Notes app not syncing between iPhone & iPad. Ipad also is not saving notes

I have a iPhone 6, running iOS 11.3 and a refurbished 128gb iPad running OS 11.3. Logged into both the iPhone and iPad with the same iCloud account. I have notes (using Apples note app) saved on my iPhone under “icloud” and when i open notes on my ipad, nothing is there. On top of that I write/type a new note on the iPad, and it doesn’t save. I tap the home button and then go into another app, go back into the note and it’s gone.

On both the phone & ipad - iCloud is set to sync notes

-Both have the “default account” set to icloud

- Logged out of iCloud on both and that didn’t do anything

- Both have the “on my iPhone/ipad” account off. So all notes should be stored in the cloud.

- Notes are also not being synced with any of my mail accounts (gmail etc) on either device.

- Both are also on the same WiFi connection if that makes any difference

I did just find that if I made a new folder on my ipad, it showed up on my iPhone. When I made a new note within that new folder, the note did not appear on my iPhone. When I clicked out of the note on the ipad it also disappeared again.

Am I not clicking on something that I should be? Is this a glitch withing 11? Is there a way to fix this without having to download an app for notes?