Ashleigh Nursery School

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders and staff demonstrate a sound understanding of children's unique needs and changing circumstances. They understand how to identify and assess needs and how to access appropriate support to help all children thrive. Where children have specific needs, leaders and staff work hard to make sure barriers are reduced. This helps all children to access all activities, and staff are appropriately ambitious for all children. Staff training is effective in equipping them with the skills, and continually evolving knowledge they need, to support all children. Staff work closely with parents and carers to promote consistency of care and learning for all children. Leaders closely monitor staff's practice and interventions for children's specific needs to ensure that the support they receive continually reflects their changing needs and promotes their ongoing progress.

Staff understand that some children's progress is better measured in smaller steps. Staff engage with other professionals and seek advice to ensure children have the right support. Leaders use additional funding to support children's individual needs, such as to purchase resources in other languages. They monitor how effective this spending is and make adjustments to promote children's progress.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders demonstrate a sound understanding of the quality of their curriculum and teaching. They are reflective and seek advice to support improvements. The curriculum is well sequenced, helping children develop the knowledge and skills they need to thrive in life.

Staff promote children's language skills well. Children who speak English as an additional language are well supported through staff's understanding of promoting their home languages. Staff teach children about different religions and family dynamics, celebrating their differences. Staff teach children about number and use mathematical language during activities. Leaders recognise this key area and have a focus on developing the teaching of mathematical development even further. Staff teach children specific physical skills and encourage them to practise their skills from the earliest age. Staff support children's emotional development and link this with movement and stillness through regular yoga sessions. This supports children to consider their emotions and those of others.

Where children have barriers to learning, staff skilfully adapt teaching to help them make secure progress. Staff are ambitious for all children. They use assessment well and tailor teaching to children's differing starting points and abilities. Staff know children well and pass this understanding on to colleagues to support children's transitions as they move between rooms.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children make secure progress through the broad and balanced curriculum and gain experiences that they may not otherwise have. They benefit from outings in the local area to shops, parks and cafes, where they learn social skills and more about their community. Children develop confidence to chat with each other and with adults too. They are well prepared for their move on to other rooms in nursery and on to school. Children with barriers to their learning are supported well through staff's detailed understanding of their needs and circumstances. All children make appropriate progress from their starting points.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Leaders and staff create a fun, but calm environment, where children thrive. Expectations are securely understood by children from the youngest age and children know what comes next in their day. This supports their confidence and sense of belonging very well. Staff adapt expectations to take account of children's development and to reduce barriers to children's learning where possible. Babies and children enjoy extremely secure attachments, which mean they settle very quickly in readiness for learning. Leaders work closely with parents and carers, and children to help them to understand the importance of regular attendance and timekeeping. This supports their learning and readiness for school very well.

Children behave superbly as a result of the consistent strategies and time and effort staff give to supporting their emotional and social skills. Staff are quick to help children manage frustrations where they arise, supporting them to find the best ways to work things out and to collaborate with their friends. They learn how their behaviours affect others and why some children may not have as developed a level of understanding at times. Children understand why rules are in place. They learn to assess and manage risk in a safe environment, as a result of staff's consistently sensitive interactions and teaching.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Care and hygiene practices support children's safety, welfare and wellbeing. Children learn to manage their own personal care needs well. They use the toilet, wash their hands and serve their own meals independently. Children with barriers to learning are well supported by staff to ensure they can access the same experiences as their peers. Relationships are supportive and sensitive between staff and children. Staff understand children's needs and respond well to their cues. For instance, staff understand when children become hungry and tired. They plan routines well to support children's learning and ensure children get the most from planned activities. Children learn how routines of the day support their good health and personal safety. They know where to line up and to wait for a member of staff to lead them before they go to play outside. They understand that rest and healthy food are important. Children's emotional health and understanding are well considered and promoted through play and directed activities.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders are supportive of staff, valuing their contributions and their wellbeing. They are sensitive to staff's individual circumstances and offer personal and professional support. Staff attend training to enhance and broaden their knowledge and skills. This is well focused to benefit the children in staff's care. For instance, leaders have further development underway to enhance the curriculum for mathematics.

Leaders understand their provision and the families attending. They demonstrate positive attitudes towards continual reflection and improvement to benefit staff, children and families. They focus well on those families and children who face barriers to learning and challenges in life. For instance, leaders discuss plans to support families further through parenting classes. They value families' contributions and opinions.

Leaders work collaboratively with other agencies, parents, carers and the schools that children will move on to. However, communication with other early years settings that children attend or have previously attended is not consistently robust. This could hinder how well staff understand and plan for children's care and learning, particularly where there may be gaps in their learning.