Play@Churwell Day Nursery

Inclusion: Strong standard

Those with oversight for special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are highly knowledgeable in their roles. They are passionate about ensuring that every child has the best start in life, irrespective of their personal circumstances or background. They are powerful advocates for families, ensuring that parents and carers are able to access the required support for children. For example, they follow up on referrals and share their own observations to ensure that external professionals have a holistic view of the child. Those with inclusion roles have attended training specifically designed to support their practice.

Staff quickly and accurately identify children's needs. They gather information when children first start, in partnership with parents, and begin observing children as early as their first settling-in session. They put any required actions in place at an early stage, in partnership with parents and children's key person. This ensures that children receive tailored support at the earliest possible opportunity. Staff know their children well and complete regular ongoing assessments to identify any emerging concerns. Those with oversight for SEND have a meticulous approach to arranging any necessary interventions. These interventions are carefully planned and delivered, by skilled staff, in small groups. For example, staff place a focus on supporting children to identify their emotions. They closely monitor the interventions to ensure they have the desired impact.

Additional funding, such as early years pupil premium and inclusion funding, is used to support children for whom it is intended. For example, staff have identified where children require further support with their language development. They have purchased resources to support this. Leaders carefully monitor the impact of this funding to ensure it has a continued impact. Staff work closely with other professionals to support individual children's progress and development.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Staff support children's communication and language effectively. Staff model the names of fruits to babies at snack time. Within play, staff teach children new words, such as 'magnifying glass'. They refer to 'floating' and 'sinking'. Stories are used to further develop children's language and literacy skills. These are generally engaging and older children are taught about all the elements of a book, such as the author and the blurb. Children are introduced to mathematical language, such as 'longer' and 'shorter'. Staff count items with younger children as they play. There is a sharp focus on supporting children's emotional wellbeing. Staff are trained to recognise when children may need extra support in regulating their emotions. Children's physical development is supported effectively. Babies are closely supported by attentive staff, on the climbing frame and on a balance board.

Leaders and staff have created a curriculum to support children's development and prepare them for their next stages of learning, including school. Activities are generally engaging and support children across the different stages of learning. They take into account children's specific learning needs and are adapted according to the support needed. Regular assessments allow children's progress to be monitored to enable staff to deliver the curriculum. Although the curriculum intentions are clear and communicated to all staff, some staff lack the confidence needed in delivering the proposed high-quality learning experiences. For example, on occasion, purposeful interactions are varied. In addition, staff do not always prepare fully for activities, meaning children's learning is disrupted. This includes occasions where staff do not provide appropriate resources to enable children's engagement, such as when they learn about growing cycles and plant activity.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children typically develop a range of skills that help to prepare them for their next stage of learning. Children who are moving from the baby room to the toddler room learn new skills, such as finding their coats from the lower pegs and learning to sit on toddler chairs at mealtimes. Older children prepare for starting school by continuously building on their independence skills. They carry their own plates, fill up their water cups and begin to attend to their own personal needs. Children, from a young age, help themselves to tissues to wipe their noses.

Children become confident communicators. They are able to express themselves and develop secure communication skills. They repeat new words with confidence and interact with their friends, exploring the environment. Children, regardless of ability, make sound progress from their starting points.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Staff embed positive attitudes to children's learning. They are excellent role models and immerse themselves in children's play. Children become engaged in a range of exciting activities that are planned around their interests. Staff support children to tidy up at regular intervals and explain why this is important. For example, they encourage children to tidy away items after use to prevent trips and falls. Older children join in with tidying the room to a designated tidy-up song.

Staff have an in-depth understanding of individual children and how to support their behaviour. As a result, rooms are calm with limited incidents of unwanted behaviour. Children treat each other and adults with kindness and respect. Staff have recognised that some children struggle with the daily routines and have implemented effective strategies, such as visual timetables, to support them. These help children to understand what they can expect next. Additionally, staff have recognised times when children become more excitable, such as before they go home. They put carefully planned activities in place in a quieter sensory room to support children to be calm when they go home. This helps to ensure they do not become overstimulated when their parents and carers arrive.

Leaders understand the importance of regular attendance. They follow up on any non-attendance, in line with their policies and procedures. They support families who may be struggling to attend the setting for their planned sessions.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Staff teach children about hygiene practices, emphasising the importance of handwashing, especially before meals. Children enjoy daily access to the outside space, which has recently been developed. This ensures that children can access a range of activities and continue their learning outdoors. Children also take part in forest-school activities off-site, with specially trained staff.

There is a well-established key-person system in place. Staff typically know their key children well and are caring in their interactions. This supports children's emotional wellbeing effectively. Staff understand each child's personal-care needs and know how to provide additional support, including during toilet training. Nappy-changing arrangements are respectful and nurturing in manner.

Staff are aware that children's dietary needs may change over time, including changes during stages of weaning. They work appropriately with parents and carers to ensure any changes to children's allergies are updated, and adjust care plans accordingly. There is also a focus on supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to participate during mealtimes. Staff and leaders are aware of the wide variety of needs within the setting. Children benefit from a varied and balanced diet. Staff, parents, children and nutritional specialists contribute ideas to provide a nutritious menu. During activities, children practise cutting fruit, helping them to develop skills while also supporting those who may have aversions to certain foods.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders regularly reflect on provision and are passionate about driving improvement within the nursery. For example, they have recently worked with staff to develop the outside area to further enhance learning opportunities. They are broadly aware of areas for development within the setting. They conduct regular observations of staff's practice and routines throughout the day. However, they have not yet identified weaknesses in the implementation of some activities or where they could support staff further to deliver the curriculum more consistently.

Leaders typically encourage and support staff to pursue further training. This includes higher-level or specialist courses tailored to their interests, such as forest school. Many staff have completed emotion-regulation training, which has had a positive impact on children's behaviour and emotional wellbeing. Leaders provide effective support to staff who are still completing their training. They act as mentors, guiding staff through their studies. Leaders identify staff who may need extra support, such as those facing barriers to their own learning. They ensure staff have access to all training opportunities and updates.

Staff and leaders work closely with parents and carers and other professionals. Parents value how they are kept updated on their children's development and their children's individual needs. Staff work closely with area special educational needs teams and specialists to ensure that all children are able to access the correct support. Nursery special educational needs coordinators work with school staff to ensure children are supported effectively with their transition on to school.