Swineford Nursery and Preschool Ltd

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders ensure that they identify children's individual needs early through observation, assessment and close communication with families and professionals. They take purposeful action to reduce barriers to children's learning and wellbeing. They do this by providing support and through adjusting and adapting the environment to promote full inclusion. Leaders recognise that transitions impact on some children's emotional wellbeing so they work with parents and carers to ensure that this is done at the time that meets the needs of children. Leaders and staff monitor children's progress carefully. They have regular reviews to assess the impact of interventions and to help them to target children's next steps. Leaders access training to help them ensure that their practice is inclusive. This enables them to work confidently with external agencies, such as health visitors, speech and language therapists and social care teams.

Leaders and staff form effective relationships with children's families. This ensures that support plans and opportunities reflect each child's needs. Leaders work with staff and parents to ensure that additional funding is used thoughtfully to enhance outcomes for the children it is intended for. For example, they have purchased resources that help children to get the physical stimulation that they need, and some children benefit from smaller ratios or one-to-one support. Leaders evaluate the difference this funding makes.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have designed a curriculum to meet all areas of the learning and development requirements. They offer a broad range of experiences that build children's knowledge over time. Staff focus on supporting babies to feel safe and secure as they recognise that when babies are confident and secure, they can learn. They purposefully develop children's language skills, modelling and encouraging communication throughout the nursery. For example, staff encourage younger children to tell stories using props, encouraging them to talk about the characters and building on their imaginations. They weave mathematical language naturally into play, prompting children to talk about shape, size and position as older children work together to solve puzzles.

Leaders prioritise children's physical development, ensuring that children have daily opportunities for exercise. Older children climb with confidence while younger children speed around the garden on ride-on toys. Teaching is adapted sensitively according to children's needs. Those with barriers to learning receive targeted support from staff through their interactions. Staff use assessment effectively to understand what children know and can do. However, leaders have not focused the delivery of the curriculum more precisely for the older children. For example, they do not consistently help children to become more independent at meeting their own needs in preparation for the next stage in their learning.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children make appropriate progress from their starting points, particularly in their communication and language, where they learn to express themselves clearly and confidently communicate their needs. Children learn to listen and follow instructions. They develop sustained focus and concentration. For example, older children focus as they work together to complete puzzles. They show determination, problem-solving skills and the ability to stay on task.

Children who face barriers to their learning, such as children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, achieve well from their starting points because they access learning opportunities that reflect their needs. Overall, children build foundations for their next stage, including school, as they become confident and interested in learning. However, children do not become more independent. Children make their own choices about where they would like to play and develop friendships as they play imaginatively with their friends. Children of all ages enjoy stories and demonstrate that they can listen and focus.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Staff and leaders form warm and trusting relationships with children. This helps children to feel safe, and they communicate their needs with confidence. Leaders and staff set clear expectations for children's behaviour. They remind children of these expectations throughout the day. This helps children to understand and follow rules and boundaries. As a result, children listen well, follow instructions and behave positively throughout the day. When children struggle to manage their feelings, staff intervene calmly and redirect them to prevent situations from escalating. Staff encourage children to take turns and be respectful towards their peers. For instance, they remind children to not snatch toys, and they role model being kind.

Leaders work closely with families to promote regular attendance and establish routines that help children to develop positive attitudes towards learning. They work with parents and carers to reduce barriers to children's learning through offering flexible sessions, according to the needs of the family. Leaders use additional funding to provide some children with opportunities to attend more frequently.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Staff build close and nurturing relationships with children through the key-person system. Staff are emotionally available, offering reassurance and responding quickly to children's cues. They follow care practices that are designed to put children's welfare first. For example, staff adapt sleep routines in the baby room so they match each child's home routine. This helps babies to settle calmly. Babies form deep attachments with staff.

Leaders and staff ensure that children have lots of opportunities to have fresh air and to develop their physical skills through a range of indoor and outdoor activities. Babies develop their control as they tip and pour oats between containers. They climb on soft shapes, which helps them to learn how to keep themselves safe while taking age-appropriate risks. Leaders could support staff to encourage older children to be more independent at meeting their needs.

Leaders share information with parents and carers to support them to keep their children safe online. Children who have barriers to their learning form secure relationships with their key person, and they demonstrate feeling secure. For example, they explore the environment with their key person close by to support them should they need it. Leaders work with other professionals to provide families with support. Across the nursery, children show that they feel safe, cared for and valued.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders provide a clear vision for the setting and work diligently to ensure that children's needs are at the centre of practice. They support staff well and recognise there are some areas in the nursery that they need to focus on. They are beginning to put plans in place to strengthen practice in these areas. For instance, they recognise that they need to focus on developing the pre-school room to further strengthen and improve children's independence.

Leaders take part in additional training to strengthen their skills to benefit children. They attend meetings with other professionals to ensure that the right support is in place for children and their families, and they act on advice promptly. This helps children with special educational needs and/or disabilities or who face barriers to learning to receive a coordinated support.

Leaders are flexible and adapt routines, staffing and provision so that children's individual needs are met. They provide staff with support to manage workloads and training, and they monitor the quality of care and education. Leaders build positive relationships with families and communicate openly. They ensure that parents and carers feel listened to and supported. Parents reflect positively on the support that their children and families receive.