Susana's Home From Home

Inclusion: Expected standard

Children's needs are generally met well. Passionate leaders work hard to identify children's individual needs and narrow any gaps in their learning. This includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who may face barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing. Staff are typically well trained to meet individual children's needs, although there are some minor inconsistencies in practice. Leaders have formed effective relationships with outside agencies that come into the setting to support children. They meet regularly together to discuss children's individual progress. All children, including those with SEND, make appropriate progress from their starting points.

Families benefit from close links with leaders and staff. They work together to build an accurate picture of the children. Leaders use assessment tools effectively to identify any learning needs and communicate them to parents. This helps leaders plan children's next steps in learning. Additional funding is spent wisely to meet each child's individual needs. Leaders work closely with key members of staff to ensure teaching is adapted to match children's changing needs. This helps to narrow any gaps in children's learning. All children, including those with SEND and those who may face barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing, feel included and form a sense of belonging.

Leaders have high expectations for all children. The support they provide typically reduces any barriers children may face. Leaders adapt settling-in periods to meet the needs of individual children. Parents value the support staff provide when children move to the next room. As a result, children settle quickly and build positive relationships with staff and their peers.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have designed an interesting curriculum that typically meets the needs of all children. However, some teaching is not always focused accurately on what children already know and can do. This means some children do not always make as much progress as they could. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), enjoy learning together. Babies bake a 'chocolate cake' out of mud and share the pans. They giggle as they tap the drum and dance to rhymes. Young children are praised as they take turns on the swings. They learn new words such as 'squeeze' and 'rinse' as they wash the bubbles off the babies. Older children build ramps for their cars and build towers for the dinosaur together. They smile as they carefully snip herbs and mix with a spatula in the outdoor kitchen. All children, including those with SEND and those who may face barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing, form positive attitudes to learning. Their personal, social and emotional development is supported generally well. This helps children to settle quickly and feel safe and secure.

Staff typically support children's physical development and independence through their everyday interactions. They encourage babies to ride push-along bikes, practise using a spoon and find their own lidded cups. Staff help younger children follow a track and take turns with cars and scooters. They give children time to serve their own food and drink from a cup. Older children strengthen their hand muscles as they squirt water to wash away the letters in their names. Staff also encourage them to lay the table and carry their own plates. As a result, children develop physical skills and grow in confidence as they learn to do more for themselves.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children typically enjoy learning and build positive relationships with leaders and staff. Babies giggle as kind staff play with them, gently waving coloured voiles in the air. Young children sit and paint with experienced staff who ask them questions about their favourite fruits. Older children hunt for worms in the soil with nurturing adults. They talk about where to put the worms to keep them safe. All children, including those who may face barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing, feel listened to. This helps children to feel secure and form a sense of belonging.

Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), generally achieve well from their starting points. Babies learn simple rhymes and songs. Young children count their friends in the line. Older children learn to write letters from their name and talk about robots and what they can do. All children, including those with SEND, form positive attitudes to learning. They are typically well prepared for their next stage of learning.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders and staff set high expectations for all children. This includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who may face barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing. Children behave well and learn to follow the rules. They speak about having 'kind hands' and learn how to show respect to one another. Adults give positive praise, and children feel supported in their learning. This helps children to form positive attitudes about themselves and grow in confidence and self-esteem.

Typically, routines are embedded well. Babies settle quickly as kind adults sing to them. Young children sit together in a small group and listen attentively to a story about animals and fruit. Older children put on their own puddle suits and boots. They learn to lay the table and line up to carry their plates of food carefully. This helps children to learn to focus on what is important and form positive attitudes to learning.

Leaders ensure attendance and punctuality are promoted well. They have sound procedures in place to ensure families feel supported and children are kept safe. All children, including those with SEND and those facing barriers to learning, are encouraged to play together and share. Babies share the toy ladybirds and dig in the sand together. Young children wait their turn and share the animals. Older children roll cars together down the ramp and kick a ball to their friends. This helps children develop important social skills and make new friends.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders prioritise children's welfare and wellbeing. They have ensured recent training about safer eating and weaning is applied well across all rooms. Leaders ensure that children's independence skills are generally developed well. This includes those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who may face barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing. Babies learn to find their own cup and use a spoon to feed themselves. Young children line up and learn to pour their own drinks. Older children follow routines and scrape their food into the bowl. They say green beans are like snakes, and they make them big and strong. Children learn about a healthy diet as they manage their own personal needs. This helps children to make healthy choices, supporting their welfare and wellbeing.

Leaders create a safe place where children can typically flourish and are allowed to be themselves. Leaders work closely with other agencies to ensure any additional needs are usually identified early and these needs are met. Leaders ensure all children, including those with SEND, have daily access to the outside. Babies smile with glee as they crawl over the little wooden bridge and carefully pull themselves up. Young children build towers using soft bricks and giggle as they fall down again. Older children use pens to write their name and laugh as they talk about a worm in the story. All children, including those who may face barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing, feel included and form meaningful relationships with adults and each other.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders have a sound awareness of their setting's context. They understand their strengths and areas for development. Leaders have ensured that staff training is embedded around the new statutory requirements for safer sleep and safer eating. This helps to keep babies and children safe. They have a clear plan to address any inconsistencies in practice, ensuring the curriculum builds on what children already know and can do. Leaders put the needs of all children, including those who may have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), at the forefront of the decisions they make.

Parents speak highly of the support they receive from leaders and staff. They say they appreciate the homely setting and the genuine and approachable staff. Parents generally feel the nursery communicates well, and they enjoy using the home learning bags. Leaders promote oral health and signpost families to local support networks. This helps to maintain positive links with families and enables children's learning to be continued at home. Leaders are reflective and support their staff well. They provide regular and relevant professional training for all staff. They provide regular supervision, which includes targets to help improve staff practice. Leaders follow safer recruitment practices and ensure their induction programme is comprehensive and inclusive. Staff speak highly of the support they receive, particularly around their mental health. They say they feel valued and listened to.

Leaders ensure children, including those with SEND, are typically well prepared for their next stage of learning, including school. Additional funding is used to meet the needs of the specific children. Resources purchased are passed on to the school and used to support a smooth transition. This helps children to settle quickly and form positive attitudes to learning.