Burley Nursery School

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders and staff implement swift and rigorous procedures to identify gaps and/or barriers to children's learning and development. They consistently have high expectations for every child who attends. Staff benefit from training that helps them to support children and meet their specific individual needs. For instance, children show enjoyment as they have their one-to-one time, and they benefit from intensive interactions with staff in the sensory room. They are eager to share their new skills as they roll on the soft ball. Leaders invite specialist teams into the nursery to help them asses the provision. For instance, the local authority and visual impairment team show staff a range of strategies and interventions that they can use to support children to manage their emotions and help them ensure that the environment is accessible.

Leaders identify potential barriers to children's learning and address them swiftly. For example, they prioritise children's wellbeing and encourage families to attend tailored settling-in visits and provide home visits if required. Staff help children to develop an understanding of their community and the wider world to ensure that they learn about difference and diversity. Parents say they feel their child's identity, background and experiences are genuinely respected and celebrated.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders and staff provide children with an interesting and exciting curriculum that is based on their interests and individual stages of development. Children benefit from taking part in extra sessions such as yoga, story sessions and a science club. This helps to widen their experiences and tackle potential barriers to learning. Staff provide activities that help children to learn about difference and diversity. They gather information from families about their religious traditions and festivals and share this with children in the nursery. Children talk about the places they have visited, such as the local show and castle nearby. Staff add these pictures to their books so children can recall their own experiences in the story area.

Overall, staff teach children through their play and exploration. For example, babies develop their language skills and take books to staff so they can sit together and read. Staff who work with toddlers make the most of opportunities indoors to use mathematical language, and children count accurately past 4. Older children continue with their love of stories as they recall favourite characters and join in with rhyming parts. However, on occasion, staff do not notice when groups of children are deeply engaged and do not extend their learning.

Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities effectively. For instance, they use effective strategies to help children to begin to self-regulate, offering them choices of their favourite animals from the basket. They plan one-to-one time to help prepare children for their day, and this sets them up to begin learning.

Achievement: Expected standard

All children make good progress in relation to their starting points, across every area of their learning. Staff focus on supporting children with gaps in their learning and use strategies and interventions to help them reach their full potential. Children are well prepared for the next stages in their learning, such as moving through rooms within the nursery, and older children are ready to start school.

Children are highly effective communicators. Staff help them to develop their language skills from an early age. Babies listen to staff in the role-play area and show interest as they name items from a basket. Toddlers develop their self-care skills and independence in preparation to move up to pre-school. Older children successfully turn the nuts on the screws and use the hole puncher to make the holes to thread their ribbons through, strengthening their small-muscle skills. They benefit from smaller, focused group times in the quieter room. This helps them to develop the skills they need to start school.

All children develop an understanding of the wider world and benefit from going on trips into the local community. For example, children visit the elderly in the local care home and join in with singing. Staff teach children about religious festivals around the world and celebrate cultural traditions that reflect the backgrounds of children who attend.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Staff are positive role models for children and develop close bonds with them. Parents describe staff as warm, caring and attentive to children. They are aware of how to meet children's individual needs and care routines. Children's regular attendance supports staff to maintain up-to-date knowledge of any changes to their circumstances. For example, staff know when children are ready to sleep and follow babies' individual routines from home. They gather information about specific medical needs and ensure that they follow advice from other professionals.

Children develop high levels of confidence and self-esteem. For example, staff are respectful to children's privacy and ask babies if they can go to have their nappy changed. Babies take comfort items, and staff negotiate with them to help them go willingly. Older children help to set the table for lunch. They benefit from structured routines and know they have their story before they sit down. Staff who support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities support children using 'Now and Next' boards. This helps children to emotionally prepare for the next experience, and they follow routines smoothly overall.

However, there are times during the day when routines are difficult for children. For instance, lunchtime is very long for older children, and staff do not always consider children's social experiences. There are also difficult transitions for some toddlers who wake up close to snack time and routine nappy changing time. For example, staff struggle to balance their attention between children.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders and staff implement procedures that promote children's good health, safety and wellbeing. For instance, children thoroughly enjoy the freshly prepared meals that are cooked on site each day. They talk about what it means to be healthy and how they will grow strong muscles if they eat broccoli. Older children show pride as they ensure that all staff and children have fresh drinking water at the table. They are aware that it is important to stay hydrated. This helps them to build healthy habits and lifestyles for the future.

Children have access to fresh air outdoors each day. Staff encourage them to find their own coats, shoes and personal items before going out. This helps to build their independence and self-care skills. Toddlers take their own bibs off at the end of their lunch, and staff provide flannels to wash their own face. They encourage children to look in the mirror and praise them for their efforts. Older children use the toilet independently and are aware of the need to wash their hands. They follow good hygiene practices with minimal support from staff.

Children show enjoyment in the nursery gardens, which staff carefully prepare with experiences that mirror the curriculum indoors. Staff help children to develop an awareness of their own safety from an early age. For example, staff show babies how to come down the slide safely and encourage others to wait until the end is clear. Toddlers and older children demonstrate their understanding of this as they use the larger climbing equipment in their garden.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders set a positive example for staff and have high expectations for all who attend the nursery. Staff say they feel valued in the nursery and are well supported. They benefit from access to regular training and professional development opportunities that help them to meet children's individual needs. In addition, leaders support apprentices to complete their qualifications and guide them with practical tasks, such as nappy changing and safer sleeping procedures. Leaders encourage staff to reflect on their practice and provide supervision on a regular basis. They implement robust procedures to support staff's wellbeing and ensure that they are suitable to work with children. For example, staff are aware that leaders are available to support them with changing circumstances to their health and benefit from flexible working hours if appropriate.

Leaders and staff establish and maintain highly effective partnership working with families. This helps them to be alert to any potential barriers to children's learning and adapt practice to meet children's individual needs and changing circumstances. Parents feel they have good relationships with leaders. They say the nursery is 'extremely well managed with consistent and clear communication'.

Leaders and staff have a clear understanding of the strengths of the nursery, such as the inclusive practice, support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and the way they develop children's love for learning. They are also aware of the areas they wish to enhance and regularly speak to staff about how they can drive forward improvements that benefit children. They work closely with the team of advisers from the local authority to maintain their knowledge and skills to continually promote positive outcomes for all children.