how children are learning and making progress and this effectively informs planning (for practice and provision)

/ Through observational assessment practitioners gain knowledge of how children are learning and making progress and this effectively informs planningenabling all practitioners to purposefully work together to create a learning environment that is vibrant, purposeful, challenging and supportive.
Planning can show how observations inform provision and practice flexibly and practitioners can show how children’s needs and interests are being met effectively
Supporting every child
Balance of child initiated and adult led
There is an insufficient balance between child initiated and adult initiated/directed/led activities. / There is an effective balance between child initiated and adult initiated/directed/led activities. /

There is a good balance between child initiated and adult initiated/directed/led activities and practitioners are able to be flexible, therefore meeting children’s individual learning needs.

/

There is a good balance between child initiated and adult initiated/directed/led activities and all practitioners are able to respond according to children needs allowing the balance to be responsive. Adults understand the way to support and extend children’s learning.

The learning environment
Children have too few opportunities to practice and consolidate their skills and knowledge independently. /

Children have some opportunities to practice their developing skills, knowledge and understanding.

/

The learning environment supports children’s all round development very well. There are opportunities for children to make choices about their learning as well as practicing and developing their skills and knowledge through planned and spontaneous learning opportunities and experiences.

/ Practitioners provide a very well resourced learning environment across all areas of learning which enable children to make choices, connections, work collaboratively and individually to solve problems. Practitioners plan the environments with relevant and meaningful resources and experiences based on children’s needs & interests.
Balance of indoor and outdoor learning environments
There is an insufficient balance between the use of indoor and outdoor learning environments to support children’s development and learning. / The indoor and outdoor learning environmentsare used effectively to promote and support children’s development and learning. / Children have uninterrupted time to develop and revisit their learning both indoors and outdoors. Good use is made of outdoor space to support children’s learning by working on a larger, more active scale. / Practitioners provide effective and meaningful resources both indoors and outdoors to sustain children’s interests over time so that they can consolidate, extend and make new and better connections in their understanding through physical and mental challenges.
The Wider Context
The setting does not understand local needs or opinions and does not see the community as a rich resource. / Community links are dependent on contacts through individual staff. Occasional visitors enrich the curriculum. / The setting has productive links with the community. Regular outside visits enrich children’s learning. / Highly productive links exist with external organisations. The setting knows the locality well and sees its parents as partners. Frequent high quality visits enrich children’s learning experiences.

*learning journal refers to books of evidence which may be called memory/ treasure books, I can journals, etc

Aspect; / inadequate / RI / Good / Outstanding / Quality Matters, Section 3; Enabling Environments
Evidence (what we have in place) Action points (what we need to do)
Observation systems
Observational assessment
Planning
Supporting every child
The learning environment
The learning environment; indoor and outdoor
The wider context

Section 4;Learning and Development

INADEQUATE /

REQUIRES IMPROVEMENT

/

GOOD

/ OUTSTANDING
Play and Exploration
Practitioners rely on a limited range of resources to support children’s learning and children have limited opportunities for sustained, self chosen play. /

Practitioners use resources effectively to support children’s learning and development and children are given time and space to explore ideas independently with/without adult support.

/

Practitioners create rich learning environments that provide children with learning experiences that are interesting, motivating and meaningful, based on close observations of children’s needs.Children are encouraged to explore their ideas& are given time and space to do so.

/ Practitioners use their knowledge of children’s needs to ensure an appropriate level of challenge for all children, providing materials and experiences that reflect and support those needs. Children’s play is valued, understood and supported effectively.
Active Learning
Practitioners place undue emphasis on end products and do not give children opportunities for active exploration of the process of learning. /

Practitioners support and develop children’s thinking by showing an interest in their processes rather than focus on end products. Practitioners allow children to have control of their learning and opportunities to develop their creativity.

/

Practitioners focus on children’s well-being and encourage children effectively to be confident by allowing them control of their own learning.Children’s learning is valued, shared and promoted with others. Children are encouraged to talk and explain what they have done.

/ Children are able to collaborate, exchange ideas and explain what they have done, sometimes without adult support. Practitioners allow children time to pursue ‘lines of enquiry’ and children’s individual learning journeys are shared with and informed by parents/carers.
Creativity and Critical Thinking
Child initiated learning
Children do not initiate their own learning either because the learning environment and/or practitioners do not allow them choice. There is an over dependency on adult support. / Children are able to initiate their own learning as learning environments enable choice and practitioners are able to support and extend learning by encouraging children to collaborate, communicate and problem solve. / Practitioners encourage and motivate children to explore concepts and then encourage ways of collaborating, developing, extending and challenging their understanding with appropriate adult support. / Children have opportunities to initiate and sustain activities over time and have effective support from all practitioners to extend children’s learning. All practitioners value children’s ideas and encourage children by extending their thinking with appropriate open ended questions within responsive, positive & trusting relationships.