Midhurst Nursery Class

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders systematically identify and assess children's individual needs through regular observations and by gathering information from families to establish starting points, carry out ongoing assessments and review progress. Leaders and staff take a proactive approach, using experience and training to identify additional needs early and accurately, and put measures in place to reduce barriers to learning. They use a graduated approach, adapting the environment, routines and resources and allocating staff to support all children. The team is well trained and works effectively with multi-agency partners, putting targeted interventions in place with specialist support. These approaches are rigorously reviewed with families, key workers, the special educational needs coordinator and other professionals to evaluate impact on the child.

Leaders strategically use early years pupil premium to fund additional staff and ensure that all children have access to the same opportunities and experiences. Funding provides access to weekly trips that consolidate children's learning, reveal interests and inform future topics, narrowing gaps for disadvantaged children. Leaders have prioritised work with children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. As a result, children make swift progress from their starting points, continue to meet their next steps and are well prepared for the next stage in learning.

Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard

Leaders design an inclusive, high-quality curriculum embedded across the setting with high expectations that keep children engaged and motivated throughout the day. The interest-based curriculum is carefully sequenced so every child can achieve their next steps and build on prior learning. For example, staff adapt their language during a creative activity, asking a younger child to repeat 'red' while using 'we made a wreath' as a conversational prompt for older children.

All staff know the children well, understand each child's age, stage and needs and consistently implement curriculum intentions in every interaction. A robust school readiness programme prepares children for their next stage through many small steps. For example, leaders visit local schools and take photos of buildings and future teachers to create a small passport so children have visual cues about the next step.

Staff plan purposeful activities that mix adult-led and child-led play. Rich continuous provision and precise planning promote communication, early mathematical awareness, physical development and sustained motivation. Leaders prioritise language development through consistent high-quality interactions; staff model vocabulary, scaffold conversations and provide whole-group, small-group and one-to-one activities to support developing communication skills.

Leaders monitor and adapt teaching through focused observations, supervisions and weekly team meetings. Teaching is tailored to each group of children. For example, one of the setting's current focuses is on building self-help skills. This is implemented in different ways, such as using outdoor provision, daily routines and targeted activities to develop independence, self-regulation and coordination.

Achievement: Strong standard

Children make consistently effective progress from their starting points because the curriculum and teaching secure essential foundational knowledge across the 7 areas of learning. Leaders have identified building children's confidence as a priority, and, as a result, children are willing to try new things and persevere. Children feel proud of their achievements and want to continue working towards desired outcomes, with staff constantly using a warm and encouraging approach.

Children are very well prepared to transition on to the next stage because the curriculum is high quality and teaching is skilful. Children quickly understand and apply concepts before progressing to the next step as their knowledge is securely rooted, following focused observations and regular reviews by attentive staff.

Children consistently develop vocabulary, listening and expressive skills through warm interactions and a supportive environment. Where progress is slower, leaders have clear plans and deploy additional adults to narrow gaps and ensure that all children continue to make effective progress.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders set high expectations for behaviour and learning that are commonly understood by practitioners, parents and children and are applied fairly. They also promote the importance of attendance and punctuality with families. Practitioners model kindness, care and respect and teach children skills that support them to focus, keep trying and adopt positive attitudes to learning.

The setting provides a calm, predictable environment with clear routines, tidy learning spaces and visual timetables that support independence. Staff build warm, responsive relationships, use positive praise and hold simple conversations so children learn to cooperate and, on the whole, manage their feelings. While typically, rules are upheld, and children are able to follow them, on occasion, children may require reminding of the rules, and staff do not consistently do this. As a result, not all children follow all the rules and boundaries or know where to get support, such as running inside or needing support to regulate their emotions. If these behaviour expectations were securely embedded across all staff and children, this would be highly impactful for all children.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Leaders prioritise children's welfare and wellbeing through robust policies, procedures and practices that the whole team regularly reviews and adapts. Key persons build secure, responsive attachments during a supportive settling-in process and beyond, responding to individual needs with sensitive feeding arrangements and tailored handovers that respect family circumstances.

Practitioners know the children very well and act quickly when needs change, using individual plans and multi-agency coordination to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Well-structured routines and planned activities encourage healthy habits, personal hygiene and physical development. For example, children are invited to try new foods at snack time and discuss the varying food in their packed lunches.

Leaders create an inclusive culture with high expectations of the team, which helps children to feel safe and valued and thrive. Staff share progress and practical ideas with families to extend learning at home and to reinforce routines. Emotional development is promoted through an emotions board and mirror activities that help children identify and talk about feelings.

Leaders also promote online safety and introduce children to simple technology through supervised play. Ongoing staff training, collaborative working and experience support consistent practice. The result is a positive, supportive setting where children's welfare and readiness for learning are prioritised. Children feel safe, valued and ready to engage in the next stage beyond the early years.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders use detailed, perceptive analysis of the setting's strengths and areas for improvement to plan strategic actions with the whole staff team and external agencies where appropriate. They are adaptive and responsive to changing needs, maintaining a consistent focus on securing best outcomes for all children. Since the last inspection, they have updated policies, refined assessment systems and targeted early years pupil premium to narrow gaps for disadvantaged children and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Partnership working with families, health professionals and social services is purposeful and results in coordinated support for children with complex needs. Leaders are thoughtful in their engagement with parents and have adapted ways to encourage parental involvement to ensure accessibility for all, improving continuity between home and the setting.

Leaders have instilled a culture of continuous improvement in which staff engage in regular, targeted professional learning. A culture of high expectations and professionalism is embedded across the setting, and staff consistently contribute to improving provision. Leaders use multiple feedback mechanisms, including observations, supervision and weekly team meetings, to refine practice.

Professional development is meaningful and purposeful; staff apply learning meticulously, resulting in clear improvements to teaching and care-giving experiences for all children. When implementing change, leaders consider staff workload and wellbeing, streamlining tasks and allocating time so improvements are manageable and sustainable.