Noah's Ark

Inclusion: Expected standard

Staff quickly identify when children start to fall behind. They use settling-in sessions and observations to spot concerns and check how children are developing. Staff work closely with outside professionals, such as health visitors and speech and language therapists, to plan support.

Leaders deploy special educational needs and/or disability coordinators across all age groups. They support staff to understand each child's individual needs and plan and review children's small step targets. Leaders use funding to offer children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) extra support, including resources. Most of the time, children with SEND take part in activities and make progress over time. However, there are occasions where staff, in the moment, do not quickly adjust activities or break learning into smaller steps. This means support is not always fully matched to children's needs.

Leaders maintain regular liaison with parents, including conversations about children's barriers and progress. When children move between rooms, key persons share information, so new staff continue individual plans without disruption.

Leaders support children facing disadvantage by identifying barriers early and working with families to reduce them. This includes helping families access additional funding and supporting them to improve attendance.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have recently made a new nursery plan for learning. This includes what children are interested in and enjoy, as well as what they need to learn next. They provide children with a balance of adult-led and child-led activities. Staff consider resources that will help children practise skills, such as colour mixing, until they can do them on their own.

Staff support children's speech and language by repeating words, modelling clear language, and giving children time to think and respond. This helps all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or other barriers, build confidence in communication.

Staff plan activities that help children build early mathematical skills and vocabulary. For example, staff use toy animals to help children compare and order by size and learn words such as 'taller' and 'shorter'. In the baby room, staff plan activities carefully and change resources to keep children interested.

Leaders recognise that teaching is not yet fully consistent across all rooms. While staff are developing their knowledge and practice through coaching and support, there are occasions when they do not use their understanding of child development precisely enough to choose the right next step or adjust activities quickly when children need extra help.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children make progress from their starting points, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Over time, children develop the knowledge, skills and understanding they need across all areas of learning. They increasingly apply what they know in their play and learning and show growing confidence and high levels of independence. Children who begin to fall behind are identified and supported to continue to make progress and keep up with their peers.

Children develop the early skills they need for the next stage in their learning. They communicate their ideas clearly, develop early mathematical understanding and increasingly manage their personal care independently. Most children are well prepared for starting school and move on with the skills and attitudes they need to learn successfully alongside their peers.

Children demonstrate consistently positive behaviours and highly motivated, engaged attitudes to learning. They follow carefully designed routines with confidence and understanding, and they engage purposefully in activities throughout the day. Children show resilience and perseverance when faced with challenge and sustain their concentration over extended periods. They cooperate effectively with others, take turns naturally in their play and show a strong sense of responsibility within their learning environment.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Staff and leaders set highly ambitious expectations for behaviour and routines. Staff consistently use positive language and thoughtful, specific praise, which helps children understand expectations and feel confident and valued. Children settle quickly, move calmly and purposefully between activities and remain focused and engaged in their learning.

Staff build warm, caring and nurturing relationships through the key-person system. They know children very well and create secure, trusting attachments. Children respond with confidence and trust in their interactions with adults and show kindness, respect and consideration towards one another. Staff act as positive role models, showing kindness and respect, which children copy in play.

Staff keep environments calm, welcoming and well organised where children can focus and learn. All staff respond promptly and sensitively when children struggle with friendships or emotions. They step in quickly, helping children understand feelings, make choices and resolve issues, so play continues happily and purposefully.

Staff actively promote independence from the earliest age. Younger children confidently manage self-care, such as finding tissues and wiping their noses. Children identify when they are thirsty and independently pour drinks into open cups. They choose resources to support their chosen learning and tidy away after they have finished.

Leaders monitor attendance and work with parents to promote regular attendance. Leaders and staff clearly explain how attendance supports learning, particularly for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those facing barriers to learning. Transitions are carefully planned, so children feel secure and ready to learn.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Staff and leaders prioritise children's welfare and wellbeing across the setting. They create a safe, secure and welcoming environment where children feel cared for and supported. Staff know children well and respond to their needs with consistency and warmth.

Staff adapt the environment, so it is inclusive for all children. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities access resources that support communication. For example, children use voice recording buttons that share their feelings or ask for adult help. Staff use these tools to understand children's needs and respond appropriately.

Staff promote children's safety through daily routines and play. They support children to use equipment safely, including during cooking activities. Staff teach even the youngest children to wash their hands and explain why this is important before eating and after using the toilet.

Staff support healthy lifestyles throughout the day. During snack and mealtimes, they talk with children about healthy food choices. Staff teach children about oral health and help them practise tooth brushing skills to prevent tooth decay.

Leaders ensure that children access outdoor play every day and have started plans to offer more physical challenge. They are working with staff to develop the space, so children have even more opportunities to build their physical skills.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders have made necessary improvements since the last inspection. A new manager, supported by the nursery nominated individual, now leads the team. Staff say they feel supported and understand expectations. Leaders have developed a culture where staff talk openly about what is working well and what needs to improve.

Leaders work closely with the local authority and use advice and guidance to improve practice. For example, leaders observe practice in each room and give feedback to help improve teaching during daily activities. This has helped staff feel more confident.

Leaders monitor practice across the nursery and, since the last inspection, have introduced coaching and mentoring systems to drive improvement. These targeted actions have strengthened staff's practice and are beginning to improve consistency across the nursery. However, the systems are still in their infancy and have not yet secured a fully consistent approach to teaching and support across all rooms, including for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Nevertheless, leaders have established ambitious expectations for staff's practice and children's behaviour. This has helped to create a consistently calm learning environment, where children understand routines and show kindness and respect to one another.

Leaders work closely with parents and the local community. Parents receive regular updates and feel involved in their child's learning. Staff share information with families to support learning at home.