Ivy House Nursery

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders and staff demonstrate dedication to providing an inclusive environment for children. They work continually to create and provide a culture where all children can participate in activities and reach their fullest potential. Staff that lead the support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities demonstrate a commitment and passion to ensuring they are making a difference to the lives of all children. All activities are adapted to enable all children to be included, regardless of their individual needs.

The implementation of rigorous monitoring and assessments helps staff to quickly identify children's emerging needs and the best way to provide sensitive support and promptly implement these. Regular discussions with parents, close working between staff and partnerships with other professionals and outside agencies ensure targeted interventions are swiftly put in place. Partnership with parents is highly effective. Staff provide a wealth of information to parents, and this supports them throughout their child's progress.

All children benefit from dedicated staff who swiftly recognise potential barriers to their learning. For example, children with complex needs receive regular interactions from nursery staff and outside agencies. Individual support plans are regularly reviewed and updated to ensure that these share the most relevant next steps for learning and teaching strategies with staff. This means that children receive the most up-to-date support and interventions, implementing targeted strategies in a timely way.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have an accurate understanding and overview of the curriculum staff provide, including for those children who have any barriers to their learning. Staff have a secure knowledge of the curriculum and interact well with the children. They encourage children to respond to questions. However, some staff are more confident in using description and explanations with the children to enhance their vocabulary, knowledge and understanding. Leaders and staff place a real focus on children's transitions, whether these are between rooms or moving on to school, and the procedures in place help support these moves to go smoothly. Staff confidently share their curriculum focus and explain children's next steps, displaying these on the walls for ease of reference to all staff. They clearly demonstrate the learning intentions they have for each child and understand how to get the best out of every activity. They skilfully incorporate older children's communication and personal skills, alongside their next steps in learning, during these interactions.

Staff extend children's learning by following their interests. For example, they follow older children's curiosity in mixing paint colours, cutting plants and pouring liquids to create their own potions and perfumes. Children confidently share how they use coloured plants, basil, lavender and lemon to create perfume. Staff encourage children to problem-solve and think about what might happen next. Younger children enjoy finding objects in water, exploring a cornflour mixture with the added sensory addition of fresh lemon slices and flowers. Throughout the nursery, staff encourage children's curiosity, support them to share their real-life experiences, build on their confidence and support them to learn how to respect their environment.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children receive effective support from staff tailored to their individual needs, which staff know well. Children's achievements are celebrated, and they are well prepared for the next stage of their education. Children enjoy their learning and are motivated to join in the activities. Children are generally confident communicators, with older children continually using new vocabulary and problem-solving during their play. For example, during an activity session, staff encourage children to immerse themselves in the actions and songs, building houses for pigs out of cups and bricks and talking about the behaviour of the wolf as he knocks these over. Children demonstrate kindness towards others as they help them achieve tasks and listen carefully to what others say. Babies cuddle and babble with their key person. Children develop early literacy skills from a young age. They enjoy stories with staff and looking independently at books. Children explore their environment, both inside and outside, with confidence.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders and staff provide an environment that encourages children's attendance. Staff are positive role models and work well as a team. Their enthusiasm with the children encourages kind behaviour and engagement in activities. Children display polite manners and build secure bonds with staff and one another. For example, outside, toddlers share resources and show their willingness to try activities.

Staff explain the professional development training they undertake. They share the positive impact behaviour management training has had on helping them support children's learning. They discuss how children may display certain behaviours during different developmental stages and how they can identify and respond to this to help children learn to manage and express their emotions. For example, they explain the need for children to have regular routines and the use of signing and visual aids to support all children, especially younger children, to know what is happening now and next. Throughout the nursery, staff use a reflective approach and adapt how they support children's emotional regulation to enable them, when there is potential conflict, to behave in a calm and nurturing way. Children learn how to express their emotions and recognise when they might need their space.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Leaders and staff place a close focus on building trusting partnerships with parents and carers. They are continually reflecting on what they provide and communicating changes to practice and useful information with parents. For example, adaptations to the key-person system ensure that staff build close, supportive relationships that help children feel safe and secure. All staff in each room know all children equally well and implement a child-centred approach. Staff are very supportive of one another to ensure children's needs are met. Children demonstrate in their actions and ease around the staff that they feel included, and their contributions are valued. Staff demonstrate an extremely secure knowledge of each child, what they like and what may cause them worries. They supervise children effectively and deploy themselves to meet their needs.

Children enjoy an excellent range of learning experiences, created by staff, in the inside and outside environments and have regular opportunities to benefit from the fresh air. For example, as well as the garden, children enjoy trips to the local shops, library, care home and train station. Staff place a lot of consideration into ensuring children's play is inclusive to all. Children gain an effective understanding, from an early age, about their personal safety, safe eating practices and how to use resources in a safe manner for themselves and their friends. Staff discuss with children about living healthy lifestyles, and children enjoy the freshly cooked meals prepared on site.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders are reflective and are currently implementing some new policies, procedures and processes following an in-depth review of what they provide. Some of these are still embedding, and they are constantly monitoring these and staff practice to identify where any changes will add value to children's experiences. Leaders ensure that safeguarding matters are referred and recorded appropriately, and they investigate and respond fully to concerns raised.

Leaders recognise the impact a cohesive staffing team has on outcomes for children and provide ongoing professional development and welfare packages to support staff. Partnership with parents is also a strength, and they provide a range of information and activities throughout the year to build on this. Staff are positive role models and are enthusiastic with each other and the children, which successfully supports how children engage. Staff keenly share about their professional development opportunities, including additional training on managing children's behaviour, safeguarding and support for children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Across the nursery, there is an air of positivity among the staff team, children and parents. Feedback from parents is very complimentary, with parents sharing how approachable staff are, how caring they are and how they nurture children's wellbeing and development. They share their appreciation of the support and information they receive, such as on potty training, supporting children with emerging needs, the in-depth transition reports and settling-in session, and the close liaisons with other professionals who come in to support those children who have SEND.