Kindred Islington

Inclusion: Strong standard

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive highly effective support that enables them to feel safe, secure and fully included in all aspects of the nursery. They build strong relationships with familiar staff and make excellent progress from their individual starting points. Staff sensitively support children with SEND to overcome barriers, such as managing mealtimes or joining group activities, and gain confidence to participate alongside their peers.

Staff receive quality training, enabling them to identify children's needs quickly. They work closely with parents and carers to share information and agree strategies. Staff provide consistent support and guidance, which parents value and recognise as making a significant difference. Staff conduct weekly observations and reviews to refine support and ensure that targets remain achievable and meaningful.

Leaders take swift action to secure additional support and work effectively with other professionals to make timely referrals. They implement professional advice promptly and use additional funding appropriately to meet children's individual needs. Leaders ensure rigorous review systems are in place so children with SEND remain a consistent priority. Leaders demonstrate strong expertise and confidence in meeting the needs of children with SEND, making this a clear strength of the setting.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have implemented a broad and balanced curriculum, with a focus on developing children's independence, resilience and curiosity. Staff know children well and plan to meet their interests and developmental next steps. These are continually reviewed to ensure that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are making progress across the curriculum.

Staff create an environment rich in language by narrating on children's play and modelling ambitious vocabulary. For instance, babies select sea creatures as staff verbally label them, and encourage them to find others. This supports children to repeat and extend their speech. Staff incorporate books into play activities, building story language through play, and supporting a positive attitude towards reading.

Leaders have reviewed how space is used to support children's learning. Babies have ample opportunities to crawl, cruise and climb. They delight in exploring their environment as they develop their strength and balance. Older children benefit from quiet spaces that enable them to focus on learning in small groups.

Staff support children to develop their mathematical knowledge through play. For example, children are encouraged to count buttons as they press them into play dough. However, staff lack precision and confidence in their teaching of mathematical skills to ensure that all children make rapid progress in this area.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children grow into confident and enthusiastic learners. They are keen to explore and participate in a variety of well-planned activities. These experiences are designed to reflect children's interests and support their next steps of development. This enables children to make consistent progress from their individual starting points.

Children develop into confident communicators. They express their ideas, needs and feelings through talk, gesture and play. This includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). For instance, non-verbal children learn to use strategies that enable them to express their needs and make themselves understood. Parents comment on the remarkable progress children with SEND make.

Children develop the skills they need to effectively prepare them for school. For example, children leave the nursery fully equipped to manage self-care routines independently. Older children develop skills in specific areas, such as linking letters and sounds, through a focused and personalised school-readiness programme.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Staff build warm and trusting relationships with children. This supports children to feel safe and secure, enabling them to explore their environment with confidence. Children show high levels of engagement and enjoyment as they choose where they wish to play.

Staff model effective team work and respectful interactions. This is reflected in the nursery, as children play and communicate successfully with each other. For example, young children work together on a shared project, painting and collaging cardboard boxes to make a large Christmas tree.

Staff establish secure and consistent routines. They focus on giving children positive attention, and offer frequent praise. Staff make good use of sensory spaces and physical activities to help children that need additional support managing their behaviour. They manage minor incidents quickly and calmly. Over time, these children learn to cooperate with expectations and follow adult instructions, contributing to a calm and purposeful environment.

Leaders monitor children's attendance carefully and meet with parents and carers to understand barriers to children's attendance and punctuality. They provide some support and gently encourage improvements. However, they do not take sufficiently robust action to ensure swift improvements. This has an impact on children whose learning is most affected by poor attendance and punctuality.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Staff actively teach children to understand their feelings. They use stories and familiar characters to discuss values, such as kindness and bravery. Staff have developed calming spaces that children can access when they need rest or quiet time, supporting them to regulate their emotions. Other thoughtfully designed spaces, such as the indoor garden and sensory areas, further promote children's physical and mental wellbeing.

Key persons know their children very well and this supports children to feel secure. For example, babies new to the setting reach out to their key person for cuddles. Parents and carers are encouraged to come into their children's room, providing daily opportunities to exchange information with key staff. This supports a cohesive approach to meeting children's needs.

Children enjoy healthy meals, cooked by dedicated nursery chefs, and mealtimes are a calm and positive experience for all children. Staff manage children's allergies rigorously, using a colour-coded system to monitor children's dietary needs effectively.

Staff embed wellbeing into daily routines. They follow care practices that fully involve children, helping children to feel respected and included. Staff in the baby room apply specialist training to ensure safer sleep and eating routines. Staff work closely with parents to support weaning and ensure that foods introduced at nursery are familiar.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders are present and visible in the nursery, observing practice and providing support to staff. This enables them to have effective oversight of the strengths and areas for development of the nursery. They use self-assessments to make improvements over time. For example, leaders have reviewed routines around mealtimes to make these more positive and purposeful for children.

Leaders are ambitious for their staff. For instance, staff have opportunities to take on ambassador roles and attend training courses, building specialist knowledge in areas, such as supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) or emotional literacy. Leaders conduct supervision sessions and team meetings to monitor staff's knowledge and support their wellbeing. Staff feel that leaders are approachable and supportive.

Leaders make effective decisions that prioritise the needs of children. For example, they make staffing decisions that ensure that children with SEND have their needs securely met. Leaders engage with parents and carers effectively, sharing information about their children's progress and development. They work in partnership with parents of children with SEND, providing welcome guidance and support. This ensures a cohesive response to ensuring children with SEND are effectively supported at home and at the nursery.