Charlton Nursery

Inclusion: Expected standard

Staff know children well and recognise quickly those who may be in need of additional support. They provide a welcoming and caring environment, where all children feel included and thrive. Staff and leaders respond to the unique needs of children. They recognise the importance of observation and assessment in identifying children's needs. They take a gradual approach and adapt the support they provide to ensure all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face other barriers to their learning, make the progress that they are capable of and receive the care and support they need as individuals. Children with speech, communication and physical difficulties in particular receive highly effective, targeted support, which helps them make, at times, rapid progress from their individual starting points.

Leaders and staff work closely with parents and carers to ensure a collaborative approach between the setting and home. This helps gaps close and prepares children well for starting school. Leaders recognise when some children would benefit from further opportunities to practise and embed skills before transitioning on to the next room and they carefully place children in rooms that can best meet the children's needs at that time. Leaders and staff are proactive in signposting parents and carers to agencies and professionals that can provide continued support for their children. Leaders use of funding has a positive impact on the development of disadvantaged children.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Staff have a secure understanding about how children learn. They know each child's interests, what they already know and can do and what they need to learn next. Leaders have recently developed a broad and ambitious curriculum for all children. They have introduced effective systems for staff to plan, deliver and review a range of activities and experiences that engage children and help them develop the key skills and knowledge they need for their future learning. There is clear intent for what they want all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face barriers to their learning, to be able to do and know in time for their transition into the next room. All children make positive progress from their starting points.

Staff encourage children's participation in a range of physical activities throughout the day. Staff place high focus on promoting children's communication and language skills. For example, staff use recording devices to translate core books into children's home language and use sign language alongside speech. Staff encourage children's love for books. Staff incorporate mathematical and physical learning into play and routines. For example, through modelling counting as babies stack cups and modelling mathematical language as children transport quantities of mud in wheelbarrows. There is scope to improve some aspects of staff interactions, such as in pre-school at busy changeovers in the routine and to extend children's knowledge of rules and expectations to further enhance children's personal, social and emotional development.

Achievement: Expected standard

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or who face other barriers to their learning, typically achieve well in all areas of the curriculum from their individual starting points. They acquire the foundation knowledge and skills they need that will help them succeed in their later learning and future lives. Children build on what they already know and can do and practise the new skills they are learning. For instance, pre-school children learn to use pedals to ride bikes. Children often choose books and seek out adults to read aloud to them, which further supports their language and understanding.

Children develop a range of skills as they play. They are confident to explore and lead their own play. Children show an interest in the world around them. For example, babies look at trees and watch in wonder as the leaves blow in the wind. Children persevere at tasks well and show positive attitudes when attempting tricky or new tasks for the first time. Children delight in reading familiar stories with adults and regularly choose to look at books, which enhances their language and literacy skills.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Staff have high expectations of children and are consistent in setting out the rules and expectations that are fair and suitable for the age and developmental stage of each child. Staff do not always, as consistently, explain the reasons for the rules to children. This limits their opportunities to develop a strong awareness of safety to aid them in managing their own behaviour in the future.

Overall, children's attendance is positive and they all attend regularly. Leaders work with parents and carers to ensure a collaborative approach in relation to attendance and healthy routines for the future.

There are some inconsistencies in the quality of staff practice during the organisation of key transitions in the daily routines within the pre-school. Consequently, at changeover times, such as after lunch as they prepare to go outside, children spend too long waiting and without interaction from staff. While children wait, staff finish housekeeping tasks and organise children's care routines, such as toileting and applying sun cream. During these times, children wander as there are few purposeful play opportunities accessible for them to engage with.

Staff encourage children to work with others and overcome challenges. For example, they help toddlers to work together as a team and help their friends as they collectively tip and empty heavy wheelbarrows of mud and sand. Staff give children specific praise, which helps develop their social skills and self-confidence. Staff model positive manners and respectful interactions and children mirror this in their own play, where they show respect and kindness to one another. Positive relationships are fostered through an effective key-person system.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Children's wellbeing and welfare are paramount to staff and leaders. They have developed a highly effective key-person system, which places high emphasis on them developing a deep knowledge of the children and their individual needs. This is particularly pertinent for those considered to be most vulnerable. A particular strength for the setting is in the continuity of care children receive. Staff are extremely attentive to children's emotional needs and use a range of caring and nurturing approaches. For instance, they settle babies to sleep in similar ways to their parents and carers and respond quickly and sensitively to children, when they show signs of feeling unsettled or upset. Staff create secure attachments with children and children often seek out their key person for reassurance, or as a safe person to be with or to express their feelings to.

Staff develop children's skills and confidence in managing their own personal care and independence. For example, they encourage children to serve their own food at mealtimes, and all children are toilet trained in time for starting school.

Freshly cooked meals are extremely nutritious, and children are exposed to a wide range of tastes and flavours. This helps them expand their diets and supports healthy habits and lifestyles for the future. Routines of the day allow plenty of time for children to be physically active and get fresh air. Staff are vigilant and keep children safe in all weathers. For instance, they check how strong the sun is and ensure all children have sun cream applied before playing outside on sunny days.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

There is a very effective leadership team in place that has been extremely proactive and made a number of well-considered changes and improvements in recent months. Leaders demonstrate a commitment to providing quality care and education. Leaders carefully monitor staff practice and maintain accurate oversight of what works well and what needs to be improved. This sharp attention to continually improve ultimately enhances the quality of the interactions and support children receive.

Leaders have developed more effective partnerships with parents and carers. Parents and carers comment on the improvements they have seen, particularly in relation to robust leadership, improved communication, quality of care and staffing arrangements. Staff morale is high. Staff value the professional development opportunities they get and comment that support from leaders is positively influencing their practice on an ongoing basis.

Leaders have a deep understanding of barriers some children face and continually work hard to reduce barriers to children's learning, always acting in the best interests of children. Those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, as well as children who are disadvantaged, receive extra support, when needed, and additional funding is used carefully to help all children achieve the best outcomes.

The provider notified Ofsted about previous significant events that led to breaches in requirements relating to safeguarding policies and procedures and staff to child ratios. The provider has since reflected upon this and taken appropriate steps to address previous weaknesses. All leaders and staff are now clear and consistent in implementing the policies and procedures in place for safeguarding and supervise children effectively.