Briary Pre-School

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders are deeply committed to children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), creating an environment where they thrive. They seamlessly create an inclusive provision to make sure that children receive the necessary support to make the progress they are capable of. Leaders work alongside staff and external agencies to plan and implement programmes that help children with SEND. For example, physical activities are used daily to prepare children to learn by ensuring they are mentally and physically alert. Children at this setting make steady and timely progress across all areas of their learning.

Leaders use additional funding to support the individual needs of children highly effectively. They purchase a wide range of resources and provide experiences to support all children to develop their emotional needs and build on their communication and language skills. This has a considerable impact on the progress that children make in relation to their starting points. Leaders and staff are committed to ensuring that all families are provided with a broad range of help and support quickly when needed. Leaders work closely with the local authority and external agencies and share information effectively to ensure that they access further support for families. As a result, children receive coordinated support to prepare them effectively for their future education.

All children are seen as unique individuals. Staff ensure that they recognise each child's uniqueness in the provision they plan for each child. Experienced practitioners work with parents, staff and external professionals to support children. Leaders support staff by giving them time during the week to complete their work and to develop their knowledge through training.

Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard

Children benefit from the carefully planned and sequenced curriculum, which builds on what children can do and what they need to learn next. Staff use regular meetings and team discussions to identify and close any gaps in children's learning. Where gaps are identified, staff are quick to implement effective strategies to address them. This ensures that the curriculum is highly ambitious and targeted for all children. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported by individual plans that are subject to regular and thorough reviews to measure the progress children have made. This ensures that timely referrals for specialist advice and support can be accessed when needed.

Staff understand the importance of songs and rhymes to develop children's communication skills and build vocabulary. Children listen to nursery rhymes and join in with singing and actions throughout the day, which they enjoy. This clearly supports behaviour and routines. The youngest children begin by listening to and learning familiar rhymes, and new rhymes are added to enhance their learning. Children freely access the outdoors, where they can run, climb and practise their balancing skills. They enjoy taking part in regular movement activities, such as climbing ladders and balancing on beams. This helps to build children's strength and coordination.

Older children are highly engaged in pre-reading and using discussion skills in smaller groups, and they are encouraged to join in with stories and role play. Indoors, children have opportunities to take part in small-group role play about keeping us and others safe from germs, using a doctor's kit. Staff add new vocabulary into children's play, ensuring that staff make the most out of learning opportunities. Staff help children discover mathematics through purposeful counting and measuring activities. For example, while preparing for lunch, children count how many cups and place mats are needed at each table. Children demonstrate excellent mathematical language and are able to use it skilfully throughout the setting. Staff know their key children extremely well. They plan interesting activities that teach children how to care for the environment. For example, children learn how to recycle and the consequences of not looking after the planet. Staff have a clear understanding of how to develop children's knowledge about the world around them.

Achievement: Strong standard

Staff have clear intentions and aims for children for each stage of their learning. They provide highly motivating activities for children to build their strength and move their bodies. A movement break is enjoyed twice a day to support children to reset their bodies and achieve the most out of the session. Children are making excellent progress, particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Children's individuality and achievements are successfully valued and celebrated. For example, children have their own individual scrap books to display positive images of their achievements, which they love to share with staff and their parents. This supports children's sense of pride, accomplishment and inclusion.

All staff establish extremely positive partnerships with parents, who speak very highly of them. They comment that all staff support their children to flourish and that they go 'above and beyond'. Staff communicate with parents daily and keep them up to date with their children's achievements, progress and next steps in learning. Teaching throughout this nursery is of a consistently high standard. As a result, children are making strong progress through the early years foundation stage. Children are incredibly independent in all aspects of their play and self-care. Younger children feed themselves, and older children pour their own drinks. Children tidy up the garden as they leave so that it is ready for another group to enjoy. These skills ensure that children are supported to be ready for school.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

All children behave extremely well. They immediately respond when staff ring the bell, standing still, followed by tidying up. Children demonstrate that they know the routines of the setting well. Children explain to their friends about being kind, and they follow nursery rules that clearly weave throughout the nursery. This allows children to transition from one activity to another with ease. At mealtimes, staff and children sit together and have lovely conversations about their morning. Staff use every opportunity to develop children's independence skills. For example, children instinctively wash their hands before mealtimes. Children demonstrate a positive attitude towards learning. They show high levels of curiosity and concentration and enjoy engaging in all the activities. Children ask adults questions with high levels of confidence and interact very well with their peers.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported extremely well. Staff create individual plans to support their next development milestone. Staff use a range of strategies and initiatives, such as delivering specific sessions on arrival to support children with SEND to settle quickly. Staff use communication boards and sign language to help children who need it to communicate successfully. Staff explore different rules with children, helping them to think about and understand why they are important. For example, children know how to use the climbing ladder and steps safely in the garden, so they do not hurt themselves or their friends. These skills help children independently explore the environment in a safe and engaging way.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Staff build close, trusting relationships with children and regularly ask them how they are feeling. Children are able to use picture cards and words to express how they feel. They often think about others and ways to make them happy. For example, they offer their friends a chair at the table and praise each other for 'good sitting'. Staff very successfully encourage all children to develop their independence skills. For example, children confidently collect their water bottle and lunch box and find their space at the lunch table. Children rapidly develop their toileting skills with highly consistent support from staff. This helps to support children to have the confidence to manage tasks by themselves effectively.

Staff support children's health and wellbeing effectively. They ensure that children's dietary requirements are followed closely and that parents are supported to provided children with a nutritious lunch box. Staff help children to understand the benefit that food has for their bodies. Staff provide children with many opportunities to learn about the importance of oral health. Children learn how to follow a daily routine, such as brushing their teeth twice each day. Staff encourage children to add a little water and toothpaste to their brush, and they sing a song while children brush the germs away. Children happily brush their teeth and proudly share the effect of shiny teeth and nice breath.

An effective key-person system promotes all children's wellbeing and independence. Children show a particular bond and fondness for their key person, regularly seeking them out to play with. Careful consideration is given to settling new children. Staff stay close to them and make every effort to give them a calm and positive early experience. Throughout the day, staff talk to children about the value of being healthy and the impact it has on their bodies. Children understand the importance of nutritious food, and staff help them to identify healthy foods in their lunch box. The positive impact of the setting's approaches can clearly be seen through the children's daily choices.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders have an excellent understanding of how children learn, and they support staff well. Staff have many opportunities to further their skills and develop their knowledge of the curriculum. For example, staff complete courses that allow them to gain new qualifications and support children in their learning and development. Leaders are highly reflective of the service they provide for children and their families. They recognise the importance of supporting staff in their wellbeing and professional development. This ensures that the quality of experiences for children are of a consistently high standard. Leaders recognise the importance of effective supervisions and continuous professional development. Staff report feeling valued and part of a supportive team. They complete mandatory training courses, such as safeguarding, child protection and safer eating. These help keep children safe.

Leaders have implemented robust recruitment procedures, and staff are deployed effectively throughout the day to maintain children's safety. Parents report that leaders go 'above and beyond' in everything they do. They organise parent support groups on subjects such as starting school, toileting and bereavement. Excellent relationships are formed from as early as the registration process. This provides children with a consistent approach to their care and education.