Oaks Day Nursery

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders and staff expertly identify the needs of all individual children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those in receipt of additional funding. Additional funding is used effectively to support children's individual needs. This includes providing additional resources to support their individual development, such as the tree swings to support physical development. Staff rigorously assess individual children's progress and ensure they meet their individual needs. Staff make effective adaptations to ensure all children reach their full potential and achieve. For example, staff adapt activities so all children can get the most out of their learning experiences. This includes providing different resources to help children reach the same intended goal.

All children are extremely well supported to make progress from their initial starting points and staff provide individual teaching and learning opportunities and experiences. This supports all children to make progress and achieve. Staff complete training specifically to meet the needs of and benefit children who attend the nursery. This includes learning about different ways to communicate with children, such as sign language. All staff have strong links with outside agencies and families. They share and implement useful and effective ideas and strategies. For example, they use a range of techniques to help children communicate and manage their feelings, as well as managing changes in routines. This includes using sign language and visual aids. Staff purchase equipment to give to parents to help provide children with a high level of consistency to care and learning between home and the nursery.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders and staff have a clear knowledge of the curriculum they have embedded which covers all areas of learning successfully. Staff know all children well, including what they have achieved since they started and what they are helping children to learn next. The curriculum is precise for individual children. However, at times, staff do not consistently build on spontaneous ideas from children to extend on what they already know, such as building on children's interest of mathematics as they play even further. On the whole, children have opportunities to develop their mathematical skills. This includes counting activities and discussing colour and shape. Staff are undertaking further training to develop their confidence in supporting children's mathematical development even further.

Leaders and staff support all children to develop their communication and vocabulary skills well. This includes those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. All staff use effective ways to communicate with children. For instance, staff ask children thought-provoking questions and give them time to think and then respond. All children communicate with confidence and staff use visual prompts and sign language confidently. All staff ensure all children have a wide range of opportunities to develop their physical skills. This includes children using safe and age-appropriate climbing and balancing equipment, such as climbing walls and tree swings.

Achievement: Strong standard

Children are well supported to thrive by staff who continue to enhance practice. This includes being proactive in completing training on specialised areas, such as strengthening mathematics even further. Staff implement a highly successful curriculum to minimise barriers to children's learning and make the plans individualised to children who attend. Therefore, all children make rapid progress in relation to their starting points and staff support children to develop skills in all areas of learning. This includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those in receipt of additional funding.

Children develop impressive skills which support them in preparing for their next stage of learning. For instance, all children confidently communicate their needs, including those with SEND. All children are highly independent, including the youngest children. They complete tasks with high levels of maturity, such as washing up their utensils after snack time.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

All staff are positive role models and most children behave well and follow instructions maturely. However, on occasion, staff do not consistently help children to fully understand why they are being asked to stop a particular action, such as throwing an object. Therefore, although children typically behave well, they do not always fully understand the expectations of their behaviour. Children are kind and caring towards each other and are understanding of each other's differing needs.

All staff are skilful in swiftly identifying how to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) during all activities. This is evident when staff engage children in more individual interactions instead of larger group activities, which they find overwhelming. Children with SEND are settled and well supported to regulate their emotions, and feel happy and safe. Leaders and staff establish positive relationships with children. Even the youngest children are happy and settled. Staff know children's routines and meet their needs well. This includes ensuring that mealtimes and toileting practices are effective and safe.

Staff closely monitor children's attendance and ensure they follow up any unexplained absences. They help parents understand the importance of being punctual to help with routines for school. This enables staff to highlight any concerning patterns that may need further attention.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Children of all ages are settled and confident, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff have successfully created spaces where children can feel safe and learn happily. This is demonstrated when children with SEND independently access tree swings when they feel overwhelmed. Staff deploy themselves well during activities and during transitions, such as moving between the indoor and outdoor learning environments to ensure that they supervise children effectively and keep them safe. All children know the routines and follow these with maturity.

Children learn about the importance of following thorough hygiene practices. They talk about the importance of washing away germs during handwashing routines. Staff teach children how to support their physical health and wellbeing. This includes having discussions about healthy eating and how to remain safe during the sun. Children talk about ensuring they wear sun protection and the need to remain hydrated. Staff support all children and families to feel included and children learn to respect and understand other people's similarities and differences outside of their own communities and experiences. This includes other cultures and language. For example, children listen to music from around the world, such as Italian songs.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders are evaluative and reflective. They are skilful in identifying areas to develop further, and celebrate the changes they have made. They are proud to have strengthened the learning between home and the nursery. They have provided children with a library and this has encouraged families to read together and instil a love of books at home. Staff successfully provide a consistent link between home and the nursery.

Staff establish positive relationships with parents and keep them fully informed. This includes sharing children's achievements and next steps in their learning regularly. Staff share helpful ideas with parents, such as sharing tips on how to keep children safe online.

Leaders prioritise staff wellbeing and ensure that their workload is manageable. Staff have time to complete regular training to keep their knowledge current, and build on their skills even further. This includes developing their knowledge on how to support children to communicate, and they plan to enhance their skills in supporting children's ongoing mathematical development.

Leaders carry out regular observations on staff practice to monitor the quality of staff's teaching and interactions with children. This enables leaders to support staff in helpful ways for continuing to develop their practice.

There are thorough risk assessments in place which are reviewed regularly to ensure the ongoing safety of children. Leaders and staff fully understand and take their roles and responsibilities seriously to ensure they meet all requirements and help keep children safe.