Brixton Garden Nursery & Pre-School

Inclusion: Strong standard

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who face any barriers to their learning, are supported well to reach their full potential. Leaders have put excellent systems in place to ensure that these children are identified early on and immediate support is put in place. Staff gather essential information about children and their backgrounds when they start. This enables them to make initial assessments and swiftly identify any gaps. Leaders ensure staff are equipped with vast knowledge to support professional discussions with parents and make the necessary referrals. Children with SEND and any barriers to their learning are making fantastic progress in their development. Staff ensure targeted plans and strategies are reviewed and adapted consistently, including the use of visual and signing prompts. This ensures children continually achieve at the highest level. All children benefit from the designated sensory room. Small targeted intervention groups support children to excel in their language and social skills. The calm, inviting space also creates a safe base to help any children who may struggle to regulate their emotions.

Leaders use early years pupil premium funding in targeted and purposeful ways, for example, adding additional resources outdoors. This supports children from disadvantaged backgrounds to develop their skills and conquer any barriers to their learning. Leaders know their families extremely well and understand the communities and backgrounds they come from. They maintain close links with local agencies and organisations. This helps them to sensitively refer families for any additional support.

Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard

Children benefit from an ambitious, sequenced curriculum that consistently ignites curiosity and provides age-appropriate challenge. Staff plan activities to extend knowledge and build on any gaps in children's learning. They expertly weave individual targets into the curriculum and ensure all activities are accessible. As a result, all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and any other barriers to learning, are making excellent progress from their starting points. The curriculum places a high emphasis on outdoor learning, and children thrive in the garden space. Babies scoop and fill containers and use fine motor skills when mark-making with paint brushes. Older children confidently run across stepping planks hidden among trees. They use their imaginations and create narratives as they play.

Staff provide high-quality teaching that gives children the freedom to explain their ideas. They explore cause and effect as they investigate ice and explain why it melts. Children show a secure understanding of early mathematics language and concepts. When pouring water at lunch, older children explain why the jug is heavy and how to make it lighter. They match quantity to number as they bug hunt, and staff count consistently with younger children throughout their play.

Staff ask open questions that spark children's curiosity and thinking skills. While discussing 3D shapes in the environment, they think about what buildings they could make and create an enclosure for animals. Staff facilitate opportunities for children to reflect on and recall their learning. This helps them to secure their knowledge. Books underpin the curriculum and can be found everywhere in the environment. Staff read with enthusiasm, which engages children. They learn and repeat new words, which supports their growing vocabulary.

Achievement: Strong standard

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and any other barriers to their learning, are making excellent progress. Children are well prepared for the next stage in their learning, including transitions to school. They are confident communicators, maintain their attention and show a positive attitude towards their learning. All children display high levels of independence. Babies freely access the well-resourced, inviting garden. They pull themselves through tyres and use push-along toys, which also support their developing balance and coordination. Toddlers engage in the established routines, safely pushing chairs under tables after self-serving snack, while older children confidently use rakes and mud kitchen utensils in the garden.

All children benefit from the imagination library, where they read diverse books with staff and recognise reflections of themselves in stories. Older children problem-solve with ease and work alongside their peers to think of solutions. They proudly write their names on their creative work and add a narrative to extend their imaginative play. This supports their developing literacy skills further.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Leaders have high expectations for all children. Consistent boundaries and adaptations to the expectations of differing ages result in children's exemplary behaviour. The calm environment, alongside caring, nurturing staff, helps to create a space where children feel safe and secure. Bonds between children and staff are close and trusting. Children receive consistent praise and encouragement, which boosts their self-esteem and supports positive attitudes to learning. Children demonstrate high focus levels and persevere as they complete challenging tasks.

Routines and rules are independently followed across all age groups. Babies handle books with care, and older children openly share and resolve conflicts between themselves, with rare staff intervention. Staff swiftly identify children who may need additional support and make personalised adjustments so children can manage routine changes with ease.

Leaders have robust, proactive approaches to managing children's attendance and punctuality. They follow up absences promptly and work closely with parents to reduce any barriers to accessing the curriculum.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Leaders and staff have well-established, embedded policies to ensure children's welfare and wellbeing are a priority. The importance of keeping physically healthy and safe is woven throughout the curriculum. Outdoors, children benefit from daily fresh air and immerse themselves in nature. Staff promote oral health with children. The local dentist regularly visits and staff encourage families to register for check-ups. Children discuss the benefits of the food they eat and why exercise is important for their bodies. Mealtimes are relaxed and sociable. Staff encourage children to use cutlery safely, and children explain why food needs to cool down before they eat. Leaders utilise the in-house chef academy, which is a course designed to help chefs become experts in nutrition and help everyone develop healthy habits. This means the most up-to-date knowledge on children's nutrition is shared with parents and carers.

Staff are extremely respectful and manage children's dignity and privacy during self-care routines. Even the youngest children are asked permission before nappy changes. Older children have an excellent understanding of hygiene practices, wiping their noses and washing their hands before meals and after messy activities. Children are supported to express their emotions by caring, attentive staff. Trusting attachments have been formed with adults who know children well. They are sensitive to children's changing needs, including those with any additional needs or barriers to their learning. Staff offer constant reassurance, praise and cuddles, which supports children's overall wellbeing.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders are passionate and committed to driving high-quality practice. The setting has gone through significant changes, with leaders bringing stability while nurturing staff's skills and talents. Staff continuously praise the leadership team for their support and empathy and for promoting their wellbeing. Leaders have excellent oversight and provide clear direction to staff through daily observations and discussions. They utilise the inspiring in-house continuous professional development opportunities, which are highly impactful and ensure children consistently benefit from high-quality teaching.

Leaders ensure that children and the community are at the heart of decisions. They are dedicated to making a positive impact within the local area they serve. Leaders are meaningful and proactive when engaging with parents and carers, who speak with high praise and admiration of the setting. Leaders go above and beyond to ensure inclusion forms part of everything they do. For example, during a recent Easter event, they provided every child with packs to create a hat at home, helping to remove any barriers children have to participating. Leaders ensure additional funding is spent with intention, such as developing the garden to enhance learning around agriculture and providing regular access to outdoor space. This reflects the demographics of the children attending and ensures learning is enriched.

Leaders engage superbly with local authority professionals and utilise knowledge from external professionals. The setting offers consultations with an educational psychologist and takes part in specialist programmes that promote inclusion strategies. This further strengthens the swift support in place for children with any special educational needs and/or disabilities or barriers to their learning.