St Mary and Little Angels Nursery

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders and staff identify children who need extra support at an early stage. They gather information from parents, complete ongoing assessments and work closely with other professionals, including physiotherapists, speech and language therapists and paediatricians. This helps them understand children's individual needs. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have personalised targets. These are based on advice from professionals and children's individual interests. However, staff do not always apply agreed strategies consistently. As a result, children do not always receive the consistent support they need to make the best possible progress from their starting points.

Leaders use additional funding well to reduce barriers to children's learning and development. They provide enhanced staffing, specialist equipment and sensory resources to meet children's individual needs. Staff also receive targeted training, including signing, understanding autism and safe manual handling techniques. They review children's progress regularly and adapt support when needs change. Staff also support children who speak English as an additional language. They encourage families to continue using their home language and use visual supports, signing and key words to aid communication. Leaders understand the needs of children who are known, or previously known, to children's social care. They work closely with families and other agencies to support children's welfare and emotional wellbeing.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Staff plan meaningful experiences that reflect children's interests and stages of development. For example, children explore similarities and differences between themselves by looking at their faces in mirrors. Staff encourage them to notice their features. Staff encourage discussions about what the children see. They also introduce ambitious vocabulary, such as 'tortoiseshell glasses', to extend children's language. Staff build on children's ideas and interests to deepen learning. For example, when children use a tissue as a veil, staff recognise the link to the parent's headscarf and encourage a conversation about their family. Staff also promote early mathematical skills during everyday routines. For example, they encourage children to count pieces of fruit at snack time and use mathematical language as they play and learn. This helps children develop confidence with counting and use mathematical skills in meaningful, everyday situations.

Staff use group times to support children's speaking and listening skills. Children share how they are feeling during daily self-registration and sometimes join in with familiar songs. This helps children begin to express their thoughts and feelings. However, the environment is not always organised effectively for group sessions. For example, noise from another part of the hall sometimes makes it difficult for children to hear the adult leading the activity. As a result, some children become distracted, lose focus or begin watching what is happening elsewhere, reducing their engagement in the intended learning.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children develop a range of skills through daily routines and play. They communicate with increasing confidence, using words and simple sentences to share their needs, ideas and experiences. Children listen to others and respond during play and familiar routines. They begin to work alongside others, showing awareness of their peers and engaging in shared activities with support. Children show developing self-reliance as they move around the environment, select resources and persist with activities for short periods of time. They begin to apply early understanding in practical situations, such as recognising patterns, sorting objects and using language linked to size, quantity and position during play. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are largely supported through targeted strategies that help them access activities alongside their peers. As a result, children are developing the foundational skills needed for their next stage of learning.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Staff build warm and supportive relationships with children through an established key person system. Staff know the children well and use this knowledge to help them settle and feel secure. This helps children seek reassurance from adults when needed and engage confidently in daily routines. Children show interest in what others are doing and are beginning to show kindness towards their peers. Leaders also work with families to encourage regular attendance, helping children benefit from consistent routines and opportunities to learn alongside their friends.

Staff use a range of strategies to support children's behaviour and attitudes during play and daily routines. They provide reminders, model expectations and use positive reinforcement to encourage children to be kind, take turns and follow simple rules. Staff adapt their approaches for individual children, for example by using visual prompts, signing and additional reassurance to help children understand expectations and participate alongside their peers.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Staff support children's emotional wellbeing through warm and responsive interactions. For example, children explore feelings during activities such as making faces using mirrors and a range of materials. Staff encourage children to talk about how they feel and introduce simple vocabulary linked to emotions. This helps children begin to recognise and communicate their feelings in a supportive environment.

Staff ensure children have regular access to outdoor play to support their emotional wellbeing and physical development. Children take part in activities such as climbing, balancing and moving across different equipment. Outdoor play gives children opportunities to be active and play alongside others. Staff recognise that some children benefit from quieter outdoor experiences and adapt activities so they can participate at a pace that meets their individual needs before joining their peers.

Staff support children's health through daily routines. Children wash their hands before eating and sit together at snack times. Staff encourage healthy choices and talk with children about foods that benefit their body. This helps children develop awareness of healthy habits. However, at times, staff provide support too quickly when children can complete tasks independently, such as feeding themselves. This reduces opportunities for children to practise and develop their independence consistently over time.

Staff work with families to support wellbeing at home. They share information about active play and reducing screen time, encouraging families to promote physical activity outside the setting. This helps children experience consistent messages about their health and wellbeing.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders have a clear understanding of the setting and use ongoing monitoring to evaluate the quality of provision. They observe practice, talk with staff and review children's experiences to identify strengths and areas for development. Leaders make adjustments to routines and provision to better meet children's needs, including those with barriers to their learning. For example, they provide additional sensory resources and adapt routines where needed to help children access learning and daily experiences. Leaders also support children's transitions to other settings and school through information sharing, handover discussions and visits. This ensures that important information about children's development, individual needs and successful support strategies is shared to promote continuity in their learning and care.

Staff report that they feel supported in their roles and that communication with leaders is effective. They are given opportunities to discuss practice and share any concerns. Staff wellbeing and workload are considered, helping to maintain a stable team who are able to focus on children's care and learning. Staff access relevant training that supports their professional development. This includes training linked to communication, behaviour and special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff use this learning in their interactions with children. Parents are engaged in their children's learning through regular updates and shared approaches, such as using visual supports and agreed strategies at home, which supports continuity between home and the setting.