Acorn Wood Day Nursery

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders have clear oversight of the children in their care. They organise the key-person system to ensure children receive the most appropriate support to help them become familiar with staff and peers. Staff typically respond in ways that support children to build on what they already know and can do, however on occasions, not all staff promptly identify children's fascinations in ways that extend their learning to the highest level.

Leaders and the special educational needs coordinator work closely with staff members, external support agencies, parents and carers. They align aspirations, agree targets, and plan interventions to help children with special educational needs and/or disabilities thrive. Identification and ongoing assessment typically help to effectively reduce barriers to learning.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and those with other barriers to their learning, benefit from clear individual plans that identify their needs. Intervention activities and experiences are woven into teaching in ways that best support children in making progress from their starting points. Respectful conversations with parents and regular review meetings ensure that staff are using planning and intervention effectively to help children build on their existing skills, knowledge and understanding.

Leaders work in effective partnership with other organisations and professionals. They proactively share appropriate information to support children's transition to school. Leaders actively encourage teachers to visit the setting and meet with parents and children's key people to support an individualised transition process fully. This helps ensure consistency and supports children with SEND and their parents in feeling well prepared for the next stage of the learning journey.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders are positive role models for implementing a well-designed, thoughtful curriculum. They support staff in paying attention to children's interests and fascinations and in weaving in appropriate experiences that will extend their learning. Leaders have high aspirations for children. They work closely with staff members to develop a sound knowledge of child development across the setting. Leaders closely monitor practice regarding teaching and learning. They support staff to develop their interactions with children to help children build on what they already know and can do. Staff respond positively to the support offered by leaders. This is helping raise the level of teaching across the provision.

Children develop their fine and gross motor skills through a variety of experiences. Babies delight in transporting sand from one place to another and spend time focused on transferring sand between a variety of containers. While staff provide a range of resources, they do not all yet fully extend children's vocabulary by consistently naming their actions as they play.

Children benefit from access to high-quality reading materials which helps them develop an early love of literacy. Children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities delight in sharing familiar picture books with their key person. Staff share books with children in both smaller and larger groups. Children learn how to turn the pages and how to care for books by putting them back on the shelves. Older children gather their friends together and show high levels of confidence in 'leading group time' by mirroring experiences they are involved in with staff. For example, they turn the books around so that others can see and point to familiar words and pictures.

Achievement: Expected standard

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make sound progress from their starting points. They receive support to build their confidence and become self-assured, interested learners. Babies and children develop their hand-eye coordination and manipulation skills as they focus on puzzles and interesting shape sorters. Children explore the learning environment, including the outside play space. They develop strength, stamina, and gross motor skills as they engage in mark-making, crawling, throwing, and catching.

Children develop an early love of reading as they explore books and share stories. They delight in pointing to pictures and joining in with familiar words and phrases. Children confidently select favourite books to share with their peers and gather other children together to 'lead' phonics sessions based on their own experiences. Children typically develop as confident communicators and are keen to ask questions about topics that interest them. For example, some children are keen to explore the concept of invisibility.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Leaders have clear oversight of how firmly-embedded routines contribute to children's wellbeing. They ensure that adjustments are made for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those with barriers to their learning to enable everyone to benefit from clear expectations and guidance. Positive partnership working helps leaders to support parents in understanding the positive impact of regular attendance. Leaders ensure that thoughtful time management makes the best use of opportunities for children to develop the skills they need for the next stage of their learning. For example, older children are well supported in lining up and moving between learning spaces with their peers in readiness for a lively and engaging phonics session.

Staff members develop and maintain warm, respectful relationships with children through the implementation of a carefully considered key-person system. This helps all children develop a sense of belonging and connection, which positively impacts their eagerness to get involved in the interesting experiences on offer. Babies choose familiar adults as reassuring play partners and actively invite peers into their play. For example, they take turns feeding and cuddling the dolls during their favourite role play.

Children benefit from prolonged, uninterrupted periods of play, which help them become fully engaged and involved in learning. Staff typically ensure they have the time to explore their ideas, which helps to deepen their learning. Children have the opportunity to come back to learning and extend their projects, such as when they are exploring rainbow painting and making rainbow wands.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Children are successfully supported to develop self-care skills. For example, babies learn to feed themselves with spoons, developing their confidence and coordination. Older children learn to use the toilet independently and to wash and wipe their hands. Leaders understand the importance of developing these handwashing routines, using soap and water, for the youngest children in the setting. Overall, practice supports children's independence and understanding of how to keep themselves healthy. Staff prioritise children's understanding of oral health. Staff access funding to supply all children with their own toothbrushes, supporting their knowledge and understanding. Parents comment on the positive impact this has had on children's oral care routines at home.

Leaders have developed their approach to teaching children about the importance of a healthy lifestyle. Children benefit from a nutritional menu that promotes healthy eating. Staff talk with children about the food they are eating and encourage them to share information about their favourite foods during sociable mealtimes. Children develop their independence as they pour drinks and older children hand out lunch to their peers.

Children benefit from spending significant time outdoors. They delight in exploring the interesting play space and develop an awareness of their own health and safety as they assess risk, for example, while collecting apples from the ground to feed to the nursery pigs. Children build the strength in their large muscles as they engage in running, climbing, crawling and navigating obstacles. Staff support children to go up and down the steps safely so they can access all areas of the outdoor learning environment.

Relationships between staff and children are warm and responsive. This supports children's emotional wellbeing and, as a result, helps them manage their own emotions. They are confident to ask for support from trusted staff. Routines are embedded and children learn to keep themselves healthy and safe. For example, children follow a careful hygiene routine when it is their turn to feed the nursery pigs. They confidently share this information with others.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders have acted since the previous inspection to extend their oversight and monitoring activity across the provision. Leaders conduct effective peer observations that support staff in developing their practice and drive improvement consistently across the setting. Staff report high levels of wellbeing and say they feel highly valued and fully supported in their roles.

Leaders and staff build robust, positive relationships with parents. They share information regularly about children's learning and development. Parents and carers report feeling fully included in their children's learning. Parents of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities report high levels of involvement in target setting and review meetings. Leaders work well with special educational needs coordinators to build positive professional relationships with external agencies. Close partnership working and clear communication ensure that children receive the support they need promptly, enabling them to achieve the best outcomes in readiness for the next stage of their education.

Leaders plan strategic training and professional development opportunities to support staff in extending their knowledge and understanding. Staff report that regular meetings ensure they have a clear vision for the development of the setting and allow them to contribute to the provision for children and families.