Brock House Day Nursery

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders create an inclusive environment where children receive support that meets their individual needs. Staff identify concerns early through assessments, progress checks and regular monitoring. They work closely with parents and other professionals to plan support and review children's progress. This helps reduce barriers to learning and wellbeing.

Leaders support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) through a clear plan that matches support to their needs. Staff work with other professionals and use additional funding to provide extra support when needed. For example, leaders used additional funding to purchase sensory resources and equipment to support children with SEND. They also coordinated support from health and education professionals. As a result, children access learning, take part in activities and develop the skills they need to make progress.

Leaders also support children and families who face other challenges. Staff work closely with children's social care and other agencies when concerns arise. This helps children and families receive support at the earliest opportunity. They help children from service families stay connected with parents through family books, photos and shared messages. Staff use key words from children's home languages, bilingual books and cultural experiences to help children who speak English as an additional language feel included and take part fully. As a result, children feel valued, develop a sense of belonging and make progress from their starting points.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have designed a curriculum that reflects the needs, interests and experiences of the children who attend the nursery. Staff use observations, assessments and information from parents to understand what children can do and what they need to learn next. However, the curriculum is still new, and not all staff can explain how they plan learning with the same level of confidence.

Staff provide activities that help children develop their communication, language, physical and thinking skills. For example, during the story 'The Three Little Pigs', children remembered what happened in the story, built houses from different materials and talked about different shapes. Staff asked questions that helped children think, solve problems and link learning to their own lives. They changed the activity when needed to keep children interested and involved.

Staff use information about children's backgrounds, interests and individual needs to help everyone take part. They use words from children's home languages, family photos and books that reflect different cultures and experiences. However, the quality of teaching is not always consistent. At times, some children lose interest, and staff miss opportunities to build on their learning.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children make progress from their starting points across the areas of learning. Through play, daily routines and planned experiences, they develop communication, language, physical skills, creativity and independence. They gain knowledge and skills across the areas of learning and become increasingly confident in doing things for themselves.

For example, children in the baby room explored paint using their hands and paintbrushes. They learned the names of colours, heard new words and talked about what they could see and feel. Children practised making marks and developed control of their hand movements. This supported their communication, creativity and physical development.

Children learn to share, take turns and play alongside others. They become more confident in expressing their needs, joining activities and making decisions. Children who need extra support receive help to overcome barriers to learning. This includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, children who speak English as an additional language and those facing other challenges.

However, some children do not remain fully engaged in activities or make as much progress as they could during these experiences.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders create a calm and nurturing environment where children understand routines and know what adults expect from them. Staff build positive relationships with children and help them feel safe, secure and valued. They support children to manage their feelings, build friendships and learn alongside others.

Children show positive attitudes to learning. They join in activities, follow instructions and take part in daily routines. For example, children use a sand timer to manage turns on popular bikes outdoors. They wait patiently, follow the agreed rules and remind each other whose turn comes next. This helps children develop self-control, fairness and respect for others.

Staff use consistent strategies to support behaviour and help children understand boundaries. They work closely with parents to support children's emotional development and provide extra support when needed. However, staff do not always organise lunchtime routines well. They sometimes keep children waiting too long for food, which causes some children to become restless. Staff also miss opportunities to help children develop independence by pouring their own drinks or serving themselves. This limits opportunities for children to practise these skills during everyday routines.

Leaders monitor attendance and follow up concerns with families. As a result, children develop positive relationships, understand routines and become increasingly confident and ready to learn.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders put children's welfare and wellbeing at the heart of the nursery. Staff know children and their families well. They work closely with parents to understand children's routines, health needs and individual needs. This helps children feel safe, secure and settled.

Staff support children's physical and emotional wellbeing throughout the day. Children spend time outdoors where they develop their physical skills, explore their environment and enjoy fresh air. Staff encourage healthy lifestyles through nutritious meals and snacks that meet children's dietary needs. They identify allergies, share information with relevant staff and make sure children receive suitable meals. Children wash their hands before meals and snacks, helping them learn healthy habits and to take responsibility for their own wellbeing.

Staff build warm and caring relationships that help children feel valued and respected. They work with health professionals, children's social care and other agencies when children or families need extra support. This helps staff respond to children's individual needs and promotes their wellbeing.

However, staff do not always follow routines with the same level of consistency. Leaders identify areas for improvement and help staff reflect on and develop their practice.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders have designed a curriculum that reflects the needs, interests and experiences of the children who attend the nursery. They review observations, assessments and planning to check how well the curriculum supports children's learning and to identify areas for improvement. Leaders are reflective in their approach and recognise that the curriculum and planning systems are relatively new and require further embedding to ensure that staff have a robust understanding of the intent and implement it consistently well. Further refinement of the arrangements for the organisation of routines and transitions is also needed to further promote children's independence and to support children to sustain their attention.

Staff report that they feel well supported by leaders, both professionally and personally. Leaders and staff work collaboratively with each other and with parents and external professionals. This creates a joined-up approach to the support provided for all children, including those with barriers to their learning, and helps prepare children for the next stage of their education, including school.