Enchanted Wood Preschool Ltd- Bean Road

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders and staff act swiftly to address and identify children's needs. They liaise well with parents to find out about children's individual needs before they start to ensure children access targeted learning from the outset. Leaders and staff consistently use assessment tools to identify gaps in children's language development. They plan interventions and use high-quality teaching to address barriers children face and consistently review children's progress. Staff share next steps with parents and give guidance to continue effective support for learning at home. This helps to swiftly close gaps in all children's learning and prepares children well for the next stage of their education. This practice is consistent and embedded. Staff refer children who have speech and language delay for speech and language therapy. They receive targets from specialists to support children's individual needs, which ensures children receive targeted intervention. This helps them to build confidence and make progress from their starting points. Leaders and staff consistently liaise well with professionals and use strategies that prepare children for school. Staff attend transition training to ensure children are supported. They meet with designated school leaders to discuss how to best support children's individual needs so school leaders adopt a consistent approach. This helps children to transition smoothly and thrive.

Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard

Leaders embed a curriculum that is inclusive and consistently taught well with lots of interactions from staff that support all children, including those with special needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to make progress from their starting points. High-quality interactions between staff and children are embedded. Staff use every opportunity to continue children's learning. For example, they plan and adapt circle time sessions to ensure they reflect on the developmental needs of all children, including those with SEND. This ensures all children consistently make progress. Staff use questioning effectively to encourage children to develop thinking and to build on their knowledge of the world around them. They consistently weave mathematics into different areas to support children to develop an understanding of mathematical concepts. For example, staff ask children which number is bigger when looking at 2 numbers. Teaching is personalised to meet the ages and stages of the children, which ensures all children achieve well and are well prepared for school.

Staff teach children about sustainability. For example, staff use water from water play to water plants, fruit peel is used for compost and staff encourage children to recycle rubbish. Children sort rubbish and engage in litter picking, which helps children to look after the environment. Staff engage effectively with children and encourage them to talk about what they already know. They plan activities to develop number skills that encourage them to recognise numbers, such as counting spiders and comparing lengths of drainpipes. This consistently prepares children well for their next stage of learning and school.

Achievement: Strong standard

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are ready for school. For example, older children enter nursery and find a space on the wall. They put their bags down, take out their lunches and lay out waterproofs so they can transition quickly for forest school. Children listen attentively and follow instructions in sports. For example, they kick, bounce and control the ball while walking around cones. Children listen to stories, talk about things of interest and share what they have learned with staff, who know them extremely well. They count objects, such as minibeasts, and recognise and compare numbers. All children consistently make progress across the curriculum and enjoy learning.

Children develop their small hand muscles using tweezers to pick up objects. They develop large muscles as they climb up, across and jump off equipment. Children embed number knowledge through nursery rhymes. For example, they fill containers with water, pour it down the drainpipe and count how many spiders run down as they sing 'Incy Wincy Spider'. Older children demonstrate an awareness of time as they pretend to make soup and say, 'It will be ready in 10 minutes.'

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Leaders embed policies and practices that support staff to consistently have high expectations for rules and routines in the setting. Children behave extremely well. Staff guide all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to manage their behaviour successfully. This helps them to develop positive attitudes towards learning. Children, including those with SEND, learn to take turns and share independently, using a sand timer for instance. This helps children to cooperate with each other. Staff support children to demonstrate good manners. For example, at snack time, they encourage children to say 'yes please'. Older children politely say 'excuse me' when staff are speaking with others. This shows that they understand how to wait respectfully for attention. Staff remind children to use 'kind hands' and share when playing with numbers in the mud.

Children learn to collaborate with each other. They form secure relationships and attachments with their peers, and staff who know them well. In forest school, staff sit with children on logs and clap for children to join in. This helps children recognise when it is time to stop and listen. Staff sing the forest school rules song and encourage children to repeat. This supports children in understanding how to manage their personal safety. Leaders establish routines that support families, including those who may face barriers, to understand the importance of attendance and punctuality. They ensure parents understand the importance of regular attendance and how this impacts children's learning. Leaders contact parents and implement strategies that encourage parents to send children regularly and on time.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Leaders consistently prioritise children's welfare and wellbeing. Leaders and staff know children and families very well. They embed routines that support children's safety. For example, staff sit with children at mealtimes to ensure children eat safely. They encourage children who need reminding to go to the toilet. During routines such as nappy changing, staff use visual resources to help children focus and continue learning. They consistently encourage children to develop independence in managing their personal care. Staff ensure all children have privacy when using the toilet or when having their nappy changed. Children develop a secure understanding of how to keep themselves safe and healthy. For example, in forest school before snack, children wash their hands in soapy water and rinse in the clean water. This helps children develop good hygiene routines that keep them healthy. Staff encourage children to build on their understanding of healthy lifestyles. For example, they provide children with fresh fruit and encourage them to drink milk or water at snack time.

Leaders create a warm, stimulating environment where children play safely and develop their independence and physical skills. Staff embed strategies such as breathing techniques to help children control their emotions when they are upset. This helps them with self-regulation. For example, they encourage children to hold up 5 fingers and get them to trace up and down each one while breathing in and breathing out. Staff ask children how they feel, which helps them to notice how their feelings change. Staff consistently support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to manage their feelings and behaviour. Leaders signpost parents to emotional regulation courses to help guide them to continue their children's learning at home.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders use analysis of their strengths and areas for improvement to consistently drive high standards across the setting. They recognise their success in the progress children make during their time at the setting, ensuring children leave ready for school. Leaders are proud of their positive parent partnerships. Parents and carers consistently engage well in children's targets and support children to continue learning at home. Leaders form positive links with local schools, which ensures children get the support they need on transition to school. They have introduced and embedded an assessment tool, which helps staff identify gaps in children's language and use targeted strategies to support their individual language development. Schools use this screening tool to support children's transitions. This ensures children continue to achieve well without interruptions to their learning. Leaders aim to create more opportunities for children to contribute to sustainability and the wider community, such as walking to food banks and delivering food. This would further support children to develop an understanding of the needs of others.

Leaders embed a harmonious culture of continuous development. They support staff to engage in further training at their academy, so staff continue to grow in knowledge and professional expertise. Leaders create an open-door culture for staff. This ensures staff feel comfortable to approach them with concerns and gives them reassurance that their wellbeing is prioritised. For example, leaders signpost staff to the employee assistance programme, which supports staff's personal and emotional needs. Staff feel like they are listened to and valued. Leaders consistently support staff growth and check in with them regularly. They complete supervisions every 6 months and an appraisal at the end of the year. Parent feedback is extremely positive. They welcome the variety of enrichment programmes that leaders embed. This encourages and supports parents to send children to nursery regularly and on time.