Ponteland Private Nursery

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders have created a highly inclusive culture across the setting. They are proactive in making adaptations to ensure children are supported to achieve and succeed.

Leaders are knowledgeable about supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and continuously seek out training opportunities to further develop their knowledge. They ensure that staff have access to high quality training, which enables them to support individual children effectively. For example, staff access training for Makaton, which they have used to support the development of communication and language skills for children with SEND.

Children's progress is closely tracked and staff work with leaders to monitor and adjust support appropriately. Staff are knowledgeable about children with SEND. They consistently and skilfully use children's interests as a way of working on identified targets. For example, they incorporate dinosaurs into activities to engage and encourage children with SEND to join an activity and begin to take part.

Leaders work tirelessly with parents and outside professionals to make sure that children receive the support they need to succeed. Leaders use funding in effective ways to meet the needs of individual children, such as one-to-one support, bespoke menus and adaptations to the environment to ensure children with SEND are fully included in daily routines and activities.

Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard

The curriculum at this nursery is exciting and builds upon children's interests. It is inclusive and helps children develop an understanding of themselves and of the world around them. Children learn about and help their friends celebrate festivals such as Chinese New Year and Eid. They also send birthday cards to local care home residents.

Communication and language is a central part of the curriculum. Children of all ages enjoy stories, books and songs as part of their everyday routine. Learning opportunities are based on familiar and well-loved stories that appeal to children. Staff consistently demonstrate a clear focus on developing children's language skills by modelling the use of vocabulary and encouraging children to repeat and use this in their play.

Staff plan mathematical learning systematically to ensure children have secure knowledge and understanding, and it is also embedded into the daily routine. Younger children hear and use mathematics vocabulary in their play, such as big, little, and circle. Older children help staff to count how many children there are each day.

Staff consistently model kindness and cooperation. As a result, children learn to get along well with each other. Staff know children well and they skilfully support those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to help them build friendships.

Children engage in a wide range of activities to support and strengthen their physical skills, such as throwing and kicking balls and using play dough tools.

Achievement: Strong standard

All children are well prepared for the next stage in their learning. Staff know all children well and provide highly effective support, including for those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This means all children make swift progress.

Children develop their communication skills because staff prioritise talking to them. Children use words and vocabulary that they hear. Some of the youngest children are beginning to repeat words and phrases from their favourite story, 'Stickman'. Older children use a wide range of vocabulary when talking with each other and ask questions to help with their understanding.

Children are well prepared for their move on to school and benefit from the consistent support they receive as they transition between different settings. For example, children get to meet their new teacher and go for short visits to their new setting.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Staff have very high expectations of children's behaviour. Children consistently behave well because staff act as role models and treat them with kindness and respect. Routines are well established and give children the confidence to explore and develop their independence and thinking skills. Children have consistently positive attitudes towards their learning.

Children get on well and enjoy playing games together. They share, take turns and build positive relationships with staff and their friends. Staff ensure that those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities develop important personal, social and emotional skills to help them connect with their friends. Staff actively adapt the environment to be inclusive and support individual children to develop their skills in accessing the daily routine. For example, they create spaces at mealtimes where children can enjoy their lunch in smaller groups before being part of larger mealtime groups.

Leaders have a secure understanding of their responsibilities and monitor attendance closely. They take a proactive approach to working with families to support them during periods of absence, for example, when families are on holiday, visiting relatives or enjoying religious and cultural celebrations. Leaders ensure that there is regular communication with parents during periods of absence and offer ideas for how families can support their child during these times.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Leaders have created a comprehensive approach to welcoming new children into the setting. They have attended research-based training on children's attachment and anxiety. This has led to a review of documentation and additional information is now gathered, meaning staff have greater knowledge and understanding of individual children's needs.

Leaders have created robust policies and procedures regarding children's personal needs, and staff consistently carry these out to a high standard. Staff actively encourage children to be independent whenever they can. For example, they encourage older children to manage their personal needs. Younger children wash their hands before meals.

Children develop their understanding of a healthy lifestyle through the activities and experiences that staff plan. Younger children talk about healthy foods in the role-play area. Older children take part in a range of exercises each day and talk about the effect this has on their bodies, such as their heart beating fast and feeling hot.

Staff help children to learn about their emotions, and this helps them to get on well with each other and form friendships.

Leaders seek advice from experts and work hard to review their menu in line with recent government guidance. Leaders gather feedback from children and parents and share favourite recipes, following parental requests. Leaders share this work with advisers from the local authority and have plans to share this more widely.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders create a culture of high expectations and professionalism. They work hard to ensure that the setting is a great place to work. Leaders care about staff and work with them to gather feedback and make positive changes. They ensure that staff have access to a wide range of relevant training. For example, leaders identify specific training for working with babies and to support the development of children's early phonics skills. Leaders monitor this to ensure that it has a positive impact on children's learning.

Staff work collaboratively and learn from each other. Leaders ensure that all staff have time to access and complete training during the working day.

Leaders consistently and effectively communicate with parents. Parents value the work that leaders do to help their child to thrive. This is particularly evident for those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders work collaboratively with outside professionals and parents to put effective strategies in place to support children with SEND.

Leaders understand their responsibilities to ensure that activities and resources are safe and suitable for children. Following a recent incident, leaders took swift and effective action to review and update their risk assessment procedures and provided staff training, which has strengthened practice.