Archbishop Wake Nursery

Inclusion: Expected standard

Assessment and monitoring procedures are effective and carried out regularly to ensure all children's progress is carefully tracked. Staff identify any gaps in children's learning and development. They put focused next steps in place to support children's continued progress. Leaders demonstrate a clear understanding of local procedures and know how to access external professional advice. Staff work closely with parents and carers, offering guidance and support. For instance, staff signpost parents to speech and language workshops and attend alongside where appropriate.

While waiting for professional involvement, staff implement a range of targeted interventions and adaptations to ensure children are well supported and continue to make progress. These include small-group work and additional adult support through one-to-one interactions. Staff also use sensory toys to support children to regulate their emotions. They regularly review these strategies and adaptations to ensure they have a positive impact on children's learning and development. Staff reflect weekly on their adaptations. They identify what has worked well and what may need to be further adjusted for individual children.

Leaders use additional funding appropriately to remove any barriers children may have to their learning. They understand the importance of providing consistent learning and support to children known or previously known to children's social care. Staff attend training when necessary to ensure their knowledge of supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is up to date.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have designed a curriculum that supports children to develop the knowledge and skills they need for school and beyond. Staff implement the curriculum effectively, providing a wide range of meaningful learning opportunities for all children. They monitor children's progress regularly and plan focused next steps. This ensures children make continual progress from their starting points across all areas of the curriculum.

There is a clear focus on children's physical development. Children are well supported to develop their large and small muscle groups. They have daily opportunities to use their bodies with increasing control. For example, staff teach children how to use tweezers to pick up small pom-poms, helping to strengthen hand muscles and improve children's grip. Babies receive encouragement to explore resources such as puzzles, bricks and stacking hoops. Staff support them as they crawl and climb over soft-play equipment.

Staff interactions are positive and teaching is typically high quality. All children are included, and teaching is adapted effectively for children with barriers to their learning or special educational needs and/or disabilities. However, staff do not always provide enough time for children to deeply immerse themselves in play that motivates and excites them without being interrupted. This reduces opportunities to fully extend children's learning.

The communication and language curriculum is implemented well. Staff model language, extend children's vocabulary and promote a love of books and reading. Staff read enthusiastically and provide timely pauses for children to join in with well-known phrases. Staff use story times, action songs and focused activities to teach children the knowledge and vocabulary they need to build a secure foundation in mathematics.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children typically develop a range of key skills and knowledge across the curriculum and make continual progress from their individual starting points. Babies and young children confidently navigate the environment, using large and small equipment with increasing independence. Young children confidently move around the space with control as they push themselves along on bicycles and tricycles. They manage their self-care and eating with increasing independence. Babies who are ready hold their own cups and use spoons to feed themselves.

Children of all ages are becoming confident communicators. They listen well and express themselves using a wide vocabulary. Children eagerly join in with familiar phrases and rhymes from well-known stories. They express their creative thoughts and ideas as they draw caves for bears to hide in.

In general, children's personal, social, and emotional development is developing well. They show care and respect for one another and for staff. For instance, older children thoughtfully open doors when staff have their hands full and regularly say 'please' and 'thank you', often without prompting.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Relationships between staff and children are positive and well established. Staff know their key children well. This helps children to feel safe, secure and valued. Staff support children to develop positive attitudes towards their learning and interactions with others. They actively teach children important social skills, such as taking turns and sharing resources. For example, staff gently prompt children to pass toys to their friends when they are unable to reach them, encouraging cooperation and consideration.

Children listen to staff and generally behave well. However, when minor conflicts or disruptions arise, staff do not always respond with the same consistent approach to support children in understanding and managing their feelings. As a result, opportunities to further help children to regulate their emotions are not consistent. At these times, children do not learn the skills they need to manage their behaviour appropriately.

Clear and consistent routines are embedded across the setting. This helps children to understand what will happen throughout the day. These routines support children's sense of security and contribute to their growing independence. For instance, babies take part in a morning routine where they sing a greeting to each other. Younger children independently find their photos to self-register. Older children confidently locate and recognise their names to let staff know they are present.

Leaders and staff work in partnership with parents and carers to promote positive attendance and punctuality. They communicate the importance of regular attendance. This helps to ensure children benefit fully from the learning opportunities provided.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Care practices are carefully tailored to meet each child's individual needs. Staff work closely with parents and carers to ensure children's eating, sleeping and personal care routines are met. Staff generally follow procedures to promote children's safety and welfare. For example, staff teach children about the importance of washing away germs as they prepare to eat. However, staff do not consistently encourage children to tidy away their uneaten food after lunch. Some children leave the table and rely on adults to clear away. This limits opportunities for children to develop their independence and build positive eating habits. Staff provide regular opportunities for children to take part in cooking activities that promote healthy food choices. Staff share these recipes with parents to support continuity at home.

Staff place a clear emphasis on children's emotional wellbeing. Staff are warm and responsive. They create a welcoming environment where children feel safe and secure. Babies receive comfort with cuddles when needed. Staff support children with additional resources and a 'cosy corner' to help calm themselves. Children benefit from daily opportunities to be physically active. This includes engaging in music and movement sessions that help children to develop control over their body movements.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders have a clear understanding of children, their families and the local community. They use this knowledge effectively to provide opportunities and experiences that help children to develop the skills, knowledge and confidence needed for school and future learning. When leaders identify barriers to children's learning or children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, they ensure that appropriate support and adaptations are put in place promptly. This means all children can succeed. Leaders target additional funding to have the greatest possible impact on children's outcomes. For example, they use funding to provide additional sessions or specific resources for children who need them.

Leaders have high expectations for staff and children. Staff report that leaders are supportive in managing their workload and promoting their wellbeing. Leaders regularly monitor staff practice, however they have not yet focused support for staff who need it to ensure routines and procedures around lunchtime are consistently followed and all staff manage any minor disruptions or conflicts from children effectively.

Partnerships with professionals and other local settings are well established. This helps with consistency of learning for children who attend more than one setting and supports transitions to school. Relationships with parents and carers are positive. Parents value the regular communication they receive from staff and say this helps them understand what their children are learning. They also appreciate the guidance and ideas shared with them to support their children at home.