Alexandra Montessori-Heston

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders identify children's individual needs through the key-person system, observations, information from parents and carers and ongoing assessment. They act when emerging needs or barriers are identified and seek advice from external professionals when required. Staff make appropriate adaptations to help children participate fully, including children who speak English as an additional language. For example, staff use children's home languages alongside English, repetition, simple language and visual support to help children understand routines and communicate. Leaders work closely with parents and professionals so that support is coordinated and responsive.

The setting has previously supported children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff have used advice from the local authority inclusion team and other professionals, including speech and language therapists and the child development clinic. They explain how they have adapted support as children's needs become clearer, and include visual aids, consistent routines and individualised strategies.

Children who have required additional support have made progress from their starting points. They have developed their communication, increased their eye contact, participated more successfully in activities and become better able to manage transitions. Leaders also monitor children's attendance and understand how additional funding could be used to reduce barriers if eligible children attend. Parents are involved in decisions about support and receive information to help continue this at home.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have developed a broad and inclusive approach across all areas of learning and development. Staff understand what they want children to learn and provide a range of opportunities to build children's knowledge and skills. The provision reflects the differing needs of babies, toddlers and older children. Staff link planned experiences to children's interests, starting points and next steps. They use observations and staff discussions to identify areas for development. Staff use Romanian alongside English to support children who speak English as an additional language. For example, older children explore different tastes and textures during a practical science activity while learning words, such as 'grainy', 'sticky', 'sour' and 'runny'. Staff interact warmly with children and use open-ended questions, introduce new vocabulary and encourage children to have a go.

Children benefit from practical experiences, role play, creative activities, sensory play and outdoor learning. Staff incorporate mathematics naturally into children's play. They support communication and language through conversations, songs, stories and first-hand experiences. For example, children learn to count steps, scoops of sand and foam bricks and use mathematical language, such as 'full', 'half', 'taller' and 'shorter'. Staff use assessment and knowledge of children's starting points to identify their next steps. However, staff occasionally intervene too quickly during messy and sensory play, focusing on preventing spills or mess. This can reduce opportunities for children to explore freely, experiment, solve problems and develop their own ideas. As a result, children do not consistently have sufficient opportunities to lead their exploration and extend their learning through play.

Achievement: Strong standard

Children make rapid and sustained progress from their individual starting points. They develop age- and stage-appropriate knowledge and skills across all areas of learning. Children benefit from meaningful next steps in learning to support their progress. Babies develop increasing confidence and independence through everyday routines. Older children apply their knowledge and skills through a wide range of experiences.

Children develop breadth and depth through a wide range of experiences and everyday routines. They use language to describe tastes, textures and colours. Children apply mathematical ideas through counting and comparison. They develop physical skills outdoors and build independence through washing hands, serving food, pouring drinks and tidying. Children who face additional barriers receive support that is adapted to their needs.

Children are well prepared for their next stage. They develop confidence, communication, social skills, self-care and positive attitudes to learning. Parents and carers describe clear improvements in children's confidence, independence, communication and social development. Children who have received additional support have developed their skills and become more confident in routines and experiences, supported by adapted strategies and partnership working.

The weakness identified in curriculum and teaching has a limited impact on children's overall achievement. Although staff occasionally intervene too quickly during messy and sensory play, children continue to make rapid and sustained progress from their individual starting points. They benefit from a wide range of experiences that develop their knowledge, skills and understanding across all areas of learning.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Children generally behave well and develop positive relationships with staff and each other. Staff provide warm attention, encouragement and reassurance. Children receive support to share, take turns and play alongside others. Familiar routines help children to develop independence and positive attitudes to learning. For example, children wash their hands, prepare and serve snack, tidy resources and take responsibility for simple tasks.

Staff promote attendance with families and monitor patterns of absence, following up concerns when necessary. They make appropriate adjustments to support children's individual circumstances and help children to settle into nursery routines. Children listen to instructions, join activities and are generally engaged when activities capture their interest. Staff praise children when they have a go, follow expectations or complete tasks independently.

Occasionally, staff are not consistent in how they respond to children's behaviour. At times, staff do not use opportunities to reinforce expectations and help children to understand how their actions affect others. As a result, children do not develop a consistent understanding of feelings, behaviour and routines or have the support they need to manage these more independently.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Children benefit from a safe and welcoming environment where they feel secure and cared for. Key-person arrangements support children to settle. Staff understand children's individual routines, dietary needs and developmental stages. Leaders have appropriate policies and procedures for children's welfare, health and wellbeing, which staff generally understand and implement. For example, children independently wash their hands, serve food using tongs, pour their own water and scrape their plates. This helps to develop children's independence through everyday routines.

Children have daily opportunities for outdoor play and develop healthy habits through nutritious food, hygiene and toothbrushing. Children brush their teeth after meals and learn why this is important for their oral health. Staff talk to children about healthy food and oral health. They work closely with parents and carers around children's allergies, dietary requirements and introducing new foods and textures. Staff understand safer sleeping arrangements and monitor babies' sleep. Children receive encouragement to make healthy choices and develop positive hygiene habits. Occasionally, staff do not consistently recognise when children become tired during mealtimes and may need additional support. As a result, children do not consistently receive timely support when they become tired during meals.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders understand the setting's context, strengths and areas for development. They take action to maintain and improve the quality of education and care. Leaders use observations, supervision sessions, appraisals, staff meetings and discussions to monitor practice. They have priorities to improve outdoor provision, including free-flow opportunities and developing forest school experiences. Leaders have strengthened staff understanding of policies through fact sheets, discussions, quizzes and wallet cards. Leaders have recently reviewed and updated policies to reflect changes to statutory requirements. They manage resources appropriately to support provision.

Leaders include feedback from children, parents and carers, staff and the local authority in their self-evaluation. They also consider children's interests and views as part of this reflection. Leaders also collect parents' feedback through regular questionnaires and frequent verbal feedback. They use this information alongside observations to identify priorities for improvement. Occasionally, self-evaluation and coaching do not identify precise improvements in teaching practice or check that agreed approaches are implemented consistently. As a result, agreed improvements are not always embedded consistently in practice.

Leaders support staff wellbeing through supervision sessions, communication and regular professional development. Staff describe leaders as approachable and supportive. Staff receive regular training to develop and maintain their knowledge and skills. Leaders also maintain their own professional knowledge through training and discussions with managers and the regional directors.

Parents receive regular information through daily discussions at drop-off and collection, parents' meetings, online journals and home-learning opportunities. Leaders work positively with parents and external professionals. They provide workshops on behaviour, healthy eating, online safety and school readiness. The setting has started to support a school in a deprived area of India through fundraising and sending resources.