Magic Roundabout Nurseries Ltd

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders have a clear understanding of how to support children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to make progress. They work collaboratively with staff and parents to identify children's emerging needs swiftly. Therefore, children with SEND have strategies and plans in place to help them to make progress. For example, leaders and staff have introduced visuals, physical prompts and signs to support understanding and develop children's communication skills. However, these strategies are not consistently used across the setting. As a result, children do not always know what is expected of them.

Leaders work closely with external agencies to reduce barriers for all children, including those with SEND and/or barriers to learning. They use the experience of professionals and provide training for staff to enhance their knowledge, such as speech and language training. They make swift referrals and support parents to access external support. Parents comment that the nursery is proactive and supports them with their children's individual needs. Leaders understand the needs of disadvantaged children in the nursery. They provide home visits and initial meetings to understand each child's individual context. They use additional funding to provide resources and outings to further support their learning. Consequently, children typically have their individual needs met.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have designed a curriculum to support all children to develop their skills in an appropriate way according to their individual age and stage. They are reflective of practice and work with staff to make improvements in teaching and learning. Leaders have created an ambitious and well-resourced environment to give children a variety of experiences, which motivates them to learn. They introduce early mathematics into play, such as by counting when children place sticks into the sand.

Leaders have a strong focus on physical development. Children have regular access to the outdoor area, where they are encouraged to take risks through climbing, running and swinging. They are supported by adults to manage these risks, and children wait patiently for their turn and observe their peers using the equipment. Children have opportunities to build their fine motor skills and are typically supported by responsive adults. For example, children make pizzas in the mud kitchen and are supported to pinch herbs and twist lids to free them. As a result, children confidently develop their physical skills.

Overall, staff support all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children with barriers to learning, to build their communication and language skills. Staff support children who speak English as an additional language by speaking in their home languages and reinforcing in English. This supports them to understand instructions, which they can then follow. Staff interact with children throughout playful experiences and introduce new vocabulary. However, at times, staff do not fully extend vocabulary, which means that children do not develop their language as swiftly as they could.

Achievement: Expected standard

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, typically achieve well from their starting points. They are typically well prepared for their next stage of learning through the routine and activities. These are adapted for each child's age and stage to build on what they can already do and develop their skills further. For example, children are taught independence at mealtimes, and move from being supported with feeding to being able to serve their own food. However, at times, staff do not give children the space to make their own choices and be imaginative in their play. For instance, children play with clay and identify that they clay is hard. They ask for water, and a staff member pours the water on the clay. As a result, they were unable to build on their independence further.

Children are supported to build on their listening and attention through group activities, and they show high levels of engagement with this. They are able to wait their turn for what comes next from the 'box' and excitedly explore the objects. They show a love of stories, and older children confidently talk about what is happening in the story as staff give them the space to participate and share their thoughts.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders set clear expectations for children's behaviour, and children typically behave well. Staff are kind and warm and act as positive role models for children. They respectfully manage behaviour, and children generally respond to this. Children are encouraged to take turns, and some staff use visuals such as sand timers to help children manage their emotions when their turn ends. Children are praised for their efforts and develop a positive attitude to learning.

Staff typically manage daily routines well. They support children to manage the stairs well, and advise other staff on the expectations to keep children safe. Some staff use songs to support children's understanding of what will happen next, such as to help them move from play to mealtimes. Leaders promote attendance and ensure that any unexplained absences are followed up swiftly. This supports children to attend regularly and ensures their safety.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders have created a welcoming environment for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) or who may face barriers to learning. Leaders and staff gain knowledge about children before they start, which they use to help children settle. The setting has a clear key-person system in place. However, at times, children do not receive a key person as quickly as they could, which delays the settling period for children.

Children benefit from sensory and calm spaces separate from their main rooms, which gives them a safe place to manage their emotions. They use these throughout the day and children with SEND have access to them for individualised support. Sleeping arrangements have been updated to reflect the most recent guidance. Leaders have ensured that staff have received appropriate training to keep children safe, and staff perform rigorous checks during children's sleep.

Children are taught healthy habits and enjoy regular access to a large and well-resourced garden that helps them develop their physical skills. They are taught to manage risks safely when engaging with outdoor equipment, and staff support younger children to access the equipment safely. Staff support children to eat safely and sit with them at the table. Children enjoy healthy foods, and older children are given responsibilities to help hand out cutlery to their peers. They show a sense of pride in helping others.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders are able to identify strengths and priorities of the setting. They work in collaboration with staff to improve practice and provide training opportunities to improve children's experiences. For example, they identified risk assessments in their garden area as a priority. They worked with the team to improve deployment and the identification of risks to children, and this has significantly improved. As a result, staff are clear on expectations and children are able to carry out risky play safely.

Leaders have secure relationships with children and their families. They keep parents up to date with their children's progress and provide daily information. They have recently offered support for parents to offer further support at home with specific areas of learning, such as maths and science. Parents are supportive of the leadership team and feel that they are well supported by leaders and the core staff team.

Leaders work closely with external agencies to support all children, with an emphasis on those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children with barriers to their learning. They invite various professionals into the setting, who provide training and advice for staff and children. This has enhanced all children's experiences and promotes multi-agency working for children's best outcomes.