Purley Children's Nursery

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders prioritise meeting the needs of all children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who may face other barriers to learning. For example, leaders ensure that children are in rooms and with practitioners that are more suited to their physical needs. They liaise with parents to find out what is working well at home so that the nursery can mirror the environment or strategies used at home. Leaders organise group sizes to accommodate children's needs so that children settle quickly, feel happy and are kept safe. Children have personalised settling-in routines that support their needs and help them to have the best transition. Leaders use funding to support children with SEND and those who face other barriers to learning to be excited, feel included and enjoy learning. Children with SEND who were reluctant to come into nursery now enjoy attending and learning. This prepares children well for their next stage of learning.

Leaders identify and support the needs of children with SEND and those who may face other barriers to learning so that they achieve well from their starting points. They liaise with the local authority and outside agencies to support children's needs, implementing suggested strategies and continuously monitoring children's progress. Staff support all children to meet their outcomes, regularly reviewing the impact of provision and sharing next steps with parents so that they can further support children's needs at home.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders provide a broad and balanced curriculum around children's interests. They know what they want children to know and do. Practitioners observe children and plan their next steps. They adapt their teaching in the moment to meet children's individual needs. This supports all children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who may face other barriers to learning, to reach their milestones and be ready for the next stage of learning. Practitioners engage children well in learning. However, during transition times, children become easily distracted by the movements of children and practitioners around them. This leads to missed opportunities to extend learning further. Leaders create a preschool improvement plan to prepare children for school, and they share this with practitioners. Leaders and practitioners meet parents each term. They talk about children's progress, next steps and how they are getting children ready for school. They share home-learning packs with preschool parents to support their transition. Leaders signpost staff to children who may have barriers to learning and what those barriers might be. This helps practitioners adapt teaching for each child's needs, so children achieve. Leaders prioritise children's physical development and their personal, social and emotional development. They encourage children to form relationships through play. Practitioners support children to develop mathematical skills, counting, weighing, measuring and finding numbers. They encourage children's mathematical understanding using words like 'one more'. Practitioners support children's communication and language development. They provide children with words to help them practise actions while playing with dough, such as 'squash', 'pat' and other words that focus on movements to develop fine motor skills. Practitioners join in children's imaginative play, asking children questions while they pretend to make sandwiches and blueberry pie. This helps children develop and use communication and language skills with confidence. Practitioners praise children for their efforts.

Achievement: Expected standard

Typically, children enjoy learning and achieve well from their individual starting points. They learn how to play together, indoors and outdoors. Children learn to make independent choices. All children are supported to develop their communication and language skills. Children share ideas for making 'blueberry pie' with practitioners during play. They love story time, where practitioners bring stories alive and children develop their language and imagination. However, during busy transition times, children find it difficult to concentrate, and they lose focus, which mean some learning opportunities are not fully maximised. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face other barriers to learning communicate their needs and wants. They point to pictures, use signs and say words.

Children develop fine motor skills that prepare them for their next stage of learning. They pretend to be chefs in the café, learning to cut potatoes and lemons with knives in safety. Children use scissors to cut dough. They sprinkle herbs and roll and manipulate dough using rolling pins and cutters, patting it with their hands. Children play outside, where they develop gross motor skills. They ride scooters, bikes and tricycles and climb and balance. They build with large construction, drink water at the drinks station and create dishes in the mud kitchen, where they dig in the dirt to collect leaves and herbs to use in the play dough. Children listen to stories inside a dome and play football with friends. Younger children enjoy moving to stories and practising yoga poses. They listen well, copying the actions, and develop gross motor skills. Adults praise children for their efforts.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Practitioners encourage children to use polite manners when asking for things, reminding them 'use your words', 'say please' and 'say thank you'. Leaders and practitioners form positive relationships with children, staff and parents. Children are happy and learn and play well together. Practitioners support children to play together by providing opportunities that involve talking, sharing and turn taking.

Leaders promote the importance of punctuality and attendance in the setting through policy and practice. Parents share this understanding and bring children to nursery on time. This prepares children and parents for when children start school.

Practitioners prioritise children's stage of learning and support children to achieve well. Children of similar stages eat together. This supports their independence, and the transitions prepare them well for their next stage of learning. Leaders and practitioners encourage children to form positive friendships. They teach children how to manage their feelings and behaviour during their play. For example, children say, 'Stop, I don't like that' when other children are being unkind. This teaches children to be kind, encourages them to become independent and develops self-help skills, which prepares children for school.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

The nursery promotes healthy eating and caters for children's individual dietary needs and preferences. All meals are freshly prepared onsite by the chef. Parents access weekly menus online and in the setting. Younger children have a snack in small groups of 3 at a time. Practitioners display children's pictures on the table to support children with dietary requirements. Children find their pictures and sit at that space. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face other barriers to learning choose what they want to eat by pointing to pictures, food choices and/or repeating the food name. For example, practitioners hold 2 items of fruit and encourage children to point to the one they want. Children feed themselves. Practitioners ask children questions to encourage them to express their wants, for example, 'Have you finished?' and 'Do you want a cracker?' Practitioners peel children's fruit for them. However, this means there are missed opportunities for younger children to extend fine motor and self-help skills. Practitioners sit with children at lunchtimes and encourage children to develop independence. They encourage older children to self-serve, choosing healthy food options that they enjoy, in preparation for school.

Practitioners talk to children while changing their nappies. This supports language development, ensuring that children have privacy and are safe. They support older children to use the toilet independently and encourage children to wash their hands after. This supports good hygiene routines. Practitioners support children's safer sleep routines throughout the day, following parental preferences. Practitioners comfort children in times of distress. They support children to regulate their emotions and teach children how to respond to unwanted behaviour from others. They teach children how to be kind, share and take turns in their play.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

The manager drives improvement that has positive impacts on children's outcomes. She prioritises ensuring that all children are ready for school. For example, preschool children and toddlers can learn side by side. This is a recent change, and leaders are monitoring the impact it has on children's outcomes and school readiness. The manager knows her staff well and is aware of their strengths. However, leaders should ensure that staff strengths are evenly distributed across the setting so that teaching is consistently strong across all rooms.

Since taking up her position as manager, she has introduced home visits for new starters. The manager visits with 2 practitioners from the room that children are joining. Practitioners take paperwork and toys and talk to parents about dietary requirements, weaning and things children enjoy. Parents and children attend the setting the following day. This helps to support children's transition.

The manager cares about children, parents and staff. Staff feel supported to do their jobs well. The manager accommodates staff's needs and makes adjustments so that staff fulfil their family needs as well as their role.

The nursery forms strong partnerships with parents. Parents are pleased with the care, attention, education and communication the nursery provides. The manager introduces positive experiences for children and their families, such as parents' evenings, special events to celebrate festivals such as Diwali and visits to the library and other places of interest, such as the zoo.

The manager prioritises professional learning expertise for staff and encourages them to take ownership of their learning. All staff have access to an app that informs them when training is due. The manager encourages staff to switch off and unwind at lunchtimes. She provides staff with a calm space, which supports staff wellbeing and encourages them to enjoy their job.