Cozee Cubs Nursery and Sensory

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders and staff specifically trained to coordinate the support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) demonstrate a clear understanding of their needs. Leaders work in partnership with parents and professionals from external agencies to secure support and interventions for children as needed. Staff generally support children's needs appropriately and understand their personalities and learning styles. They know how to use familiar toys, resources and equipment that interest children and that help them to regulate their emotions. Staff across the setting receive some specific training to support their knowledge and understanding of how to support children with SEND. This is helping staff build their confidence and skills.

Parents comment positively on the care and support their children receive, and their ongoing communication helps to ensure that children's needs are met. Leaders use appropriate evidence to inform their decisions about how the funding is used to support the progress of children with SEND. For example, staff have received training on intensive interaction that helps with the development of communication and social skills. Leaders are monitoring the impact this is having on children's experiences and have identified further training to improve teaching knowledge and skills.

Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention

Leaders have an accurate understanding of the current quality of the teaching and implementation of the curriculum. There are currently weaknesses in its implementation that have an impact on children's learning and development, especially with the younger children. Staff engage the eldest children in conversation. They model language and introduce new words. However, staff working with the younger children do not always recognise how to promote high-quality interactions that positively develop children's communication and language. Some staff ask young children questions repeatedly in quick succession, giving them little time to process and respond. Children quickly become disengaged. This includes children who speak English as an additional language.

Staff help the eldest children develop their mathematical knowledge well. At snack time, they introduce them to halves and quarters when cutting up fruit. Staff ensure that all children have daily opportunities to engage in physical play both indoors and outdoors. They provide opportunities for those babies learning to walk to pull themselves up to standing and strengthen the muscles in their legs. Staff know the children and families well, and they focus on building close, positive relationships that help children feel safe and secure.

Achievement: Needs attention

Some children are not consistently achieving well from their starting points. Younger children do not always progress quickly in developing some of the essential skills they will need, such as their communication skills and understanding of behaviour expectations. This does not ensure that all children are well prepared for the next stage of their learning.

All children benefit from singing familiar rhymes and hearing stories read to them. They have some opportunities to engage in sensory play as they explore water, glitter and real flowers in an activity. Older children are confident to engage with each other and take care of their own self-care, such as toileting and handwashing. Children learn to be independent. At snack time they prepare their own food and pour drinks. Children are physically active. They climb, use a slide and ride confidently on bikes and scooters. Babies develop their hand-eye coordination and are introduced to turn taking as they roll a ball back and forth with staff.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Needs attention

Some staff do not demonstrate high expectations for children's behaviour or use consistent approaches to help children to begin to understand what is expected of them. Staff often try and manage young children's behaviour from across the room and give little explanation as to why the behaviour may be unwanted. This does not help children, including those who face barriers to their learning, to understand and regulate their own behaviour or understand the consequences for their actions.

Routines are in place and are generally understood by older children. However, there is a lack of organisation and reinforcement of behaviour expectations during some routine group times, such as lunchtime with the younger children. This results in children quickly leaving the table and wandering around. On occasion, some staff are not good role models as they do not reinforce manners at appropriate times or use good manners themselves. Staff working with the eldest children help them to understand and regulate their own emotions through visual aids to explain how they are feeling. They give clear explanations when there are minor disagreements.

All staff know children well, and children demonstrate the strong bonds they have formed with staff by enjoying cuddles when tired. Leaders promote the importance of attendance to families and offer flexible attendance hours to support families who may face barriers to attending.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Generally, children develop a sense of belonging in the nursery as they develop close relationships with staff and peers. This helps them to feel safe and secure. Staff work in partnership with parents and carers to follow routines as closely as possible from home, such as sleeping and eating routines.

Staff help to promote children's good health and importance of hygiene practices. Children participate in planned activities that promote the importance of oral health. Older children learn about foods that help their muscles to grow big and strong. Children are kind. They offer to help their friends take a box from the shelf and show empathy when their peers become a little upset. Children help to tidy away toys and wipe down tables before eating. These types of tasks help children to gain a sense of responsibility and understand how to work together as a team.

Staff demonstrate a secure knowledge of how to keep children safe when children are sleeping. Children are adequately supervised when eating. Staff teach older children how to keep themselves safe, such as when they cut up fruit for their snack. Staff understand the strategies in place to help children with special educational needs and/or disabilities regulate their emotions and are attentive to their needs when they need support.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

There have been recent changes in the leadership of the setting. Newly appointed leaders are reflective and understand the importance of regular monitoring and evaluation of the nursery. They have been quick to identify weaknesses in practice and target clear areas for improvement. Recently, pre-school children, who were previously mixed in with younger children, have moved to their own dedicated base room to enable staff to focus more closely on preparing children for school and embedding behaviour expectations. This is having a positive effect on the eldest children's attitude to learning. Leaders have training planned for all staff to help improve their overall understanding of teaching and the curriculum. Although some of these improvements are still at an early stage, leaders are striving to make positive changes that will benefit all children's time in the setting. Those responsible for governance have a good oversight of the nursery and ensure that leaders are well supported.

Leaders regularly observe staff's practice and hold regular meetings to help coach and support staff in their role. They care for staff's wellbeing. Leaders have built positive working relationships with other professionals and seek advice and support for staff. They work with the local authority to identify and enable targeted support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to ensure that they are appropriately supported.