Sunflower House Nursery Cowley

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders provide training to ensure that staff have a consistently deep understanding of how to support children with special educational needs and disabilities. Staff swiftly identify children with gaps in their learning. They take the fundamental steps to secure expert support from a wide variety of professionals. Staff diligently ensure children receive statutory support that they are entitled to. They fully embed strategies that support all children and reduce barriers to learning. For example, staff consistently use sign language or visual cards to support children's communication. They work closely with schools to support children to transition smoothly to the next stage of their education.

Leaders and staff meticulously assess the progress of children all children. They carefully adapt their curriculum by consistently reducing barriers faced by disadvantaged children. For example, children with limited social skills or barriers to their emotional wellbeing are given extra support to feel calm. Staff provide children with safe spaces to help them feel calm. They plan enriching water play activities to enable children to process and understand their feelings. This helps children to regulate their feelings and feel enthusiastic about learning. Staff design a highly inclusive curriculum that enables children to achieve the very best in preparation for their future lives.

Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard

Staff base their curriculum on their in-depth knowledge of individual children, forged through developing excellent relationships with families. Children receive highly focused support that is pitched accurately at their age and stages of development. This means that all children enjoy an inclusive curriculum that they can access and through which achieve their very best.

Leaders diligently monitor the quality of teaching. As a result, all staff deliver consistently deliver high-quality teaching. Staff understand that every interaction they have with children is an opportunity to stretch their knowledge and understanding. They adapt the words they use and incorporate specialist strategies and tools to support children to develop key language skills.

Children develop high levels of self-esteem through activities that consistently enable them to experience success, as well as extend their learning. The commitment of staff to help all children to achieve is inspiring. When children find having a go tricky, staff persevere, role modelling determination and positive attitudes to learning. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, learn that through hard work and participation they can succeed.

Staff skillfully teach mathematical skills. They carefully plan opportunities to promote children's confidence through problem-solving and understanding numbers. Staff place a consistent focus on children's social and emotional development and this underpins the curriculum. Children feel highly successful and flourish across all areas of learning.

Achievement: Strong standard

All children achieve their full potential at this nursery. They benefit from staff who understand that every child is different and that their potential is limitless. Children make inspiring progress in their language development. For example, they receive consistent support to help them to express their needs and feel confident.

Children learn to understand what makes them feel happy and safe. The feel well supported by staff who they trust. This helps children to take risks in all aspects of learning. For example, children with fears about physical play learn to take their time. They feel secure as they develop key skills in a safe space, such as balancing on a beam or sliding down the large equipment. Children benefit from staff who consistently praise not only their successes but also their persistence.

All children have access to resources that promote their thinking. This includes developing their language through stories and conversations with staff. Children rapidly gain communication skills through meaningful and focused interactions. When they need help to understand, they learn strategies that they can use beyond the setting. All children are very well prepared for their future success.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Staff anticipate barriers to attendance and punctuality for all children, including disadvantaged children. They take steps to ensure that children do not miss out on key learning through lateness or absence. Staff build warm and trusting relationships that help children to feel safe and cared for. This helps children to develop positive attitudes to learning. Staff support children with a range of learning needs to access the environment. Children learn how to make friends and gain key social skills as they celebrate their uniqueness. Children and their families feel valued.

Typically, all children, including those with barriers to their understanding, behave well. Generally, staff use a variety of effective strategies to help children when they misunderstand rules and expectations. The support staff give children helps them to express their needs in healthy ways at most times of the day. Overall, children behave well and listen to staff. However, at times some staff struggle to help children to regulate when they feel overwhelmed, such as during transitions between inside and outdoor play. This means that not all children are not able to exhibit positive behaviour at all times in day.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Staff are highly effective at supporting children's mental health and wellbeing. They rigorously monitor the progress of children who need additional support. Leaders work with experts to help children with barriers to wellbeing, including disadvantaged children. For example, they identify children who need to develop positive attitudes to eating. This includes helping children to feel calm as they eat and take their time when feeding themselves. This helps children to foster life-long healthy attitudes towards food.

When children need help to develop self-care skills, such as toilet training, staff meticulously work with parents and carers and experts to develop care plans. Children make extensive progress in developing these skills. They become highly independent.

Mealtimes are an opportunity for children to learn about healthy choices. Staff consistently make links between children's healthy choices and their physical strength. Children develop long-lasting habits that they take home with them. For example, they take pride in drinking enough water, avoiding sugar and ensure their bodies are hydrated. Children know that regular time spent in the fresh air promotes there physical wellbeing. The support children receive from staff enriches children's lives and provides them with a solid foundation for living healthy lives in the future.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders strategically work with staff monitor their practice. This enables staff to develop their skills through targeted training. Staff consistently disseminate their learning to others and contribute to the continuous improvement of the nursery. For example, staff that work with experts to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities consistently ensure this learning is embedded across the nursery.

Leaders inspire staff through their consistent commitment to supporting all children. Their clear guidance helps staff to feel confident in their roles. Staff receive regular feedback that helps them to identify issues. Leaders have identified that consistent support children for children during transitions is not yet fully embedded. This drives the continuous improvement of the nursery. Leaders thoughtfully consider staff wellbeing. They take decisive action to support staff when they face challenges. As a result, staff feel valued and passionate about their work.

Leaders and staff consistently engage effectively with all parents and carers, including those that are harder to reach. They establish trusting relationships that help families to consistently seek guidance and support beyond the setting. Leaders engage with their community to support children in all aspects of their lives. This includes working with medical professionals, social care services and others to understand the challenges experienced by all children, including disadvantaged children. This helps to promote the wellbeing of all children beyond the nursery.