Loving Hands International Nursery School Ltd -Elgin Road

Inclusion: Expected standard

Staff create a warm and inclusive environment for all children. Children and families feel welcomed in this diverse setting. Children form close attachments with staff, which supports their emotional wellbeing effectively. Staff engage successfully with parents, which benefits children, including those who are disadvantaged. Parents are particularly pleased with how well staff help their children to settle in quickly. They find that staff make reasonable adjustments to meet their children's needs, including those with health and medical needs. Parents report that their children make notable progress in their language and social skills.

Leaders prioritise using additional funding to provide children with access to extra-curricular activities, such as music and sports. These opportunities enrich children's learning, particularly those who are disadvantaged. Leaders promote staff's professional development to enhance their knowledge of supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This helps to set high expectations for all children. Staff conduct initial assessments of what children know and can do to help plan the curriculum. However, staff are not always consistent in ensuring that the barriers all children face are swiftly identified and addressed. This inconsistency can lead to delays in referrals to outside agencies, resulting in children not receiving timely additional support.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders promote and recognise equality and diversity. This teaches children to respect and value differences between themselves and others. Leaders have a general understanding of the curriculum provided. They encourage staff to use regular assessments to guide their teaching. There are inconsistencies in the quality of staff's interactions with children. Sometimes, children do not fully benefit from all the learning opportunities.

The curriculum is broad and tailored to children's ages and needs. Staff make thoughtful adjustments, particularly for disadvantaged children and those with specific health requirements. This ensures all children can participate in nursery activities, which contributes to promoting an inclusive environment. Staff put emphasis on children's personal, social and emotional development. Children, even the youngest, feel safe, secure and happy. Staff support children's language development well. They build on children's vocabulary and communication skills. This includes engaging children through outings that introduce nursery songs, rhymes and stories. Staff incorporate numbers into their activities to develop children's early mathematical skills. They encourage older children to practise their drawing and writing skills in readiness for school. As a result, children make typical progress appropriate to their age and developmental stage.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children make typical progress from their starting points. For example, they are developing self-esteem and independence, which is particularly noticeable during snack times and mealtimes. Older children can choose and peel their fruit without needing assistance from staff. Disadvantaged children and those with social and behavioural difficulties are learning to play with their peers.

Babies engage with rhymes and nursery songs as part of the curriculum. They look and listen attentively, which helps to extend their vocabulary. Toddlers interact with staff in role-play scenarios about animals. They enjoy listening to the story of 'The Three Little Pigs', which helps develop their communication and language skills. They also engage in imaginative play as 'firefighters', using their creativity to enhance it. In another example, older children have opportunities to create Easter egg collages. This helps strengthen their finger muscles. Overall, children are well prepared for the next stage of their learning and development, including their move to school.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Staff create a highly successful culture of respect, care and kindness, which helps children understand their own emotions as well as the feelings of others. They consistently treat children with warmth, which creates a highly positive environment. This is evident when children arrive eager to learn and play, often greeting staff with big smiles. Children consistently display positive attitudes towards their learning and their peers. They establish trusting relationships with staff and their peers. This gives children a high level of self-esteem and confidence in the setting.

Staff hold extremely high expectations for all children's behaviour, which take into account their age and stage of development. They are very good at consistently reinforcing well-established routines. This approach benefits all children, including those who may be disadvantaged. Over time, children have learned to manage age-appropriate tasks. For instance, older children understand the importance of washing their hands before snacks and mealtimes. They show extreme care for their friends by inviting them to join them at the table.

Staff closely monitor children's attendance to identify any concerns and resolve barriers to regular attendance. They emphasise to parents and carers the importance of attending the setting consistently. This significantly improves children's attendance in preparation for starting school.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Staff support children well as they develop the skills necessary for the next stage of their learning. For example, staff encourage children to complete age-appropriate tasks, such as at mealtimes. Children develop their confidence and independence skills. Staff promote children's physical development, for example, through daily opportunities for outdoor play. They encourage children to explore and be active in a safe environment. Children develop positive attitudes towards learning. Staff also teach children about personal safety practices. For example, they show children how to assess risks and identify potential hazards before outdoor activities. These experiences enable children to enjoy fresh air and exercise, which benefit their physical wellbeing.

Staff establish and maintain consistent routines, including well-established sleep and rest periods. These routines help children, particularly those who face barriers to their health. Children feel secure and comfortable, providing a stable structure to their day. Staff develop secure and responsive relationships with children. They are attentive to children's needs, offering them reassurance and encouraging positive social interactions. Children learn to trust staff and build friendships with their peers. They develop a sense of belonging within the setting.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders are dedicated to making decisions that prioritise the best interests of children, especially those who are disadvantaged or children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. For instance, they regularly review the meals provided for children to ensure they meet dietary requirements and accommodate allergies.

Leaders also support staff effectively, paying attention to their wellbeing. Staff agree, and they express their enjoyment in working at the setting. Recent training has improved their understanding of how to promote children's emotional wellbeing. This has helped staff build trusting relationships with children, including babies. As a result, children are happy and emotionally secure.

Leaders evaluate the setting to identify both strengths and areas for improvement. They take pride in how well staff organise various learning experiences for children outside the setting. Children enjoy trips to the theatre, local parks and supermarkets. They learn about different cultures and listen to popular nursery stories. These experiences enrich children's learning opportunities. Based on feedback, leaders aim to enhance communication with all parents to keep them fully informed about their children's learning progress. They recognise weaknesses in staff's use of children's observations and assessments, as well as inconsistencies in their interactions with children, and have yet to address these issues.