Furrough Cross Pre-School

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders play a vital role in ensuring inclusive practice across the setting, creating an environment where every child feels valued and supported. They make effective use of available funding. For example, leaders employ additional staff to provide one-to-one support for children with specific needs and help them access the learning opportunities on offer. Staff also make thoughtful adjustments to the physical environment. For instance, they typically rearrange furniture, adapt resources or use visual aids, so that the space is accessible and welcoming for all children, including those with mobility or sensory needs.

Leaders carefully monitor children's development and progress, working closely with external professionals, such as speech and language therapists and health visitors. This collaborative approach ensures that children receive timely interventions and the right level of support. Staff then implement agreed strategies and share these with parents, fostering effective partnerships between home and the setting. In addition, staff attend training that enhances their skills and knowledge. For instance, they learn to use sign language, which enables them to support children's communication more effectively. This helps to support children's confidence, independence and overall expected developmental progress.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Overall, the curriculum is of high quality and supports all children to make expected progress in their learning and development. Leaders have an understanding of the design and implementation of the curriculum. They know where to make improvements. For example, after liaising with local schools, leaders are supporting improvement in some aspects of physical development, particularly to enhance children's small-muscle development and hand strength.

Typically, staff deliver the curriculum well for all children. They read stories to support children's communication and early interest in reading. During singing time, staff make effective use of props that support children's engagement, listening and attention for short periods. They generally promote many aspects of the curriculum for mathematics well. For example, staff use their fingers to show children how to represent numerals. However, at times, they do not extend children's mathematical knowledge to further their understanding around numbers and shapes.

Overall, staff use their assessments effectively to help them identify children's next steps in learning and respond to these. This includes providing additional support, where needed, to ensure all children have access to their educational entitlement. However, during free-play sessions in particular, staff do not consistently differentiate their teaching to help extend all children's learning, to help them consistently achieve as much as they can.

Achievement: Expected standard

Typically, children make progress across the curriculum, particularly in communication and language. They confidently share their ideas with staff and peers. For example, after listening to the story of Christmas, children explain how they carefully glue shredded paper onto their paper 'manger' to represent hay for the baby Jesus. Children also talk about Mary and Joseph and show an increasing understanding of story structure. Gaps in all children's learning are steadily closing, in particular for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, who can participate fully and achieve success at their own level.

Children develop independence in preparation for school. They select equipment thoughtfully and use it with increasing dexterity. Children demonstrate perseverance and concentration, for example, when colouring carefully within the lines. Their social communication is evident as they politely ask friends for different coloured pens. Children respond positively to praise, showing pride in their achievements.

Children enjoy play and learning outdoors. They practise throwing and catching skills with balls. Children enjoy learning how to roll and spin plastic hoops and how to make marks with chalk.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders work effectively with families. They ensure that children attend the sessions, which promote their development and help them to establish the kind of routines that prepare children for school. Staff make reasonable adjustments, where needed, to support all children's attendance, while maintaining expectations that take account of each child's developmental stage and needs. For instance, during tidy-up time, staff support younger children to place toys away, while older children organise resources more independently and remind their peers of the routine. This ensures all children can participate meaningfully.

Children behave well. In the main, they quickly learn to follow instructions and understand the expectations of the setting. Staff tailor behavioural expectations to reflect children's age and stage of development, enabling all children to succeed. For example, younger children are gently supported to use their 'listening ears' during story time, while older children are encouraged to take greater responsibility for leading and modelling positive behaviour. Children enjoy the company of their peers and engage in cooperative play, such as making shapes in the sand to create sea creatures. Staff scaffold these interactions so that sharing and turn-taking are achievable for children at different developmental stages. Children relate well to the staff who care for them.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Typically, care practices are effective. Staff ensure they meet children's personal needs and support their understanding of these routines. For example, when it is time for a nappy change, they show younger children their clean nappy so they know what is happening next. Children who need a nap rest in a comfortable space, where staff frequently check on them. When they wake, staff offer a cuddle until they are ready to play.

Children relate well to the staff. They spontaneously seek comfort and are reassured by them. Staff's sensitive responses help them to form secure attachments. Staff help children to manage their emotions. They provide additional support, such as visual aids, for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. For example, they provide a communication board and support children to use this to express how they are feeling.

Children enjoy group dance sessions, helping to strengthen their coordination, balance and large-muscle skills. Staff provide close supervision to promote spatial awareness and children's understanding of personal safety. They teach children about the benefits of healthy snacks and provide parents with information about a balanced diet. Children taste different fruit, showing a particular favourite of watermelon. Staff find out about children's access to dental treatment to help promote oral health. They signpost families to local dentists if needed.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Overall, leaders have an accurate view of the quality of their provision for children. They know the strengths of their provision and identify priorities for improvement. Leaders have implemented effective strategies to address these. For instance, they have planned their curriculum to provide more opportunities to support the development of children's hand-eye coordination, such as colouring, gluing, chalking and mark making. This also helps to strengthen their hand muscles in preparation for future learning. Leaders ensure that the provision is mostly well adapted to meet the needs of all children who attend.

Leaders celebrate their partnerships with parents and the consistent two-way approach in supporting children's development. Parents report how much their children enjoy attending and value the nurturing adults who work with them. They comment on the effective strategies that help children settle quickly and which support learning at home, such as sharing books. Parent say staff meet their child's needs well and that they value the information shared, such as about the curriculum and what children are learning.

Staff have high levels of wellbeing and morale. Leaders are supportive and provide opportunities for staff to develop their skills and knowledge, such as undertaking new qualifications. This has enabled them to provide children with more sensory and outdoor experiences that benefit their welfare and development.