Meadow Nursery School

Inclusion: Expected standard

On the whole, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported in this setting. Leaders and staff carry out visits to children's homes to gather valuable information before they start. This helps build trust and creates robust relationships with children and their families. Staff know children well and mostly implement carefully thought-out strategies that help children with SEND access learning at their level. Generally, leaders and staff recognise barriers to children and put in place additional support where needed. Staff identify children that need additional support swiftly. Contact is made with relevant professionals to seek their expert guidance and advice. The quick action taken helps narrow gaps in children's learning and development.

Leaders and staff have created an inclusive environment, where all children are welcome and celebrated. They value and respect each child's individual characters, ethnicities and backgrounds. Staff help children who speak English as an additional language develop confidence in their communication skills as they learn to speak English. For example, staff model vocabulary well by speaking clearly, using gestures and visual aids, alongside giving children time to listen and respond. This helps children engage in learning and social interactions more successfully.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

The setting has a clear curriculum in place that helps all children, including those that face barriers to their learning, access learning and develop their skills. Children become confident communicators as they learn new words, such as 'chrysalis', as staff read books to them about life cycles. Children link up with one another to look at books independently. They handle them with care and talk to each other as they look at the images on the page. Their early literacy skills and communication and language skills are supported well.

On the whole, staff listen with interest to children's thoughts, ideas and thinking. They encourage children to find out more by asking questions, which they are happy to answer. Staff are patient and listen intently to what children say. However, at times, staff do not always build upon children's interests by extending some learning experiences. For instance, children become excited about a bug they have discovered while playing outdoors. Staff recognise children's joy and ask some questions, but they do not fully identify the learning opportunity this presents. This does not fully extend children's learning through meaningful experiences.

Mathematics is woven throughout the curriculum. Children engage in activities, such as water and sand play, where they pour and empty containers. Staff use positional, size and volume language in their interactions, which helps prepare children for future mathematical learning.

Achievement: Expected standard

On the whole, children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, typically make progress from when they started. However, some variations in support for children to build on their interests do not consistently help children to develop their knowledge across all areas of learning. Overall, children are well prepared for their next stage of learning and achieve well in this setting.

Children are competent learners and generally become deeply immersed in play and learning. They are developing growing confidence as they link up with one another to share their experience in hands-on activities. For instance, children play a magnet fishing game. They skilfully hover their magnetic fishing rods over the magnetic fish that are laid out on the floor. Children share each other's excitement when they connect successfully. Children develop their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination as they persist and persevere.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Children behave well and are polite. Staff are nurturing, kind and have established positive relationships with children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The supportive relationships and attachments made are evident and supported well by the successful key-person arrangements. Regular attendance and familiar routines help children understand what is expected of them.

Staff are positive role models for children. Leaders and staff have created a respectful culture, where children are cherished and valued. Typically, children have positive attitudes to learning. However, some staff members do not always recognise when less-confident children need additional encouragement to participate fully in learning experiences. At these times, children are not supported as well as they could be to be fully motivated in their learning.

Children follow rules and direction well from staff, who are clear and concise when giving direction. Staff give children special tasks at routine times of the day. This supports their growing independence and gives them a sense of purpose. For example, at snack time, each table has a milk monitor that is responsible for pouring drinks. Their role is to give the other children a choice between milk or water and skilfully pour their drinks for them. This supports their communication skills and physical development. Staff consistently encourage children to say please and thank you and offer explicit praise. As a result, children are polite and respectful to one another and have pride in their achievements.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders and staff in this setting prioritise all children feeling healthy, safe and emotionally secure. Warm, trusting relationships that are formed before children start give them and their families a sense of security. Children's personal, social and emotional development are supported well. For instance, staff help children label how they are feeling, which helps them as they learn to navigate their vastly growing emotions. Children are supported well to manage minor conflicts as they learn to share resources and take turns.

Staff carry out daily risk assessments to ensure the environment is safe for children to play and explore. However, some staff members do not always help children identify how to keep themselves and others safe. For example, encouraging children not to swing on their chairs as they sit at the table. At these times, children are not fully supported to recognise hazards for themselves.

Through adult-led and spontaneous activities, staff support children to develop secure foundations to lead healthy lifestyles. For instance, while drawing pictures of different foods, staff talk to children about what foods are healthy and not so healthy. They help children understand how food groups affect their bodies and energy levels. In addition, staff talk to children about the importance of drinking water and taking time to rest after physical activity. This helps children develop healthy foundations.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leadership and governance are effective. Leaders take appropriate action to ensure all members of the committee fully understand their roles and responsibilities. Staff report high levels of support from leaders, who prioritise their wellbeing and personal growth. They explain how recent training has helped improve their personal effectiveness and had a positive impact on practice. For instance, following recent training, staff rearranged areas in the room to create an investigation station. Children frequently access this area and select resources, such as magnifying glasses, to inspect and examine objects. Staff have regular meetings, where they can discuss additional training, talk openly about their workloads and share ideas. Staff share high morale and support, which have a positive impact on the care and education children receive.

Long-standing leaders continue to be passionate and dedicated to their roles. Generally, leaders have a true reflection of the service they offer. They hold children at the centre of everything they do and seek to continually improve. Leaders are positive role models to their staff and have developed strong partnerships with parents and carers. Parents and carers are highly complimentary about leaders and staff. They share their appreciation for the care and valuable learning experiences that their children receive.