Castle House Nursery School

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders with special educational needs coordinator responsibilities are highly knowledgeable in their roles. They take proactive steps to reduce barriers that children face in relation to their learning and wellbeing from the outset. Staff get to know children and their families well. Parent's views are highly valued, and staff maintain close relationships with them throughout their child's time at the nursery.

Staff typically provide high-quality, targeted support for children who require it, and this is kept under continual review. They work well with a range of external professionals. For example, staff welcome visits from them to the setting, so they can learn from their expertise and act on their advice quickly. Therefore, all children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those who face barriers to their learning, generally make secure progress from where they started.

Leaders ensure additional funding is spent based on children's individual needs. For example, they use this to fund specific resources to better accommodate children's needs and even additional staff to provide one-to-one care when possible. Leaders they ensure that parents are informed of any decision-making relating to their child's learning and how their needs are being accommodated on a regular basis. This helps to shape the support children receive and contributes to their typically positive experiences.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

The curriculum is typically well taught throughout. Since the last inspection, leaders have worked hard to improve in this area. The curriculum is firmly based on children's interests and staff all know their key children well. Staff use this knowledge to make accurate observations and assessments of children's development. They know what they what children to learn, build on and achieve. Therefore, planning is generally effective.

Staff working with babies are highly attuned to their basic needs. For example, staff provide resources and support them to explore cause-and-effect toys. Toddlers generally have fun and enjoy a range of sensory activities, such as water play, play dough and shaving foam. Staff comment on what children are doing, and ask them simple questions to promote children's communication skills. However, on occasion, whole-group activities do not always support children's age and stage of learning. Sometimes, staff expect toddlers to engage for too long and some sessions, such as yoga, do not always capture their interests and engage them in purposeful learning.

The quality of the curriculum and teaching in the pre-school is excellent. Teaching staff from the host school spend time each week with pre-school children in the year before they move on to school. Staff introduce them to various topics, concepts and activities in order to build the key skills that they need for school, such as independence. Therefore, all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, or those who face barriers to learning, are very well equipped for future learning.

Achievement: Expected standard

All children typically progress well from their starting points. This includes those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face barriers to their learning.

Children build on skills in communication and language throughout the nursery. Babies and toddlers enjoy group time where they can join in with familiar songs and listen to and share age-appropriate books with staff. Pre-school children build on their speaking and listening abilities to develop their literacy skills. For example, they give meaning to the marks they make and learn to write for specific purposes.

Pre-school children progress particularly well and are highly prepared for the eventual move on to school. They develop confidence, independence and real motivation for learning during their time at the nursery.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Staff build positive relationships with all children, as they spend time getting to know them well when they start. Those working with children with special educational needs and/or disabilities develop close bonds. Overall children are happy, settled and content when attending. Staff prioritise babies' individual daily routines and adapt these to support children's changing needs. For example, staff rapidly recognise when babies are tired or finished eating. Staff act swiftly to adapt the environment and meet babies' needs throughout the day. Leaders recognise there is work to do in the toddler room in order to get the balance in the daily routine right. Staff working with toddlers do not always give them clear directions about what is happening now and next in the daily routine. As a result, transition times are not always smooth and occasionally take too long, leading some toddlers to become easily frustrated.

Pre-school children benefit from a very calm and relaxed environment. Staff encourage them to develop positive behaviours and, as a result, they are motivated to work together with their peers. For example, they spend a long time building a lengthy train track. They keenly share their ideas and take turns to lay the pieces without the need for staff intervention or support. Pre-school children sit and listen to staff intently. They are excited by the activities available to them and, as a result, their attitudes to learning are positive.

Leaders promote and ensure punctuality and attendance. Any absences are diligently followed up on, and support is provided where required to ensure children continue to attend.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

The nursery's key-person system is effective. Staff know children well and have positive relationships with them. This helps children to settle quickly and become familiar and confident attending, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those who face barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing. Babies and young children seek reassurance from key staff who offer them lots of cuddles and comfort when required. Risk assessment is effective. Staff understand their role in keeping children safe when navigating the vast outdoor spaces available to them. For example, when pre-school children practise the physical adventure trail, staff encourage them to take risks in a well-managed way. This helps children to begin to understand how to keep themselves safe.

Staff who work with babies and young children know and understand their responsibility to promote and ensure safe sleep. Staff promote safer eating throughout the nursery. Recently, the nursery menu has been adapted in line with nutritional guidance. For example, a selection of starters has been introduced to the menu, including hummus and vegetable sticks, which has reduced the numbers of days children have puddings. Staff speak to children and parents about the importance of oral health and use the expertise of local dentists to talk to the children further about this. This typically helps children to develop healthy habits from an early age.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders and staff are knowledgeable about their safeguarding responsibilities and they act quickly to keep children safe from harm. Leaders are very proactive in responding to concerns, and oversight of this is maintained at a high level in order to protect children.

Leaders comprise a knowledgeable and experienced team. They are passionate and proud of the nursery. Since the last inspection, leaders have been working very closely with a local training partner to bring about needed improvement. Leaders know and understand the key strengths of their nursery and recognise their core areas for development.

Staff feel very supported in their roles and there are suitable arrangements in place to manage their workload and wellbeing. Leaders acknowledge that they need to work on building staff confidence in teaching, to further embed high-quality practice throughout the setting, particularly in the toddler room. However, plans to do this are in their infancy. Therefore, there is room for them to provide staff more focused support in this area, to help achieve consistency and disseminate strong teaching practice across the nursery.

Parents comments about the quality of the provision and the support both they and their children receive are highly positive. Leaders and staff work closely with parents. They routinely share information with them in varied ways. This helps to promote continuity for children between the nursery and home.