Overton Nursery & Pre-School Centre

Inclusion: Expected standard

Overall, leaders demonstrate a commitment to inclusion and ensure that the needs of all children are understood and met effectively. Staff working with children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well trained and knowledgeable in the role and follow a graduated approach. For example, they carry out regular observations and accurate assessments, which enable them to identify gaps in children's learning and development at the earliest opportunity. Focused strategies are in place to support children with SEND and those facing other barriers to learning. These are linked to children's care plans and shared with parents to implement at home. Parents are extremely complimentary about the support and guidance they have received over time to support their children's forthcoming transition to school.

Staff work with external professionals and agencies, seeking advice to ensure children receive the specialist help they require. Leaders have a secure understanding of eligibility for additional funding and use this effectively. This includes providing flexible sessions during the summertime to provide continuity of care to help further promote children's development, wellbeing and learning.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders and staff plan and deliver an ambitious and exciting curriculum for all children. Through accurate and timely assessments, they have identified that there are some gaps in children's mathematical knowledge. Mathematics is beginning to be embedded within children's play and daily routines. Older children are introduced to mathematical language and concepts as they explore. However, practice is not yet consistent across the whole staff team, and at times opportunities are missed to support children's understanding of early mathematics.

The environment is carefully considered to provide a wide range of learning opportunities based on children's interests and motivations. For example, in the toddler room, staff have provided toys and resources in the role-play area to support those children who are expecting siblings. Children take their dolls for walks and later bath them in the water play. These play opportunities are helping to prepare children for changes in their home life.

Communication and language skills are promoted effectively. Staff use clear, age-appropriate language and engage children in meaningful conversations. The lending library enables children to take books home to enjoy with their families, which helps to extend their learning. Staff use a range of communication strategies to help children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those facing other barriers to learning. All children are learning to communicate with confidence and are building their language structures.

Staff support children's physical development well, both indoors and outdoors. They provide soft-play resources for babies to encourage them to practise climbing safely and build strength, while older children develop coordination and control as they manipulate play dough and use a range of mark-making tools. Children are developing physical skills to help them in their future learning.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children engage well in their learning environment, which staff plan to support purposeful learning. They make steady progress from their starting points and develop confidence, independence and positive attitudes to learning. Children show increasing independence as they manage routines and make choices about their play. For example, young children are helped to use their washcloth after lunch, and they clean their face and hands with vigour. Older children clear their plates and help tidy away their toys. Young children explore sand and look for hidden treasure, developing their early sensory and language skills.

Leaders ensure that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those facing other barriers to learning have access to the full curriculum. This helps them to make progress towards their next steps in learning and development. Children learn about festivals such as Chinese New Year and Diwali, which helps them understand what makes them unique.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Leaders consistently model expected behaviours. This creates a calm but busy learning environment where children's behaviour is exemplary. Children demonstrate positive attitudes to their learning. They are kind and caring and learn how to collaborate with others through purposeful activities. For example, when outside, older children initiate a game of hide and seek. They decide who will count and who will hide. They ensure that they apply the rules of the game fairly and squeal in delight when they find their friends.

Effective key-person systems are in place. Staff know about children's home lives and are aware of changes ahead of them. They use this information to plan an individualised curriculum for children to help support their emotional wellbeing. Children show that they understand what is expected of them, as they instinctively collect their water bottles on their way for lunch. Staff adapt their teaching and use pictorial routine cards to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those facing other barriers to learning. This ensures that all children understand when routines are changing. Leaders work closely with families to emphasise the importance of children's attendance and punctuality, helping them to form positive habits for the future. Leaders follow up absence swiftly.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders and staff greet children and their parents warmly when they arrive at the setting. They have designed flexible and robust settling-in procedures tailored to individual needs. This ensures that staff know the children well and they settle quickly into the setting. Children demonstrate that they feel safe, happy and secure. Those children who have left the setting, return for holiday club provision, enjoying time with their siblings and familiar faces.

Lunchtime is a lovely social occasion, where groups of children come together to chat with their friends. Occasionally, staff do not extend opportunities to develop children's awareness and understanding of healthy food and drink choices. Strengthening teaching in these areas will help promote children's attitudes to lifelong healthy habits. Staff adapt care routines to suit the individual needs and feelings of children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing. For example, they ensure that babies and children have privacy when nappy changing and toileting, advocating respectful care.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders and staff strive to provide high-quality care and education for children and families. They demonstrate a clear understanding of their setting's context. Leaders and staff use self-evaluation through daily professional discussions with staff, peer observation of practice and feedback from parents to help identify any emerging areas for improvement. For example, they have identified that there are gaps in the curriculum for mathematics and are taking action to address this.

Leaders develop close relationships with parents and carers, who are complimentary about the advice and guidance they receive to help their children make progress in their development. Furthermore, leaders work in close partnership with the local authority and other professionals involved in children's care and welfare to ensure children receive coordinated and timely support. They implement and oversee targeted action plans to promote the learning and development of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those facing other barriers to learning.

Staff report that they feel supported by leaders, who consider their wellbeing. They receive routine safeguarding and first-aid training to support them in their roles. This promotes positive outcomes for children and staff's wellbeing and workload.