Fellowship of St Nicholas

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders and managers demonstrate a very clear understanding of families' needs and circumstances. Staff take effective action to support all children, especially those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who face barriers to their learning. They use additional funding effectively to purchase resources and equipment to help children settle. Staff are well trained in the graduated approach. Children with SEND enjoy exploring spaces designed to help manage their feelings and emotions. Other children excitedly press buttons on boards to hear information translated into their home languages, supporting them to feel included.

Leaders and managers are ambitious for all children. They work incredibly closely with other professionals to support families. For example, staff help families in their homes with behaviour and sleep times. Families are provided with places to wash clothes and prepare hot meals, supporting them with routines. Staff prepare individual information packs to support children's learning at home and provide parents with access to the social supermarket and parent workshops where needed. Children are provided with individualised care.

Staff deliver small intensive sessions to help develop children's literacy skills and regularly monitor the impact of these, making adaptations and adjustments to ensure all children make progress.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Children benefit from staff who know them well. Staff are responsive to children's needs and interests. For example, they read stories to children when favourite books are requested. Other children ask staff for specific toys that they like, and staff quickly ensure they access these. However, at times some staff do not always recognise how they can extend activities to engage children further in their learning and support them to maintain interest consistently. Nonetheless, leaders and managers accurately identify where they can help staff to further enhance their practice. Staff regularly monitor and assess children's progress and are swift in securing additional help and support, ensuring all children, especially those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those with education, health and care plans, make positive progress from their starting points. Staff provide children with a wide range of activities designed to promote their physical and mathematical development. Older children work collaboratively together to move large tyres outside, counting as they do it. Other children sustain concentration and focus when learning to balance on specialised equipment. Younger children learn to identify bigger- and smaller-sized animals in a tray. This helps children develop important skills for later learning.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children benefit from staff who plan a curriculum designed to support them to be prepared for their next learning stage. Older children are supported to make smooth transitions to school. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) achieve well. Staff identify where children would benefit from more personalised learning and ensure targeted individual support is planned, reviewed and monitored to ensure children reach their developmental milestones. For example, staff are well trained to support children's communication and language, delivering tailored sessions to develop children's listening and attention skills. Children with SEND make significant progress. Despite some inconsistencies in staff practice, children display positive attitudes to learning and are encouraged by staff to take part and join in with activities designed to help them develop their knowledge and understanding. For example, older children work together to solve problems, developing their imagination and thinking skills. Younger children enjoy exploring chalks to make marks, developing their understanding of letter shapes.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Leaders and managers have embedded an inclusive and respectful culture between children and staff. Children demonstrate that they know the rules of the setting very well. For example, babies toddle to the lunch table when it is mealtime. Older children immediately get ready to go outside, finding their own pegs and putting on their own shoes. These activities develop children's consistent understanding of expectations and routines successfully.

Children demonstrate that they have strong bonds with each other and staff. For example, babies go to familiar staff for cuddles and comfort. Older children smile when they are given stickers as a reward for positive behaviour and being kind to their friends. Staff are very good role models. They model good manners, and children are polite and behave very well. Where children need support, for example children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, staff are kind and gentle in their interactions, promoting children's positive self-esteem and confidence.

Leaders and managers work very hard with staff to ensure children attend regularly and are punctual. They identify barriers to attendance and take swift and decisive action to reduce these. All children attend regularly, and they thoroughly enjoy their time at the setting.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Children benefit from staff who are kind and caring in their approach. For example, staff take time to work with parents to support children's individual care needs. Children demonstrate that they can go to the toilet independently and know to wash their hands. All children are encouraged to keep themselves healthy and safe. For example, babies are supported to learn how to eat carefully so as not to choke. Older children identify risks in the forest school and know to keep themselves safe when playing outside and navigating space. These activities encourage children to learn to manage their personal safety and own wellbeing successfully. Leaders consistently focus on children's welfare and wellbeing. They adapt procedures where they identify children who face barriers to their learning. For example, staff provide families with support in their homes to help with sleeping, weaning and feeding routines.

Leaders and staff are highly responsive to children's individual needs and circumstances, and children confidently express how they feel, developing positive wellbeing. Children are encouraged to make healthy choices. For example, children choose snacks from a range of healthy fruits and vegetables. Families are encouraged to use the community pantry to help themselves to balanced and nutritious foods, supporting their understanding very well.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders and managers are acutely aware of the challenges families face. They take swift and effective action to reduce barriers and ensure all children receive the support they are entitled to. For example, they provide targeted and bespoke support to develop children's communication, language and physical skills. They use funding very effectively to purchase resources and develop staff knowledge.

Staff are provided with regular supervision meetings to support them in developing their understanding and to identify their own professional next steps. Leaders and managers prioritise staff's wellbeing, ensuring they are very well supported. Leaders and managers understand the effectiveness of their provision very well and clearly identify where further support could be provided to enhance staff's skills. They are highly reflective of what they offer and have high expectations for all children and families. Staff actively seek additional training and qualifications to support them in their roles. They regularly seek feedback to help them continue to improve.

Leaders identify priorities for development and are proactive in matching these to what staff need. This means that children, especially those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, thrive and flourish.