Nma's Playground Nursery

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders and staff gather detailed information from parents when children first start. This supports them, alongside observations to get to know children well and build an understanding of what they know and can already do. Staff continue to monitor children's progress and identify their next steps and any gaps in learning. Partnership working with parents and carers promotes ongoing discussions and allows leaders to make referrals in a timely manner when they are needed. This ensures that children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) or those who may face barriers to their learning, gain any additional help and support they might need to help them prepare for future learning.

Leaders typically work with other professionals to support children's learning and development. Staff follow individual plans to support children with SEND or those who need extra assistance with their speech, behaviour or learning. They provide additional time and work individually or in small groups to help children build their confidence and gain new skills. This support also helps children, including those who speak English as an additional language, to develop their vocabulary and social skills in a safe environment where their individual needs are being supported.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders and staff plan an ambitious curriculum which builds on children's skills across all areas of learning. Staff have an awareness of what they want children to know as they plan activities and engage as children play. Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who may face barriers to their learning, participate in a broad range of learning experiences. This helps to build on their existing skills and individual stages of development. For example, staff differentiate learning to meet children's level of development. Younger children and those with SEND, or children who need additional support, learn the names of some body parts through action rhymes and washing the dolls. Older children match body parts, make faces from dough and learn about different bodily features and their functions.

Staff typically promote children's communication and language skills. They ask questions, introduce some new vocabulary, share stories and sing. Staff babble with babies and encourage back-and-forth interactions. However, there are variations in teaching which could be strengthened to fully support the communication and language development further, especially with the older children.

Staff generally include mathematics across the curriculum. They teach children to count as they sing and climb up stairs on the slide. Babies repeat numbers as they put objects in boxes. Children learn names of shapes and positional language as they climb and jump in the soft-play area and copy exercises in the garden. This helps children become familiar with mathematical vocabulary through practical experiences.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children demonstrate their independence as they learn to complete tasks for themselves. Children find their pegs on arrival, take off their shoes and hang up their coats. Children understand the importance of washing their hands before eating food and after using the toilet.

Children are confident to make choices as they play, select resources and explore the environment. Babies feel secure and babble away with their key person. They learn to repeat single words and phrases and join in with singing. Older children enjoy sharing stories, talk about the pictures and repeat repetitive phrases. They respond to questions and are given time to think. As a result, children become increasingly confident communicators and develop the language they need to express themselves and participate in conversations.

Children show their enjoyment and concentration as they join in with circle time. Children choose objects from the bag which links to their singing. They show a love of books as they enjoy listening to stories. Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who may face barriers to their learning, make progress from their starting points to prepare them for future learning.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders and staff have created a calm and positive environment and have age and stage expectations for all children's behaviour. Children have developed trusting relationships with staff and their peers. Older children confidently ask for help and younger children respond well to reassurance and enjoy cuddles when needed. Staff regularly use praise and encouragement, 'high fives' and role model expected behaviour. Children generally concentrate well and show a positive attitude to their learning. Staff provide gentle reminders when needed and support children to resolve any minor conflicts. Overall, children behave well and use expected manners. They share resources with their peers and learn to wait for their turn.

Routines are in place but are not consistently well organised or embedded by all staff. This means that during transition times, especially with the older children, reminders about rules are not consistently followed. This enables some children to avoid tasks like tidying away or waiting too long for the bathroom or lunch to be served. Some staff do not provide consistent interactions or reminders about behaviour. As a result, some children become distracted and some behaviour deteriorates. This affects their opportunities to continue learning and fully understand what is expected of them.

Leaders work with parents and carers, offering a flexible approach to support them with punctuality and attendance. They accommodate changes in days when ratios allow and support parents who live further away. Leaders promote the message of regular attendance to develop foundations for future learning and education.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

The key-person system is effective, which enables children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to make attachments and feel safe and secure. Staff work with parents and carers to get to know children well from the start. This enables them to support all children with their individual care routines, incorporating cultural traditions and showing respect. Settling routines are tailored to help children feel confident and build attachments at their own individual pace. Children are supported with toilet training, and hygiene practices such as handwashing and blowing noses are embedded, helping children to keep themselves safe.

Staff support children to learn about healthy lifestyles. They typically promote physical play and exercise inside and outside. Babies are encouraged to practise their walking skills and use the slides and rockers to develop their balance and coordination. Older children learn to manage risks, use an obstacle course and jump from heights to increase their skills. Children eat a range of nutritious snacks and meals and learn about the benefits of eating vegetables and drinking water. They serve themselves and scrape their plates when they have finished. This helps children develop confidence and learn about portion sizes. Staff follow procedures for safer-eating requirements. They provide and prepare food to meet children's individual stages of eating. Staff have updated their knowledge around safer sleeping and ensure that all children are monitored and checked. These changes ensure that children's safety and wellbeing are maintained.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders are passionate about providing high-quality care and education for all children to be prepared for their next stage of learning and subsequent move on to school. Leaders generally have a clear vision for the nursery and have identified some areas for further development. Currently, leaders are focusing on embedding the new staff team to ensure they understand their roles and responsibilities and work collaboratively to benefit children's learning and wellbeing. Staff state that they feel supported with their wellbeing and managing their workloads. Staff receive regular supervision and feedback. Leaders monitor staff practice and identify continued professional development, which supports staff to increase their knowledge and skills further. For example, staff have increased their knowledge of planning the curriculum to enhance children's learning.

Leaders and staff work with parents and carers and typically provide communication to keep them updated on their children's routines and progress. Staff complete progress checks and add information to the nursery's online system. However, not all parents access this, which prevents them from being as involved in their children's learning or promoting children's next steps to continue learning at home. Parents speak highly of the caring staff and the positive progress their children are making, including children who need additional support.

Leaders work with other professionals to make referrals in a timely manner. This ensures that additional support is provided for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who may have barriers to their learning. They also liaise with other settings and local schools to support transitions and continuity of care.