St Paschal Baylon Nursery and ASC LTD

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders for those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities attend meetings and work with other professionals, such as local authority specialist teachers and health visitors. They work closely with staff, parents and carers to ensure there is a coordinated approach. Those with lead responsibility for inclusion understand their roles and responsibilities well. They have a secure understanding of various referral processes. As a result, children receive timely referrals to seek specialist support. Staff and parents are fully included in the process and understand the importance of working closely with external professionals.

All children receive effective early assessment for their ages. Children who face barriers to their learning receive tailored next steps and one-page profiles. This supports staff to prioritise areas of learning that children need most. As a result, children typically make the individual progress they are capable of. Leaders ensure any additional funding they claim is used effectively. They spend funds appropriately to make a difference to children. Leaders and staff evaluate the effectiveness of this funding. All staff create an inclusive environment where they identify and support children's individual needs, adapting practice as needed. This supports all children to develop confidence and independence.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

The curriculum is effectively designed to support all areas of learning. Staff plan effectively for children's next steps. They make adaptations to ensure that all children, including those with gaps in their learning, can make steady progress. The curriculum builds on the small steps of knowledge that children need to learn and the order that this should follow. Younger children manipulate play dough by squashing, rolling and squeezing it to recreate characters from their book of the week. However, some aspects of the curriculum need to be further refined to ensure that it consistently keeps older children engaged. For example, some activities are pitched slightly below the skill levels of older children, which limits their learning in those moments.

Children benefit from activities that enhance their creativity and imagination. Staff skilfully engage with children who are building. They give verbal challenges that motivate children and encourage critical thinking. Staff enhance the area with resources to add complexity. Children use past learning as they problem-solve and make increasingly tall yet stable structures. As a result, children develop skills that will support future learning.

There are ample opportunities to support physical development. Children benefit from space to run, climb and balance. They enjoy riding bikes, scooping sand and filling containers. Staff use these opportunities to introduce mathematical language. Children count as they fill and empty containers in the mud kitchen, and they link that counting to physical numbers placed in the environment.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language, make progress from their starting points. All children gain independence skills. Children benefit from fun story time sessions in an environment carefully designed to foster a love of books. These are easily accessible to all children indoors and outdoors. Children enjoy creative activities linked to next steps in their learning. Children play collaboratively, with negotiation and turn-taking skills evident. These skills will support them as they move to school.

Children demonstrate their autonomy as they make decisions, for example when to play in the construction area and what to make. Children persevere at tasks, bringing friends in to support them as they try to make their construction tower even taller. For instance, children talk together and create a plan to build higher than they can currently reach. This 'can-do' attitude will be beneficial in their next stage of learning.

Children have opportunities to practise new skills and extend their learning in a supportive environment. They develop an understanding of risks and personal safety through supervised play and activities that encourage safe exploration. Younger children practise on the climbing equipment with assistance from staff, which supports their core strength and balance. Older children develop increasing independence, attempting more challenging physical tasks, such as traversing monkey bars. Children typically benefit from activities that are carefully sequenced so that they can embed the skills they need to be successful.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders have high expectations for all children. Staff demonstrate consistently positive behaviours and regularly model good manners. Staff consider the age and ability of children when setting expectations. For example, they help all children consider each other's feelings by tailoring the language they use to help children's understanding. Children use the abundant resources safely and communicate well as they play collaboratively with friends.

Staff and children develop relationships that are happy, loving and trusting. They offer an abundance of praise to recognise children's achievements. Children respond well to this, which boosts their self-esteem and supports their positive attitude towards learning. Children form warm friendships with their peers. They are delighted for each other's arrivals and quickly make plans for playing together.

Leaders and staff at the setting encourage parents and carers to share information about their children on arrival at the setting. This helps them to understand how to best care for children on that day. Leaders monitor attendance and work closely with families to help improve communication around absences. Staff provide support for parents to help them implement positive behaviour routines at home. This helps children to get the maximum benefit from the setting and promotes purposeful links between home and the setting.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders and staff work in close partnership with parents and carers to support children's wellbeing and progress. Staff work with parents to create a plan to support children when they identify gaps in children's learning. This helps children to benefit from a consistent approach. Staff use advice and expertise from other agencies to further enhance the provision offered to children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff gather important information about children's individual needs. Where children have allergies or medical needs, this information is shared so that children can be supported and kept safe. For example, robust systems are in place to ensure children with allergies are only offered foods that are suitable for them.

The key-person system is well embedded. Children have secure relationships with their key person and with other staff who care for them. Leaders and staff have secure knowledge of all children in their setting. They talk passionately about children's interests and the activities linked to them. For example, staff design very creative tuff tray activities that engage and motivate children to learn.

Leaders and staff promote healthy lifestyles. Children are supported to develop positive hygiene habits, including regular handwashing. In addition, staff talk with children about the health benefits of certain foods during snack time. This helps children create healthy habits that can be taken into the next stage of their learning.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders have a clear and ambitious plan for the setting. They offer a curriculum that supports children to be independent and creative and to develop physical attributes. Leaders also ensure that communication and language, mathematics and a love of books are firmly embedded in the teaching offered.

Leaders have implemented robust systems for safer recruitment, including checks on staff's ongoing suitability to work. Leaders offer secure induction, supervision and mentoring of staff. Staff report that they feel well supported and valued and share that leaders have a genuine regard for their wellbeing and workload. In addition, staff benefit from coaching and peer support to build knowledge and share skills. However, the programme of professional development requires more focus to ensure staff have the skills required to continually improve the consistency of their teaching.

Leaders know the importance of working with external professionals to ensure that children get the support that they need. This is particularly evident for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, which helps to reduce barriers to children's learning and supports all children to make secure progress. In addition, parental and carer partnerships are well considered, effective and valued by the families who attend. Leaders place an emphasis on being a significant part of the local community.