Gomersal House Day Nursery

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders support disadvantaged children, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), children known or previously known to children's social care and those who face additional barriers to learning well. They identify children's needs quickly and accurately. Leaders put appropriate plans in place to support children's individual needs and ensure that children identified with SEND make the expected progress in their learning and development. All children are welcomed into the setting, and leaders identify how they can best support children's needs.

Leaders have high expectations for all children and work effectively to reduce barriers to learning. They work closely with other professionals and agencies and often take the lead role in securing positive outcomes for children with SEND. Leaders generally monitor children's progress effectively to ensure that support remains targeted to children's individual needs. Staff receive relevant training to help them understand and respond to children's specific needs. This enables children with SEND to access all areas of the provision and take part fully in learning experiences. Leaders consider carefully how additional funding can best support children's development. For example, they provide extra sessions to promote continuity in children's learning and progress.

Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention

Leaders do not ensure that the curriculum is designed effectively, so that it is clear what children need to know and be able to do. Staff are not always clear about the sequence in which children should learn specific skills to support their learning and development. Leaders have recently begun to take action to improve the curriculum and the quality of teaching. Although they have identified suitable priorities for improvement, this work remains at an early stage and it is too soon to determine the impact on children's learning and progress.

Leaders do not plan the environment so that it consistently supports children's next steps in learning and reflects their age and stage of development. For example, the outdoor area for babies provides limited opportunities and resources to support their physical development. Babies have few opportunities to pull themselves up, stand and strengthen their legs. Staff do not help less mobile babies to explore and access all areas of the outdoor environment.

Children benefit from warm relationships with staff and feel secure and safe in their care. They enjoy activities such as painting and playing musical instruments. Interactions between staff and children are positive at times. For example, staff engage children in conversations and children are confident to share their knowledge. Children enjoy looking at books with their key adult. However, teaching is inconsistent and some staff do not use interactions effectively to extend children's learning. Teaching is not always matched appropriately to children's starting points, needs and stages of development.

Achievement: Needs attention

Children do not consistently receive the support they need to meet their individual age and stage of development. Activities do not always build effectively on what children already know and can do. At times, children take part in learning activities that are not matched to their stage of learning. Children complete activities that are either too difficult or too easy for them. This limits children's progress and reduces opportunities for them to develop the knowledge and skills they need for the next stage in their learning.

Despite this, children enjoy taking part in a range of activities across the provision. They explore creative experiences such as painting and develop an interest in music as they learn to play the piano. Children develop their independence skills. For example, they learn to serve themselves during mealtimes and manage some tasks for themselves, such as filling their paint pots when they are empty.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Children understand the daily routines and are generally settled, focused and engaged in their play. They typically demonstrate positive attitudes towards their learning. Staff help children to understand how to be kind and considerate towards others and act as positive role models. They support children to recognise and talk about emotions, helping them understand that others may feel happy or sad.

Children's behaviour is generally positive. They learn to cooperate well with their peers. For example, children share resources willingly when they notice a friend does not have what they need. Children learn to take turns, listen to one another's ideas and play games together successfully. Staff praise children's positive behaviour and build warm, trusting relationships with them. Children are confident and seek support from their key person when needed.

Leaders monitor attendance appropriately. They have procedures in place to follow up on children's absences. Staff support all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, children known or previously known to children's social care and those who face additional barriers to learning, to take part in the daily routines of the setting. Staff make adaptations when needed to support their individual needs and to provide an inclusive environment.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Children develop positive relationships with staff across the nursery. They settle quickly and benefit from warm, caring interactions that help them to feel safe and secure. Staff create a welcoming environment where children generally enjoy their play and learning experiences. Generally, children enjoy spending time outdoors and access a range of opportunities to play and explore. Staff support children and encourage them to develop positive social skills. Children learn to be kind to one another and share resources. They play cooperatively with their friends. Children demonstrate good manners and thank adults when they receive help or support from them.

Staff generally prioritise the wellbeing and welfare of all children, including those who are disadvantaged, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those known or previously known to social care. Leaders implement suitable hygiene practices to help ensure children's personal care needs are met appropriately. Staff support children to become increasingly independent in managing their own self-care routines. For example, children learn to wash their hands before meals and manage toileting tasks independently, where appropriate. During mealtimes, practitioners talk to children about healthy foods and encourage them to make healthy choices that support their growth and development.

Leadership and governance: Needs attention

Leaders have an awareness of the setting's strengths and areas for development. However, they have not identified the underlying causes of weaknesses in teaching accurately enough. Although leaders have identified priorities for improvement, their actions have yet to make the improvements needed to improve the quality of teaching and children's learning experiences.

Leaders do not provide staff with specific support that is relevant and purposeful to help them carry out their roles successfully. Systems for staff supervision are not robust enough to bring about rapid improvement. Staff do not receive consistent feedback that is targeted to help improve the quality of their teaching practice. As a result, weaknesses in teaching remain, and staff do not consistently support children's learning effectively.

Despite this, leaders take appropriate action to support staff wellbeing and help ensure workloads remain manageable. Staff feel valued and leaders recognise their efforts through praise and rewards. Leaders build positive relationships with parents and families. They support families with specific needs by signposting them to external agencies and services where appropriate. In addition, leaders have established links with local schools to help support children's transitions to the next stage in their education.