Saints in Light Nursery School

Inclusion: Expected standard

The nursery is highly inclusive. Leaders understand the different factors that may result in children facing barriers to their learning, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They ensure that staff have access to appropriate professional development opportunities so they can develop effective strategies to help children to overcome these barriers. The manager has recently attended a training programme to support children's communication and language skills, as she has recognised that several children are not reaching their developmental milestones in relation to their speech. She is now ensuring that her expertise is shared with the staff team. However, this practice is not yet fully embedded so there are some inconsistencies in how staff support children's communication skills. For example, some staff use simple signs and refer to pictures to help children understand the daily routine, but this is not always the case. Consequently, some children do not build understanding, vocabulary and confidence at the same pace as their peers.

Leaders have established links with the local authority SEND team and welcome their support and advice. They communicate effectively with parents to ensure they are fully involved in any discussions about their children's learning and development. Links with other professionals, such as health visitors, are being developed. Leaders have a secure understanding of how they might use any additional funding in children's best interests.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have a secure understanding of all the areas of learning within the early years curriculum. They use regular observations and assessments to help them to identify what individual children need to focus on next. This includes identifying children who may face barriers to their learning. All staff understand the intent behind the activities they plan and how their teaching is adapted to support each child's learning. They are skilled at knowing when to stand back and let children play independently and when to intervene to offer support and to introduce new skills.

Books, songs and rhymes form an important part of the nursery's daily routines. Children typically enjoy story time. They demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of favourite books by pointing to pictures or answering simple questions, such as showing what food the hungry caterpillar has eaten. However, at times, staff do not provide children with opportunities to extend their thinking or communication skills, as they ask too many questions requiring a single-word answer. During these occasions, children are not consistently encouraged to use their full breadth of vocabulary to explain their ideas.

Children's physical skills are generally promoted well. They have regular opportunities to dance to music, use ride-on toys outdoors and develop their small-muscle skills by taking part in interesting craft activities, such as creating collages by picking up and sticking small squares of coloured paper.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, achieve well and generally develop a broad range of skills to support them to be ready for their next stage in learning. They become familiar with the daily routine which, for older children, helps prepare them for transition to school. They look for their friends and show disappointment if it is not their day to attend. Children demonstrate high levels of concentration as they play. They learn to share and take turns. New starters show increasing confidence as they explore the environment.

Children typically learn to become increasingly independent, for example when using the toilet and washing their hands. However, occasionally, they do not have opportunities to do things for themselves, such as helping to prepare snack, tidying up for themselves or putting on their shoes, as staff intervene too quickly. This means that children do not consistently use their independence to undertake tasks that they are capable of.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders have created an environment where all children and families are welcome. Staff form warm and trusting bonds with the children in their care. They are attentive to their needs and are always on hand for a cuddle or words of reassurance and encouragement. This typically helps create a calm and productive atmosphere, where children are confident to have a go and try new things. Staff are positive role models, which helps children to understand what is expected of them. On the rare occasions where children start to test the boundaries of what they can and cannot do, staff gently support them to engage in something more purposeful. The approach to promoting positive behaviour reflects individual children's ages and stages of development. Leaders fully recognise the importance of working with parents to promote regular attendance.

Leaders have established a daily routine, which provides an appropriate balance between times when staff lead children's learning and times when children engage in independent play. Regular snack times and outdoor play opportunities are incorporated into each session. However, sometimes, staff are not quick enough to adapt the routine. For example, when children start to get a bit restless, staff do not consider shortening the story time or taking children outside earlier. This does not consistently support children's positive engagement in the activities available.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Children are supervised vigilantly at all times, including when eating. Leaders explain arrangements for supporting children's safe sleep. Appropriate risk assessments ensure that the environment is safe and secure.

Staff collect a range of information from parents before their children start attending. They find out about any languages spoken at home, children's families and their interests. This helps them to be responsive to individual needs right from the start. Staff typically find out about any additional needs or barriers to learning children may have. Children are encouraged to express how they are feeling during circle time. Pictures on the wall are available to help children start to recognise and understand different emotions.

Staff typically promote healthy lifestyles effectively. They explain to children how the fruit they eat for their snack is beneficial. Parents receive information to help them to provide nutritious packed lunches for their children. Children also learn about oral hygiene. Leaders recognise the importance of working with parents to support their children's toilet training. Parents report they are delighted with how effective this has been and the progress their children have made since starting to attend.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders demonstrate passion for and dedication to providing a high-quality nursery. They have invested considerable time into considering how to best serve the local community, recognising the challenges that many families face. Leaders have established a new staff team. Staff say they feel valued and enjoy working at the nursery. Leaders have ensured that staff have access to a broad range of professional development opportunities, alongside attending mandatory training. Systems are in place to make sure that staff have a secure knowledge and understanding of their responsibilities to keep children safe. Leaders have ensured that there are highly robust arrangements in place to monitor and review the work of the nursery. They spend time with the children and staff every day. They recognise that further work is needed in some areas to strengthen practice even more. For example, they have plans to develop links with local schools. They recognise this will strengthen transition arrangements. Leaders welcome support and advice from the local authority.

Partnerships with parents are highly effective. Parental feedback is very positive and recognises how much difference the nursery has made to their children in a short period of time. Parents value the very regular updates they receive about their children's learning and development. They also explain how staff support them to extend their children's learning at home.