Once upon a time Nursery School

Inclusion: Strong standard

Staff complete thorough assessments to identify children's needs, and they develop comprehensive play plans to support them. They work closely with parents and professionals to monitor and review the effectiveness of plans to ensure that children make the best possible progress. Staff provide highly tailored support for children, such as nurture groups, to support their social and emotional development. They teach children Makaton signs to help them communicate. Looked-after children make good progress with their learning and development.

Staff who work with children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well trained in the graduated approach and take their responsibilities seriously. Leaders use additional funding to make adaptations to staffing, routines and activities as required so that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities can participate fully and make rapid progress with their learning.

Staff encourage children to think about the differences between them as they discuss their different family structures and backgrounds. They ensure that all children's voices are heard and quickly support those who are less confident to participate, ensuring that they feel involved and build their confidence. Staff teach children about different cultures and countries, and they enjoy learning about Australia Day, including making and eating fairy bread. This helps children understand and respect the differences between them.

Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard

Leaders have designed a bespoke curriculum based on a secure understanding of child development that meets all learning and development requirements. Staff use detailed assessments to plan and implement learning opportunities that meet children's needs. They also ensure that children have plenty of time to practise and embed their new skills and knowledge. Communication development is prioritised. Staff sing songs and read key storybooks in an engaging way, which supports children's love of reading. In the baby room, staff support babies to explore animals and make animal sounds, while pre-school children learn Makaton signs and engage in rich conversations about topics such as Australian animals. This helps all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to be fully included.

Children access outdoor learning regularly to develop their physical skills. Staff provide activities that strengthen children's manipulative skills. For example, children in the toddler room use a range of tools to squash, make patterns in and mould play dough. Staff skilfully embed mathematical learning, for example by counting the number of blocks in a tower and measuring how tall it is. Leaders and staff continually reflect on the effectiveness of their curriculum and implement 'change projects' to further improve practice. They are currently developing the mathematics curriculum.

Achievement: Strong standard

Children demonstrate excellent listening and attention skills. They follow instructions and become highly engaged in activities. They confidently share their ideas and solutions. For example, pre-school children experiment with different methods to move feathers the furthest by lying on the floor and blowing hard or standing up and throwing them. Toddlers enjoy exploring how far cars go when they are rolled down a slope. Children make rapid progress with their communication development. They learn and use new vocabulary to express their understanding, such as which habitats animals live in. They thoroughly enjoy listening to stories and retell the key sequences of events later in their play.

Children are fully prepared for the next stage in their learning. They develop independence, confidence and social skills, such as feeding themselves and expressing themselves clearly. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make consistently good progress with their learning and development.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Leaders and staff promote positive behaviour in an age-appropriate way. They know children very well and identify and manage triggers that may affect their behaviour. Babies form strong attachments with their key person and settle quickly because staff follow their individual routines. Staff consistently reinforce the golden rules of the setting and act as positive role models. They are kind, warm and supportive. They clarify babies' and children's requests before responding, for instance asking if they would like help or reassurance. This helps children feel respected.

Staff promote regular attendance to help children build relationships in the setting and feel emotionally secure. They teach children to recognise and express their emotions effectively. Staff in the pre-school room help children to resolve disputes by discussing their feelings. Routines at mealtimes support children to develop their independence, social skills and manners. They learn to be patient as they queue to wash their hands and wait for everyone to sit down before they eat. Children show consistently positive attitudes to learning and are fully engaged. They readily listen to staff, follow instructions and are curious and motivated to learn.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Staff know their key children extremely well and share information with parents to ensure that individual care needs are met. They build strong relationships with families and adapt their approach as children's needs change. Staff are flexible when settling children into the setting, making changes to ensure that children's wellbeing is promoted. They support smooth transitions between rooms by sharing detailed information with other staff and parents. Staff adapt their routines to ensure that children have their individual needs met. Children enjoy nutritious home-cooked meals and develop independence as they serve and feed themselves. Staff sit with children to discuss healthy food choices, which helps encourage children to make positive choices about their own health and wellbeing.

Staff know their key children well, which enables them to observe how they are feeling. They sensitively and respectfully respond to children's feelings, helping children label their emotions and express these effectively. Leaders consistently prioritise children's safety and welfare as they regularly review and update policies and ensure that all staff know how to respond in an emergency. Staff continually assess risks and teach children how to keep themselves safe, including knowing the emergency services number.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders monitor the effectiveness of their setting closely. They identify strengths and areas for development and set high expectations. They are currently enhancing the mathematics curriculum and have appointed 2 staff members to champion this aspect of learning. Leaders empower staff to reflect on their practice and lead 'change projects' to drive continuous improvement, such as creating a literacy-rich environment in the garden to further enhance children's learning. Leaders and staff are proud of the setting and the support they offer to children.

Staff benefit from ongoing professional development. Leaders carry out regular peer observations and supervision meetings, and staff contribute to decisions about their training. Staff in the baby room receive bespoke training to strengthen their practice and skills. Staff report feeling well supported by leaders, and there is excellent teamwork across the setting.

There are strong partnerships with parents, and parents praise the 'professionalism, warmth and dedication' of the staff team. They value the advice and guidance they receive to support their children's development as well as the preparation children receive to start school. Leaders and staff work effectively with schools, other settings and professionals to meet the needs of all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.