Cavendish Lodge Nursery School

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders have established a highly inclusive culture where children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are identified early and supported effectively. Baseline assessments are completed in partnership with parents to ensure accurate identification of starting points. Progress is reviewed frequently to identify any emerging gaps. Where progress slows, targeted interventions are implemented swiftly and reviewed for impact. For example, staff implement advice from a speech and language therapist including the use of strategies, such as visual prompts and language activities.

Children with SEND make robust progress from their individual starting points. For instance, children develop from using single words to speaking in longer sentences and increase their engagement in activities from brief to longer periods of time. Staff review the impact of support regularly and adapt strategies to help children continue to make progress in communication, independence and social skills. Transitions between rooms and into school are planned and highly effective. Leaders and staff work closely with parents and external professionals to ensure children's needs are clearly understood. For example, teachers visit the setting and share detail information about children's development and individual learning plans. This ensures all children, move confidently and are prepared well for starting school.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have designed a broad and well-sequenced curriculum that reflects the early years foundation stage and builds progressively on what children know and can do. The provision is reviewed regularly to ensure learning experiences remain purposeful and responsive to children's developmental stages including babies, toddlers and older children. Children access a range of communication and language activities and stories that support the development of listening, attention and early literacy skills. They confidently learn and use new words including greetings in different languages that reflect the nursery community. Mathematical understanding is developed through practical experiences such as counting dinosaurs and weighing items on scales. This helps children to apply their learning in meaningful ways.

Leaders and practitioners adapt teaching for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those with English as an additional language. This ensures an inclusive approach and secure progress. Physical development is promoted through daily outdoor experiences, such as climbing, balancing and riding bikes to develop children's strength and coordination. Children also learn about the natural world through activities including growing fruit and vegetables. However, the quality of teaching is not yet consistent. Less-experienced staff do not always recognise or respond to opportunities to extend children's learning during play. As a result, opportunities to extend children's learning are sometimes missed.

Achievement: Strong standard

Children are making positive progress across all the areas of learning. Children's learning needs are identified early, enabling support that strengthens vocabulary, listening and attention skills. Parents report improvements in children's speaking abilities and children talking at home about their learnings. Teachers report a monosyllabic child progressing to speaking in full sentences. Both teachers and parents said babies had been learning songs.

Leaders and staff use ongoing assessment effectively to adapt planning and teaching based on children's current abilities. Children with SEND and those who face barriers to learning receive appropriate adaptations and targeted support, enabling them to make good progress. Children cultivate solid foundations in all areas of their development supporting learning in mathematics, communication and language. Older children demonstrate increasing independence, resilience and confidence. They also develop the knowledge, skills and positive attitudes needed for their next stage of learning and the transition to school.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders have established a positive and inclusive environment where expectations for behaviour are clearly understood. Children demonstrate high levels of engagement and cooperate well with peers. They respond positively to praise through strategies such as 'golden rules' and 'helper of the day', which promote resilience and a strong sense of belonging. Children confidently explain their learning to visitors and sustain attention during activities such as cooking 'protein bars'.

Relationships between practitioners and children are warm and respectful. Staff adapt their approaches according to children's age and stage of development by, for example, speaking appropriately according to the age of the child they interact with. Another example is the use of sensory books for younger children. Children with special educational needs/or disabilities are supported sensitively to participate alongside their peers. Leaders maintain clear expectations for attendance and punctuality, which support children to develop an understanding of routines, consistency and readiness for learning. Children collaborate effectively, during tidy-up time and circle time. The children show respect for different cultures and languages within the setting.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Children's care and wellbeing are prioritised effectively. Parents speak of the good quality and variety of food provided, noting positive improvements in children's eating habits. Opportunities to grow and cook food support children's understanding of healthy lifestyles. Secure attachments are promoted through a key-person system. Transitions between rooms and to school are carefully coordinated through meetings with parents and staff, ensuring starting points and next steps are clearly understood. As a result, children settle quickly and move on well prepared.

Care routines are responsive to children individual needs. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive targeted support informed by external professionals, including speech and language therapist advice and individual learning plans. Regular review meetings ensure progress is closely monitored. Leaders demonstrate secure knowledge of statutory requirements, including two-year developmental checks and developmental monitoring. Accidents are reported promptly and transparently. Leaders maintain open communication with families through meetings, consultations and digital platforms, strengthening partnerships and promoting children's emotional security and wellbeing.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders demonstrate a clear and ambitious vision for the nursery with high expectations for children's learning and wellbeing. Leaders design a thoughtful curriculum. It s regularly reviewed to ensure it reflects the early years foundation stage requirements and consequently meets the needs of all children in their care. They use self-evaluation effectively, including reference to Birth to Five guidance, to identify strengths and areas for development.

Assessment processes are robust. Starting points are established in partnership with parents and progress is reviewed regularly. Leaders monitor the completion and accuracy of two-year checks and supports staff where further guidance is required. Inclusion is a strength. Leaders work closely with external professionals and attend local authority forums to ensure children receive timely and appropriate support, and to prepare education health and care plans requests and transitions to school.

Leaders are mindful of staff workload and provide guidance and support when completing assessment to ensure expectations remain manageable. There is scope to improve the monitoring of teaching by less-experienced practitioners due to some inconsistencies in their response to opportunities to extend children's learning during play.