Blendon Preschool

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders create a strong culture of inclusive practice. Leaders and staff do all they can to identify and meet children's individual needs from the outset. They work with other professionals, outside agencies and parents to make timely interventions for children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff work hard to overcome any barriers to children's learning. They pay close attention to support plans that will have the most impact on children's learning and development. Staff share what they have learned from training with the whole team and continually assess and plan for children's learning. They are consistent in their approach to inclusion and have high expectations for children's development.

Parents confirm the setting's approach makes a continuous difference to their children's achievements over time. Leaders use specific funding well on activities, staffing and resources that help the most disadvantaged children to make the best possible progress. Staff regularly review and adapt the environment to help children participate in activities and daily routines with ease. For example, they recognise that some children with SEND respond better to one-to-one teaching and instinctively know when others are ready to learn in small groups. They support their progress consistently well.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders oversee the curriculum well overall and work with staff to improve the quality of teaching. They have recently started to support older and younger children in separate groups, which means teaching is better focused on meeting their different learning needs. Occasionally, such as when noise levels increase, staff do not take all opportunities to help children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to focus more on the teaching taking place. When this happens, this impacts on how well children are supported to concentrate and remain engaged in their learning.

Staff typically narrate children's play and encourage children to use mathematical language, answer questions and engage in conversations. Children become confident communicators. Staff recognise and respond to children's preferred play environments. For example, they understand that some children prefer to learn outdoors and plan and provide activities that develop their interests. All staff form close attachments with children and are sensitive to their unique needs. They consider these well when planning and implementing activities to encourage children's personal, social and emotional development. Staff methodically assess children's progress from their unique starting points, to identify and close any gaps in their learning, ready for their future education.

Achievement: Expected standard

All children make sound progress in their learning from their unique starting points. They learn new skills through activities that are suited to their different ages and stages of development. Children gain confidence with communicating and speaking. They happily contribute their ideas to group discussions and chat with their friends. Older children respond well to interesting questions and discussions, for example, as they talk about the healthy foods they eat at home. Staff implement effective support plans with achievable targets that help children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make ongoing progress in their learning. They confidently communicate their emotions and their needs, which helps them to develop their personal, social and emotional abilities. All children typically receive the support they need to prepare them for the next stages in their learning.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders and staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. They typically work together to help children of all ages learn about, and demonstrate positive behaviours. They celebrate children's achievements, such as when children with special educational needs and/or disabilities begin to willingly share resources. Staff are vigilant and quick to distract children who find it difficult to regulate their behaviour. They are equally consistent in helping children to understand what they expect of them. Some children follow simple instructions with ease, while others mostly respond well to visual prompts that help them to learn what comes next.

Leaders are consistent in their approach to promoting children's attendance and the key-person approach is effective. Staff know the children and their families well. They instinctively know what they need to help them settle and learn. This results in children developing a sense of trust and confidence in their key-person's support as they learn and play together. The impact of staff practice is evident in the way that children arrive ready to start their day, enjoy their learning and begin to play cooperatively together.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders and staff implement policies and procedures for meeting all children's needs. Staff are typically warm and caring towards all the children in their care. They get down to the children's level to chat with them and to support their needs, which helps them to feel safe and secure. Children happily seek out staff and each other to talk about their interests. Staff offer children with special educational needs and/or disabilities ongoing support and lots of time for them to express themselves and form close relationships. They teach children how to manage tasks independently and how to behave safely, such as by sharing and taking turns with resources.

Staff encourage plenty of outdoor play to help children develop important physical skills. They help children to learn the value of eating healthily and the foods that are good for them. Children make connections between the fruit and vegetables that staff provide for snacks and what they eat at home. Staff sit with children while they eat their snacks as part of supporting their physical wellbeing and safety. The impact of staff care practices is clear from when children first arrive. Children are beginning to learn about healthy habits that are important for their overall wellbeing.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders work together to oversee the quality of provision. They work alongside managers and staff, so are well placed to identify the strengths in their practice and areas for improvement. Since the last inspection, they have improved the systems for monitoring children's progress and involving parents in their children's learning. Leaders are realistic about the setting's strengths and identifying priorities for improvement, including how to adapt the environment to help children learn and develop. For example, they have recently created separate learning areas to focus teaching on the specific needs of older and younger children. Consequently, younger children learn new skills suited to their ages and stages of development and older children learn important skills required for starting school.

Leaders are ambitious for all children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and want them to achieve well. They work seamlessly with staff, families and outside professionals to identify and meet children's learning needs. Leaders implement robust recruitment procedures and are mindful of the expectations they place on staff. They take positive steps to help them manage their work and offer regular opportunities for supervision sessions, support and training. This results in a team that shares learning, and works well together to encourage positive outcomes for children.