Poppies Nursery

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders and staff demonstrate a clear commitment to inclusion and typically identify, assess and respond to children's needs in a timely way. They use assessment information to plan support, adapt the environment and reduce barriers to children's learning and wellbeing. For example, they ensure children are supported in an environment that is appropriate for their developmental level to ensure they are safe and can access learning successfully.

Leaders and staff support disadvantaged children appropriately and use resources to promote equality of access to learning experiences and opportunities. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities benefit from early identification, clear support plans and effective partnership working with parents and external professionals. Leaders review plans regularly and adjust strategies to support children's progress. Leaders prioritise the needs of children who are known, or previously known, to children's social care. Staff understand children's individual circumstances and provide consistent, nurturing support to promote emotional security and wellbeing.

Leaders identify children who speak English as an additional language when they start at the nursery and recognise the barriers they face. Leaders have strategies in place to support children. However, staff do not consistently use these across the nursery to support these children to understand routines, develop communication or fully access learning. At times, these children are unaware of the routine expectations and are unable to engage successfully with the learning on offer.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have a clear oversight of the curriculum and teaching across the nursery. They ensure the curriculum reflects children's starting points and they reflect on the implementation and impact regularly. Leaders support staff through guidance and professional development to promote consistency, however, they do not always ensure staff tailor the curriculum effectively for toddlers.

Staff design and deliver a well-structured and sequenced curriculum for babies and pre-school children. The curriculum clearly identifies what children need to know and do, and supports progression across all areas of learning, with a strong emphasis on communication and language, personal development and physical skills. However, curriculum design and delivery is not as clear or well-structured for toddlers, and learning does not always match their developmental stage. Staff create a roll the ball activity for a small group, children quickly lose focus and others are unaware of what is happening. Staff do not think about how learning can be tailored for differing needs.

Staff generally deliver teaching that supports children's learning. Adults create engaging learning environments, model language and use interactions to support progress. Staff observe children and assess learning to plan next steps. Pre-school children develop their imagination in addition to their literacy and numeracy skills while using keyboards and notepads in the 'office' role-play area. Babies cruise around low-level furniture, developing their strength for walking. Toddlers develop their sensory skills when they explore paint with various resources.

Staff promote an inclusive curriculum. They make adaptations for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, disadvantaged children and those who speak English as an additional language. Staff typically use Makaton and simple phrases to aid children's communication and understanding. However, this is not yet embedded effectively to fully support children's developing communication skills.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children typically achieve well across all areas of learning. Their skills build from individual starting points and reflect an inclusive approach, ensuring that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those known or previously known to social care, and those who speak English as an additional language, are generally supported to succeed. Achievement is recognised and celebrated, helping children to develop confidence, motivation and positive attitudes towards learning.

Children make good progress in communication and language and are confident to communicate with adults and peers. They begin to develop early literacy through exploring books and mark making, and develop early mathematical understanding as they recognise numbers and colours. These experiences support the essential skills needed for future learning. Children show growing independence, curiosity and resilience. They make choices and work collaboratively with others. Physical development is promoted through regular outdoor play and exploration within the local community.

Overall, children develop age- and stage-appropriate knowledge and skills, enabling them to progress confidently to the next stage of learning, including readiness for school and future success.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders and staff typically provide clear expectations for behaviour. All children experience a calm, safe and inclusive environment. Staff have an effective approach in the support they provide for children's wellbeing, independence and readiness to learn. Leaders monitor practice closely and support staff to apply approaches consistently for all groups of children.

Staff build positive relationships with children through warm interactions and consistent care. They take time to get to know children and understand their needs from the moment they start at the nursery. Leaders and staff work closely with families to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those known or previously known to social care and those who speak English as an additional language. These trusting relationships help children feel safe and secure.

Children develop positive attitudes to learning. Staff play with children and encourage them to have a go. They help develop children's independence, while using clear routines to help children manage transitions and behaviour. If children display unwanted behaviour, staff quickly defuse this by distracting children and engaging them in favoured activities. Children are happy and confident.

Leaders promote good attendance and work proactively with families to remove barriers. They talk to families about the importance of regular attendance and punctuality in readiness for school, while providing flexibility to help ensure children's attendance. Inclusive approaches help to enable every child to thrive and succeed.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders typically promote children's health and wellbeing effectively. Staff are positive role models and encourage healthy practice, such as supporting children to wash their hands at appropriate times and respectfully tending to their personal care needs. Children enjoy nutritious meals and snacks and learn about oral hygiene through planned activities. Children have lots of opportunities to learn about the world around them and play outside. Staff take all children into the local community, visiting open spaces and the local church. Children learn safety outside of the nursery.

Leaders and staff carefully consider how they can best support children's emotional wellbeing as they move between rooms in the setting. They make well-considered adaptations to enable children to feel reassured during periods of change. For example, children move to new rooms in line with their stage of development, familiar staff support children in their new environment to help ensure a successful change. Decisions are made in partnership with parents and carers, so children remain settled and experience smooth transitions.

Staff are generally responsive to children's needs and know them well. Children who have very recently started at the nursery are well settled. Staff ensure children are safely seated and supervised at mealtimes, and make sure they can sleep safely and in comfort.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders are passionate about providing a safe and positive environment for all that attend. They base this on their evaluation of the setting's strengths and areas for development. Since the last inspection, leaders have worked hard to improve practice, particularly for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They have reviewed identification procedures, strengthened partnerships with external professionals and ensured staff typically implement targeted support for children. As a result, children with SEND are better supported to make progress from their starting points.

Governance arrangements are effective. Those responsible for oversight offer appropriate challenge and support to leaders, ensuring statutory requirements are met. Regular audits, supervision and monitoring processes enable leaders and governors to maintain a clear overview of practice, safeguarding and quality of provision.

Staff speak highly of leaders, they state that they are well supported and can approach leaders and/or governors of the setting if they have any concerns. Supervision meetings and the leaders open door policy are successful in supporting staff to address concerns and promote a positive team culture. Staff feel valued and supported in their roles.

Leaders identify training needs through observation, feedback and self-evaluation and provide relevant opportunities to develop staff knowledge and confidence. This includes training related to SEND, safeguarding and curriculum delivery, which has been identified as an area for development in parts of the provision. Leaders are highly reflective and evaluative of their setting, always looking at how they can improve to provide the best environment they can for all.

Parents state that they are well supported by leaders and staff. Their children love to attend and make progress in their learning. Leaders involve parents in their child's nursery life and value their input. They offer stay-and-play sessions, sports days and invite parents to seasonal events. Those parents who are unable to attend these events are offered alternatives, so they too can be involved in their child's nursery life.