Oxford's British Orchard Nursery

Inclusion: Expected standard

Generally, leaders and staff provide a welcoming and supportive environment where all children are valued. The inclusive culture and environment staff have created helps all children and their families feel welcome. Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are always included and treated with respect. Children with SEND, or those who face other barriers to their learning, receive the targeted support needed to help them make progress. Staff know children well, identify and assess their needs and make appropriate adjustments to ensure all children are able to take part in activities and learning. The training staff attend equips them with the knowledge and skills required to help children make the progress they are capable of. Staff and leaders regularly review children's learning and interests to ensure that additional funding is used with integrity. This helps to enhance children's learning experiences and support their fascinations. They work in close partnerships with parents and carers, and outside agencies, to ensure that referrals are made in a timely manner. They review support as children's needs change to make sure it is appropriate. This enhances outcomes for children.

Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention

Leaders have yet to implement a sufficiently ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum that is fully understood by staff. Although some mathematics is taught to older children, it is not always implemented successfully. For instance, the youngest children are not supported well enough to build on their mathematical skills through simple concepts and teaching. This limits the mathematical awareness required for future learning. Staff share positive interactions with children. These are consistent and support children as they learn to communicate. However, children are not always given sufficient time to process information, which can hinder their understanding and ability to consolidate their learning.

Staff successfully use assessment to help them understand what children know and can do. Children have plenty of opportunities to explore different ways of moving their bodies. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, receive encouragement to take part in physical activities. For example, staff encourage children to take turns as they jump over low obstacles. Staff help them master this skill by encouraging them to bend their knees before they jump. Children show pride as they receive praise from staff. This supports their personal, social and emotional wellbeing as they learn to play cooperatively with each another. Children are encouraged to understand other backgrounds, cultures and faiths as they learn about festivals, such as Holi. Parents and carers are invited to share recipes, so menus reflect healthy food from different cultures around the world. Children develop a positive understanding of the world they live in.

Achievement: Needs attention

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities generally make the progress they are capable of. However, not all children make similar progress towards reaching their full potential from their starting points and to prepare them for successfully for school. The youngest children often have dummies in their mouths when they are happy and content, which limits opportunities for them to develop clear speech.

Older children enjoy listening to interactive stories. They demonstrate their understanding and excitement by joining in with repeated actions and phrases. Furthermore, children enjoy singing songs and use puppets as props, which supports their communication and language skills. Children demonstrate listening by following instructions and completing tasks, such as tidying up and getting ready for outdoor play. This supports them to become independent as they learn to do things for themselves.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Staff generally have high expectations of children's behaviour. They support all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to understand age- and stage-appropriate behavioural expectations. This helps children as they learn the differences between right and wrong. Staff reinforce rules and expected behaviours in a way that helps children recognise the impact of their behaviours. For instance, staff label children's emotions and help them understand the impact their behaviour has on others. Children listen to what staff tell them and follow directions well.

Children develop independence skills as they participate positively in routines, such as helping set tables, scraping their plates after meals and helping tidy up. Children relish the praise given to them by staff as they carry out these tasks for themselves. Staff are positive role models, resulting in children generally using manners and kind words. Leaders and staff promote regular attendance and punctuality. They recognise the positive impact this has on establishing routines when developing foundations for future learning. Children build positive relationships with each other, as staff facilitate playing cooperatively, sharing and taking turns. This helps children develop confidence as they learn how to behave in social environments.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Needs attention

Risk assessments are not robust or sufficiently well considered. Leaders and staff do not demonstrate vigilance in identifying and responding to possible risks in the environment. As a result, potential hazards go unnoticed, such as heavy doors that may lead to children trapping their fingers. This does not support children's safety and welfare. Children learn that rules and boundaries are in place to keep them safe. However, staff do not always recognise teachable moments to discuss safety. For example, staff notice the risk of children walking with their laces untied. However, they do not talk to children about the danger of tripping and remove their shoes and put them away instead. This does not help children to fully understand how to keep themselves safe.

Children, including those who face barriers to their learning, are comfortable and secure in their environment. Children build attachments with their key person and go to them for comfort and play. Staff help children understand their emotions and teach them about making positive choices to keep them in good health. Children eat healthy foods and have plenty of rest and exercise throughout the day. They follow appropriate hygiene routines, as they wash their hands before meals, after using the toilet and following messy-play activities. Staff help children learn the importance of oral hygiene by supporting them to brush their teeth as part of the daily routine. This helps children develop independence and promotes their understanding of healthy routines.

Leadership and governance: Needs attention

Leaders do not consistently recognise or minimise possible hazards or all risks swiftly enough, which can compromise children's safety and wellbeing. They have not implemented a curriculum that is ambitious and supports children in all areas of learning and development. Although they have recognised some weaknesses in staff's understanding of the curriculum, they have not successfully actioned plans to make the improvements necessary. This has a negative impact on some children's learning and development.

Leaders are committed to making the improvements necessary to raise the standards of care and learning for all children, including those that may face barriers to their learning. Leaders have recently strengthened the monitoring of staff deployment to ensure that children are always supervised appropriately. Staff have completed additional training to ensure that children are safe while they sleep. As a result, staff recognise the responsibilities of their roles more clearly. Staff morale is high, and they benefit from support from leaders. They receive regular supervision sessions and feel their workloads are well considered. They have regular opportunities to develop their skills by attending training. This typically has a positive impact on children's development. Leaders and staff work in partnership with parents and carers to ensure a regular two-way flow of communication. The views of parents and staff are sought through regular surveys. Leaders reflect on their comments and use these to inform improvements.