Nursery @ Itchen College

Inclusion: Expected standard

There are high expectations for children, including those that face barriers to learning. Staff typically use assessment effectively to quickly identify any emerging needs. Leaders then work closely with staff, external agencies, such as speech and language therapists, parents and children to ensure that any emerging needs for a child are quickly identified and appropriate strategies put in place. This ensures that children continue to make progress in their learning and development. Overall, leaders and staff use a cycle of assess, review and do to evaluate the provision and the strategies used to support children, ensuring it continues to meet each child's needs.

Leaders use funding appropriately to further develop children's learning and development. For example, leaders have purchased climbing equipment to strengthen children's gross motor skills after a gap in physical development had been identified.

Leaders and staff are mindful that some of their families speak English as an additional language. They take action to ensure these families are well supported. For example, they provide notices in a range of languages to ensure all parents are aware of important communications, and support families by helping to translate forms.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have been developing staff's curriculum knowledge and have an accurate understanding of strengths and areas for development. Leaders have developed a curriculum with a sharp focus on developing communication and language skills, but not all staff are as consistent in their implementation of this yet. For example, at times, staff do not maximise teaching to enhance children's vocabulary further. However, leaders have already identified that staff's understanding of the curriculum, in particular the curriculum for communication and language, could be enhanced further and have put training plans into place.

Overall, staff typically understand the aims for learning and what they want children to be able to do at each stage of learning. For example, children develop their ability to drink from an open cup as they progress through the nursery. Staff ensure that all children can access the curriculum. They use regular assessment to check what children know and can do. Any potential gaps in development are quickly addressed and teaching is tailored to meet this need.

There is a key focus on children's personal, social and emotional development throughout the provision. Staff ensure children feel safe and secure first and foremost. Staff teach mathematics through play. For example, younger children learn about circles as they paint and older children count lemons and limes for their potions.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children, including those who face barriers to learning, make typical and steady progress in their learning and development. They demonstrate that their physical skills are prioritised. For example, younger children learn to use climbing equipment and show increasing confidence as they climb up and over the frame.

Children develop age- and stage-appropriate knowledge and skills to progress to the next stage of learning. Children develop their personal, social and emotional skills as they progress from playing individually to playing collaboratively. This then develops further as older children learn to independently solve minor conflicts, such as over favourite toys. Overall, children typically make progress in their communication development. For example, children learn to communicate in a range of ways, such as through nonverbal cues including pointing.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Children have warm and trusting relationships with staff. They demonstrate that they feel safe and secure with staff. For example, when they arrive younger babies settle quickly with a cuddle from their key person. Children play games collaboratively with each other and are kind and respectful. For example, children set up their own group time where they play charades together. They demonstrate positive attitudes to learning as they work together to guess which animals are being acted out. They take turns with one another with minimal adult support.

Overall, there are high expectations for the children and their behaviour. Typically, children behave well. Staff act as positive role models as they model taking turns, even with the youngest children. Staff regularly praise children for their efforts who beam in delight. However, at times, inconsistencies in routines during transition periods, such as from play into a mealtime, lead to children becoming restless, which impacts on their behaviour and engagement.

Leaders are aware of every child's home life and are understanding in regard to attendance and punctuality, while promoting the importance to parents of regular attendance for children's learning and development.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Children, including those who face barriers to learning, have secure attachments with their key person and staff. All staff know children well, including their personal preferences as well as their age and stage of development. Children are keen to involve staff in their play. For example, children invite staff to join them as they play with a favourite toy. Children learn to manage their own personal hygiene needs. For example, older children take pride in independently washing their hands ready for snack and younger children start to practise using face cloths after lunch.

Staff teach children about healthy habits and provide support as they start to manage these for themselves. For example, staff encourage older children to think about whether they need a rest during the afternoon. Older children learn to take care of their teeth as they brush their teeth after lunch every day.

Staff adapt routines and care practices to meet the needs of children. For example, they provide a change of environment and cuddles to help young children feel safe and settled as they fall asleep. However, some routines are inconsistent, for example the transitions into lunchtime, which means children occasionally become restless as they wait for their lunch.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders are passionate about their provision. They have a secure understanding of strengths and where development is needed, they take action. For example, leaders have planned a training day to support staff member's understanding of the curriculum. Leaders ensure staff benefit from regular training and that this training is cascaded back to the staff team so that all can enhance and strengthen their practice.

Leaders engage with parents and professionals well. This helps children transition to their next stage of learning. For example, leaders and staff have introduced the same core literacy texts as Reception to help children with this transition. Parents speak highly of the levels of communication and support they receive. For example, staff offer support through clothes swaps, food bank vouchers and the community pantry as needed by families.

Prior to the inspection, a breach of early years foundation stage requirements was identified in relation to risk assessment. Leaders had not identified a possible hazard and had not taken action to mitigate the risk. However, the provider has further developed their knowledge, policies and procedures relating to risk assessment. They are able to demonstrate a secure understanding of potential risks in the provision and how to mitigate against these. Therefore, no further action is required.