Bramble Brook Pre School

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders and staff are passionate about making a difference to the lives of all children, including those with special education needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders and staff use their rigorous assessment of children's progress to quickly identify when children may need additional support. They work closely with parents and carers to ensure they have a complete picture of all children and take positive action to address any gaps in children's development. They are proactive in seeking advice from other agencies and the local authority to gather support for children. Staff use any advice and support to the benefit of children and regularly implement strategies that support children's development. For example, staff use daily small group sessions to extend children's communication and language skills.

Children with SEND are incredibly well supported, as staff use a variety of strategies to support their needs. Leaders and staff go above and beyond to ensure all children get the support they need. For example, they meticulously plan activities tailored to children's individual needs. They consistently use a variety of visual aids to aid children to develop their communication skills. As a result, all children are able to effectively express their needs and feelings. Leaders make effective use of early years pupil premium funding. For instance, they have introduced music and dance sessions to support individual children's physical and creative skills.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders and staff implement a broad curriculum that supports children's learning across all areas of development. They utilise children's interests to plan activities that children enjoy and find engaging. For example, children focus their attention well as they scoop and squish cornflour and explore how it moves and feels. Staff assess what children are able to do and have an accurate view about what children need to learn next. However, at times staff do not use their interactions with children to fully extend children's abilities and learning as they play. For example, staff do not consistently use questions to challenge children to think for themselves.

Leaders accurately evaluate the curriculum that is being delivered and identify areas to improve further. For example, they have provided training for staff to increase the range of physical activities available for children. Leaders and staff have introduced physically active music sessions using percussion instruments.

Leaders effectively support staff to identify areas where individual children require specific support. They use small group activities to support children's communication and language skills. Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, benefit from targeted support using visual prompts. Staff use games to support young children to practise using their friends' name before they roll a ball to their friend. Staff model new vocabulary as they talk about patterns children create in play dough. They provide a range of tools to support the development of children's small muscles as they cut shapes out of dough. Staff praise children's achievements to increase their self-esteem and confidence, enabling them to become keen to learn.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children are well supported to make progress from their individual starting points, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. All children develop their communication and language skills. Young children learn new vocabulary for naming objects as they play alongside staff. Older children share their own thoughts as they talk about stories.

Children are fascinated by messy play opportunities and focus their attention well as they pour water and fill moulds with sand. Young children develop their small muscles as they roll dough and make patterns with different tools. Older children enjoy dance and moving to music as they learn to control their bodies. Young children learn to share, take turns and develop their independence as they tidy away their plates after snack. Older children start building relationships with their friends as they learn to play together. Children are becoming curious, confident and capable learners, who are well prepared for school when they are ready to transition. They become increasingly able to approach new challenges with confidence and independence.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders and staff work effectively to create a calm and nurturing environment in the pre-school. They have warm and trusting relationships with children. This promotes children's confidence and resilience to try new learning. Staff model good manners and have clear expectations of children's behaviour. However, there are times when some staff do not provide children with clear explanations as to why certain behaviours are expected. For example, staff remind children about listening as they enjoy singing sessions but do not always explain why this is important. As a result, some children do not fully understand the impact of their actions, which can affect how they learn to manage their own behaviour.

Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities effectively, making adaptations to activities and routines to reflect children's understanding. For example, they manage changes to routine by using visual aids, such as now and next pictures showing children what they are doing now and what they will be doing next. Staff adapt their expectations of children's behaviour to reflect children's age and stage of development.

Children learn how to develop friendships with their peers. They engage in imaginative play and invite their friends to join in with their play. Staff model co-operative play as they encourage children to take turns to operate the till for the shop.

Leaders recognise the importance of regular attendance to support children to understand the routines at pre-school. They work well with parents to enable a positive sharing of information and openness.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Staff always have children's welfare and emotional wellbeing at the centre of everything they do. They build warm and trusting relationships with children. Leaders and staff create a purposeful and calm environment, where children demonstrate they feel safe, secure and valued. Children seek support when needed, showing the positive and supportive relationships they have with staff.

Leaders recognise the importance of nurturing children's emotional development and resilience. They support children to recognise and express their emotions, and regulate their behaviour. This approach is particularly effective for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), who benefit from consistent strategies and predictable routines. Staff promote children's physical development through daily energetic play. They use the outdoor space creatively and use equipment inside to enable children to develop their larger muscles. Staff support children to be independent and to manage their self-care from a young age. For example, children take themselves to the toilet as soon as they are able. Children with SEND manage their own self care as they blow their own noses and throw away their tissues. Leaders have close and supportive relationships with parents and carers promoting continuity of children's care. As a result, children thrive in an environment that supports their emotional and physical wellbeing.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders are committed to providing high-quality care and education for all children including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders and staff ensure they know families well so that they can meet chldren's needs fully to support children to thrive. Leaders act swiftly to help parent access funding and use their deep knowledge of children to seek additional support from outside agencies. This positively removes any potential barriers to children's progress and supports children's ability to thrive. For example, they adapt the environment to facilitate children with SEND who need walkers to support their physical development.

Staff's wellbeing and workload are a priority for leaders, and the small staff team work supportively together. Leaders ensure staff have time to plan for children's learning to reduce the pressure of their work. Leaders effectively support staff through regular meetings, and training. They focus training on each staff member's needs. For example, each member of staff has an individual target to improve their teaching. They also have a team target which is differentiated for individual staff to make it meaningful. Leaders are aware of the strengths of the staff team and support some staff to improve their interactions with children, however this is not yet embedded. Leaders monitor the effectiveness of the support planned for children with SEND. Their careful monitoring ensures partnership working with outside agencies is highly effective.