My Ohana Nursery Gloucester

Inclusion: Strong standard

A particular strength of this nursery is the support it gives to children who face barriers to their learning and disadvantage. Leaders are extremely proactive in their efforts to ensure any children who face disadvantages, or are known to social care, have full access to the curriculum, experiences and opportunities that significantly reduce barriers to their learning. Leaders ensure that staff adapt their teaching of the curriculum effectively. They provide support for individual children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) that focuses well on children's needs. Leaders make certain that children are fully included in all that the nursery provides and do not fall behind in their learning of the curriculum. This means that inclusion for children with SEND is not held back by any minor weakness in the curriculum or routines.

Leaders are persistent in getting children and their families the individualised support they need and work tirelessly with a range of other professionals, which secures the best outcomes for every child in their care. For example, training support received by staff means they are equipped with up-to-date knowledge and strategies for supporting children with a range of learning needs. Children with SEND are quickly identified and action is taken at the earliest opportunity to address gaps that emerge in a child's development. Leaders make referrals to other agencies when required and work closely with them, following their guidance and supporting parents and carers to ensure that children receive a consistent approach at home and at nursery. Staff put personalised plans in place for children, and vigorous monitoring of these plans helps to ensure they remain relevant. Additional funding is used very well. For example, this enables children who face disadvantage to access nursery more regularly, and leaders purchase specialist teaching resources to help meet the needs of children with SEND.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Staff plan a broad curriculum that supports children's development well. They have a comprehensive understanding of how children learn, and they take time to consider children's interests and what they need to learn next to plan interesting activities and experiences for them. Staff track children's development regularly and adapt planning on an ongoing basis to meet children's individual needs. Staff focus on supporting children's communication and language skills. They model language well to children, engage children in group conversation and use singing creatively. Teaching aids that staff use, such as visual aids and gesture, are inclusive for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language.

Children enjoy listening to stories and have access to a suitable range of books, which they explore with interest. Sometimes, staff do not consider the physical environment for group storytelling or place enough value on storytelling and reading with children to ensure their teaching is impactful to help children to fully participate and develop a love for reading.

Children spend lots of time outdoors being physically active. They use balancing apparatus and have space to run around. They play with resources that support their coordination and motor skills, such as cutting with scissors. Opportunities for mathematical learning are woven into activities, and mathematical language is used by staff as opportunities arise in children's play. For example, younger children sing counting songs and older children match patterns as they pair socks.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children acquire a range of skills across all areas of their development that subsequently prepare them well for the next transition and eventual move on to school. They benefit from a sequenced approach to learning, which helps them to develop and practise skills that they learn over time. All children achieve well, particularly in the areas of personal, social and emotional development, communication and language and physical development. Children make steady progress from their starting points, including children who face barriers to their learning and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, due to targeted support they receive. However, on occasion, children do not fully participate in listening to uninterrupted stories to enhance their love of books.

Children communicate their thoughts and ideas effectively, and they are keen to learn and show positive attitudes to learning. Children can do many things for themselves without asking for help and show pride in their achievements. For instance, children fill jugs with water and carefully carry them back to the table without spilling. Children understand the importance of being healthy. For instance, pre-school children learn about brushing their teeth and can identify healthy and unhealthy foods.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Staff use some effective strategies to manage children's behaviour well. They make rules and expectations clear to children, and they acknowledge and support children with their feelings and emotions. There is scope for staff to extend this further to help children explicitly understand why rules are in place and how to regulate their emotions so that in the future they are more able to solve problems and conflicts for themselves.

Overall, routines in the setting are well established and familiar to children. Staff work hard to mirror children's individual routines from home to help children feel safe and secure, particularly babies and new starters. Staff are not always organised enough during mealtimes. This leads to moments of increased volume and gaps in interactions, and some children become unsettled and disengaged at these times. Staff make sure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities continue to feel secure when routines are not fully consistent.

Leaders and staff understand how important regular attendance is. They work effectively to support parents and carers who may struggle with attendance. Clear routines and familiarity help children feel safe and secure, particularly those children who face disadvantage and periods of turbulence in their home lives. Positive relationships are fostered through the key-person system, and staff build positive attachments with their key children. Staff celebrate children's successes and regularly praise children and encourage them in their learning. Overall, staff are effective role models to children, and children benefit from positive and respectful interactions with staff, which they mirror in their interactions with their peers.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Children's wellbeing and welfare are important to staff and leaders. Effective key-person systems ensure that positive relationships are made for all children. Staff revise and adapt approaches in response to changes in a child's life from information they receive from parents and carers or professionals working with the child, such as social workers. This helps them to ensure they support children with any changing needs effectively.

Staff understand each child and implement respectful care routines, helping children to learn about the importance of privacy from a young age and helping children to feel safe and secure. For example, staff ask children for their consent before they change their nappies and respond to cues from children, allowing them to communicate their personal preferences.

Staff and leaders continually look at ways in which they can increase children's independence, and overall, children manage their self-care needs well. For instance, older children use the toilet fully independently, and younger children access spaces in the environment to rest when they feel tired. Staff mirror children's familiar routines from home. For example, babies bring their comforters from home, which helps soothe them to sleep. Staff promote healthy routines through nutritious meals, physical play and lots of fresh air.

Staff encourage children's expression of emotions and demonstrate warmth and responsiveness when children feel unwell or unsettled. Children's emotional wellbeing is valued by staff. At times, staff do not support children as well as they could to manage their disagreements and problem-solve independently when they encounter clashes with their peers.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

There is a new leadership team in place that has been proactive and made several well-considered changes. Leaders self-evaluate effectively and continually identify areas of the provision that could be enhanced using feedback from local authority advisers, staff and families. They are committed to delivering high standards and want to continually enhance outcomes for children, particularly those most disadvantaged who face barriers to their learning. For example, there is a current focus on broadening the outdoor learning experiences for children, such as through the creation of an allotment, to enable children to spend more time in nature and learn more about where their food comes from to support healthy lifestyles for the future.

Staff members speak positively about the support and supervision they receive from leaders. They feel valued and have opportunities regularly to participate in relevant training and professional development to improve their personal effectiveness in meeting the needs of the children. For example, staff have received additional training specific to the care of babies to enable them to support children and their families through key stages such as weaning. Leaders are proactive in networking with others, which helps them to share good practice, and this is positively influencing staff practice across the nursery. Parents and carers are well informed about their children's progress, and those parents and carers requiring more support and guidance due to hardships they face describe the nursery as a 'lifeline' for their family.