St Pauls Church Nursery School

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders swiftly and consistently identify any barriers to children's learning. Staff carry out home visits before children start, which enables parents to share relevant information about their child. Where barriers to learning are identified, leaders monitor children's development effectively and plan and implement targeted activities that help children to make progress. For example, they use a programme of speaking and listening activities to support children's attention, listening and speaking skills. When appropriate, leaders make referrals to other professionals, such as speech and language therapists, to ensure children receive any additional support they may need.

Leaders provide an environment that is inclusive and meets the needs of all children. Visuals are used to aid communication between staff and children and to support children to understand what is happening now and what will happen next. This helps children to transition between activities smoothly.

Leaders have consistently high expectations of children and provide support to help them to begin to regulate their emotions. For example, staff identify times where children will benefit from sensory input. They support them to use the sensory resources in the calm corner as they squeeze and knead dough, as well as to take part in work activities in the garden. Additional funding is used to further enhance children's learning experiences and provide them with additional support where needed.

Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard

Leaders provide a high-quality curriculum that recognises that each child is at a different stage in their development, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Activities are consistently differentiated for each child, as staff assess what children already know and can do and then support them to build on this knowledge. For example, at the mathematics table, children play with sorting objects. Staff support children in their individual next steps in learning, as some children sort the objects by colour and some order the objects by size, while others count the objects.

Leaders support staff to have the knowledge to provide activities that meet the children's varying needs. Regular planning meetings ensure that all staff are aware of children's emerging developmental needs. Staff attend training to further develop their knowledge. For example, they have recently attended training in sensory differences and forest school to enhance children's learning experiences in these areas even further. Staff use the knowledge gained from training to support children to feel safe and secure. For example, they ensure that sensory activities and resources are available during times of transition.

Staff recognise the children's interests and use this information to plan exciting activities that children show high levels of engagement in. Children play with ice in the garden when they notice that small puddles have frozen overnight. Staff encourage them to think about how the ice has formed and support them to investigate the properties of ice. For example, they ask children to describe how it makes their hands feel and what shapes it breaks into when it is dropped on the floor. This encourages children to learn new vocabulary and practise their communication and language skills.

Staff promote children's love for reading and enjoyment of books. They regularly read stories, and children listen intently. Daily small-group sessions support children to develop their listening skills and to begin to learn phonetic sounds and letters. These sessions are adapted for younger children and children with SEND, who develop their listening skills through rhymes and sounds.

Achievement: Strong standard

Children are well prepared for their next stage in learning, including the move on to school. They make rapid progress from their starting points. For example, children develop their speech clarity through targeted exercises. Small-group activities support children to use and practise their speech skills.

Children demonstrate their ability to self-regulate. When children participate in circle time, they listen well and can follow instructions. They wait for their turn to share their thoughts with the group. When children are feeling frustrated with others, they appropriately express their feelings through words. These skills ensure that children are prepared for their next steps in learning.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Leaders have high expectations of children's behaviour, and these are embedded throughout the practice of all staff. Staff display consistently high levels of professional conduct and model to children how to be kind and respectful to each other. Children demonstrate their abilities to play cooperatively with each other, often playing in small groups. For example, in the home corner, children work together to create a pizza shop and label items with prices. On occasions where children have disagreements, staff support them to manage these conflicts by helping them talk it through and asking questions to extend their thinking of how others might be feeling. Children demonstrate these skills independently by telling others how they are feeling or negotiating with each other. Children show a good understanding of the routines and expectations. They know they must put their coats on before going outside and help to tidy up before lunchtime.

Leaders have identified when children with varying stages of development may have difficulties with regulating their emotions, and they have put in place strategies to use at these times. For example, in the morning, leaders create a calm atmosphere for when children arrive. They have play dough on the table for squishing and squeezing, and staff read stories to children. During busier times of the day, staff guide children to engage in physical activities that help them to focus their attention.

Leaders promote to parents the benefits of regular attendance at nursery. This ensures that children attend consistently, helping them to feel settled and secure.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders create a safe and welcoming space for the children. Children are happy, and staff develop good relationships with them and their parents. The key-person approach is implemented effectively to support children's emotional wellbeing. Staff provide parents with feedback about their children's progress and support parents to have the knowledge to help their children at home. For example, when children have difficulties with building relationships with others, staff provide parents with advice to support the development of these skills at home. Children demonstrate the ability to manage and express their emotions appropriately. They confidently ask for help when needed and seek comfort from staff if they become upset. Staff are consistently reactive to the children's needs and notice when a child may need some support.

Staff encourage healthy eating during mealtimes. Children demonstrate good attitudes towards healthy foods and drinks, and have discussions with staff about healthy eating and exercise. Staff are aware of children's dietary requirements and have effective procedures in place to keep children safe. Children have access to the garden space, where physical movement is promoted. Children play on bikes, roll tyres down hills and dig in a large sandpit, which supports the development of their gross motor skills. They learn skills that build on their awareness of their own safety and the safety of others, such as making sure there is no one at the bottom of the hill and not throwing sand.

Overall, children's health and care needs are attended to well. At times, self-care and hygiene routines do not always support children to learn the skills that promote them to be independent and ready for their next stage in learning. Handwashing is not done directly before eating, and children who are toilet-trained are not always supported to be independent in their toileting routines.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders have comprehensive oversight of the nursery. They identify the nursery's strengths and priorities for improvement and have implemented changes that have had a positive impact on the children's learning and development. For example, leaders identified that the teaching of phonics could be strengthened so they introduced small-group phonics sessions, which has supported children to make rapid progress in their literacy skills.

Leaders ensure that staff workloads are well managed and that staff are supported to develop their knowledge and skills through ongoing professional feedback and by attending training. Staff training has a positive impact, supporting staff to have the knowledge and skills to ensure that children thrive.

Leaders provide a caring and supportive environment for both the children and their parents. Parents are happy with the progress that their children make and enjoy the sense of community leaders and staff have fostered. Leaders further support parents by facilitating speech and language therapy visits in the nursery, and actively seek opportunities to engage with other professionals, such as inviting reception teachers in to meet the children before they start school. This ensures that children are supported in their transition to school and their next steps in learning effectively.