Langar Nursery

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders and staff work closely with children and parents to ensure they are supporting each child's individual needs. Staff use information from parents when children join to support their transition, including their likes, dislikes, existing skills, allergies and routines. They use ongoing, accurate assessments to identify individual needs. This enables leaders to typically identify children's needs quickly. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, or those facing barriers to learning, are supported through partnerships with parents and professionals, ensuring that they make meaningful progress from their starting points and are well prepared for their next stage of learning. The setting offers personalised support for children who face barriers to learning to help them make progress from their starting points. Strategies such as support play plans, providing targeted interventions and additional adult interaction are in place to help reduce those barriers.

Leaders use the early years pupil premium funding effectively and demonstrate positive partnership with parents by collectively identifying any areas of need. For example, they purchase story sacks to build on children's interest, supporting communication through shared storytelling. Leaders thoughtfully consider future spending of funding with the intention of developing children's listening and attention, confidence, turn-taking and sentence building, which have been identified needs in children's next steps.

Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention

Staff do not always plan or implement the curriculum effectively for younger children. There are inconsistencies in learning experiences across the different age groups. Staff do not always use routines and activities to build on children's skills and knowledge over time. For example, younger children are not typically supported to engage in meaningful conversations. This limits children's opportunities to build on their growing vocabulary and develop the social skills they need for future learning. Older children enjoy singing and dancing activities, which promotes their communication skills, builds on their physical development and gives them a sense of belonging.

Staff are not fully aware of some children's capabilities. For example, where some children display advanced knowledge and skills, staff do not plan effectively to support those children to continue to extend their learning. This means that some children are not making as much progress as they are capable of.

Staff model language well and introduce new words effectively to older children. Staff name different parts of flowers, such as stem, petal and leaf, and sensitively correct children who use inaccurate words to describe these. However, staff do not consistently use language or interactions effectively with younger children, meaning they have limited opportunities to develop their communication, language and social skills.

Achievement: Expected standard

All children make progress despite some inconsistencies in the planning and implementation of the curriculum for the youngest children. Overall, children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face additional barriers, make effective progress from their starting points. Younger children's communication and language development benefits from singing nursery rhymes and exploring books. Older children talk fluently and engage in meaningful conversations during daily activities. They match quantity to numerals as they count, developing early mathematical skills. Children work collaboratively and demonstrate teamwork and the responsibility of tidying up following activities.

Children are curious and develop an understanding of the world. For example, children care for plants and flowers in the memorial garden, demonstrating responsibility and pride in their environment. Children express their ideas and opinions. For example, during group time, children join in conversations where they share their thoughts and experiences from home. Subsequently, children develop self-esteem, confidence and a sense of belonging.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Children behave extremely well and benefit from well-established routines. Staff are positive role models and create a calm, nurturing environment. Children understand rules of the setting and develop positive relationships with their peers. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive tailored support to help them understand the routines successfully. For example, staff use a now and next system that helps children to understand the sequence of the day, manage transitions and participate fully in the nursery routine.

Children consistently show respect, kindness and consideration towards others. For example, older children support younger children's learning by offering reassurance when they can see they may be struggling. Younger children respond warmly with, 'Thank you. Sharing is caring.' This shows that children develop empathy and kindness towards their friends.

Leaders work collaboratively with families to promote the importance of regular attendance and its positive impact on children's learning and development. As a result, children arrive ready to learn and sustain high levels of engagement. For example, older children enthusiastically return throughout the day to activities such as water play where they use real fruit to make pretend lemonade. They remain engaged as they explore resources and experiment with others, show curiosity and a thirst for learning.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Needs attention

Leaders' lack of knowledge of nutritional guidance means that children do not benefit from a balanced diet. At main mealtimes, children are provided with processed foods that are high in fat and salt. However, at snack time, children enjoy a range of healthy options, such as cucumber, grapes and crackers. This does not support children in developing healthy eating habits or promote their long-term health and wellbeing.

Leaders have not ensured a consistent approach to promoting children's health, hygiene and wellbeing across the setting. Children's welfare is further compromised by inconsistent hygiene practices. This varies between age groups. For example, staff do not actively support younger children to develop effective handwashing routines. They provide dry face cloths and soap to children without any guidance or support on what to do next. In comparison, older children are explicitly taught how to manage their own personal hygiene needs and do so with growing independence.

Despite these weaknesses, staff provide a warm, welcoming environment and have secure relationships with all children including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They know children well, respond to their individual needs and support older children to become independent through daily activities. Older children benefit from clear instructions from staff. For example, staff actively encourage children to use cutlery independently, and children demonstrate good manners. Younger children do not consistently receive the same level of support and encouragement to develop these skills. This means that opportunities to promote younger children's independence and wellbeing are not consistently maximised.

Leadership and governance: Needs attention

Leaders have not maintained effective oversight of practice across the setting. They do not identify and address some inconsistencies in the implementation of routines and curriculum across the different age ranges of children in the nursery. Consequently, the agreed curriculum is not embedded securely and children's experiences vary. Monitoring and supervision of staff does not consistently identify where practice falls below expectations. This includes weaknesses in the promotion of healthy eating through a balanced and nutritious diet and the importance of good hygiene.

Leaders aim to develop staff knowledge and skills, but this is not yet fully effective. Leaders provide staff with professional learning and development opportunities, including training to support and improve practice. However, they have not yet ensured that professional development translates into consistently effective practice across the setting. Leaders care for staff's welfare and consistently offer wellbeing support where needed. Staff value the support they receive and speak positively about leaders. Leaders work closely with parents and other relevant professionals in the local authority to identify and enable targeted support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to ensure that they are appropriately supported. Families value the positive relationships they have developed with staff and leaders. Parents report that staff know their children extremely well and that they understand the specific needs of the different families.