Orange Day Nursery

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders generally promote an inclusive environment where children and families are welcomed and valued. Staff gather information from parents when children start and use observations and assessments to understand children's individual needs, interests and starting points. They monitor children's progress and review regularly so that any concerns can be identified early. Although there are currently no children on roll with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), leaders demonstrate a clear understanding of inclusive practice and a commitment to inclusion. For example, they explain how they would introduce targeted support, adapt activities and work collaboratively with parents and external professionals where necessary to support children's individual needs.

Leaders describe previous work with speech and language services that help children improve their communication and make progress. Staff who have responsibilities for supporting with children with SEND work with the local authority and attend network meeting forums to share good practice. Leaders also work with the local authority advisers to seek advice where needed and attend network forums to keep knowledge and practice up to date. Leaders explain that, where children speak English as an additional language, staff learn key words from home and use flashcards and visual prompts. This helps children communicate, take part and feel included.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders generally design a curriculum that reflects children's interests, starting points and stages of development. Leaders review the quality of teaching through observations and reflective discussions to identify where improvements can be made. Staff use observations and regular assessments to identify what children know and can do. They use this information to help plan activities that build on their learning and support their next steps. Staff promote children's physical, personal, social and emotional development through movement activities and discussions about different emotions and positive relationships. Staff and leaders demonstrate a clear understanding of how to adapt teaching for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, children who speak English as an additional language and those facing other barriers to learning and/or wellbeing.

Staff generally promote children's communication and language through stories, songs, conversations and play. For example, while building with construction resources, staff encourage children to count triangles and think about how they will build a house together. During mark making, staff encourage children to talk about what they are drawing, as one child describes a 'fire mountain'. Staff also introduce mathematical language as children compare 'big' and 'small' elephants during play. However, staff do not consistently use open-ended questions to extend children's communication, language and thinking further, particularly for older children.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children generally make steady progress from their starting points. They develop confidence and language skills through interactions and different experiences in the setting. Younger children develop balance and coordination as they become more confident walkers. They develop early communication through songs, familiar routines and everyday interactions such as mealtimes. Older children are confident expressing their simple ideas and take part in conversations with their peers and with adults, for example, talking about making 'cakes' with sand. Children can manage tasks for themselves which supports their independence. They wash their hands, use the toilet and make their own choices. Children develop independence and serve themselves during mealtimes, this includes younger children who practise using a spoon to feed themselves. These experiences help children develop the confidence they need for their next stage of learning, including school.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Children respond well to the clear routines and expectations established across the setting. Leaders support staff to implement the setting's approach to behaviour through clear expectations and regular discussions. Staff provide support and reminders that help children understand what is expected of them throughout the day. Children build warm relationships with staff and their peers as they take turns, share resources and work together during activities. For example, staff playfully encourage younger children to wait for their turn to use the outdoor equipment.

Staff encourage children to think about their feelings and the feelings of others. For example, children talk about emotions as they explore colours during painting activities. They discuss the importance of keeping promises and discuss stories that help them to consider how their actions affect others. Staff adapt their support to children's age, stage of development and individual needs, helping them follow routines, tidy away resources and move calmly between activities and transitions. Leaders work in partnership with families to promote attendance by monitoring attendance and following up children's absences, helping children attend regularly and benefit from the curriculum.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Children are happy, settled and form close relationships with key persons, who support their care and learning needs. Staff support children to recognise and talk about different feelings through everyday interactions, stories and visual resources. They respond calmly to children's behaviour and help them to take turns, wait patiently and consider the feelings of others. Staff meet children's individual care needs well. They manage mealtimes safely and understand children's allergies and dietary preferences, which are listed in every room.

Staff follow procedures to keep children safe. They ensure to sign children in and out, complete accident forms and supervise sleep and do regular sleep checks. Leaders oversee outings, staffing arrangements and risk assessments to ensure children's safety. Children enjoy daily opportunities to be active outdoors. Staff also promote healthy lifestyles through everyday routines. Staff talk to children about healthy foods and how this helps them grow and keep them healthy. With younger children, staff use more simple language during mealtimes to encourage communication and positive experiences around food.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders understand the setting's strengths and priorities for improvement. They monitor the quality of staff practice through regular supervision, observations and staff meetings. This helps them identify where further support is needed, including developing staff's use of open-ended questions to extend children's communication and thinking.

Staff report that they feel supported by leaders. They receive induction, training and individual supervisions where they can discuss their practice, wellbeing and professional development. Leaders understand safer recruitment processes and complete checks to ensure that staff are suitable for their roles. Leaders ensure that staff maintain regular communication with parents about their children's learning through verbal feedback, the online app and meetings.

Leaders maintain oversight of daily practice and routines in the nursery, including outings, accidents and risk assessments. Leaders meet regularly with the directors to review the quality of the provision and identify priorities for further improvement, including strengthening planning and the learning environment.

Leaders ensure continuity of management through effective planning. The leadership team work together closely to share leadership responsibilities and maintain oversight of safeguarding, accident and incident reporting, safer recruitment, staff supervision, risk assessment and requirements. This helps ensure that the leadership responsibilities remain clear and that the quality of the provision is maintained.