Tamba Beckton

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders and staff know children well, especially children who have barriers to their learning or have special educational needs and/or disabilities. They take swift action in identifying and assessing their ongoing needs. Leaders pride themselves on their reflective practice. They ask for and implement advice from specialists and external partners, including the local authority's area special educational needs coordinator. Leaders take action to reduce barriers that children face to learning. For example, staff use a variety of Makaton signs to support children to understand what is expected of them. Children are also encouraged to use these signs to help express themselves. As a result, both children and staff are able to be understood, which minimises frustrations.

Leaders work in conjunction with families, specialists, children and key people to create individualised support plans to promote children's development. These effective plans ensure that children make progress. On occasion, strategies highlighted, such as supporting children in small groups, are not consistently implemented. As a result, at times, some children are not making significant progress in their learning.

Leaders have high expectations for all children. They use early years pupil premium effectively. Leaders assess how the funding is used and the impact it makes to disadvantaged children. For example, leaders invest funding in supporting children's physical development and noticed a marked improvement in this area of learning.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have developed an ambitious curriculum that focuses on children's communication and language skills. The nursery is a language-rich environment that comes alive with song and laughter. Children explore words and language in a playful manner. They love to sing and dance, join in with storytelling and create new worlds in their imaginative play. Staff skilfully use repetition and comment on children's play to build their vocabulary. This, coupled with clear imagery and high-quality interactions, ensures children develop their language and communications skills well.

Leaders and staff create an inclusive culture to teaching and learning. Through well-established relationships, staff plan experiences which are purposeful and children enjoy. Learning is not left to chance. Leaders design a curriculum that builds on their prior knowledge. As a result, children develop a positive attitude to learning, including those with barriers to their learning. However, at times, staff do not allow children to take risks in their play and problem solve. This leads to some children becoming over reliant on staff instruction and not extending their thinking.

Mathematics is taught appropriately for the age-and-stage of development of the children. Older children enjoy recognising the numerals and ordering them. Younger children wait in anticipation as staff count down from 3 before they glide down the slide. Children develop confidence in using mathematical vocabulary. They use language of comparison as they discuss who has collected the most beads.

Achievement: Expected standard

In general, children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, sail forward from their starting points through the nursery's curriculum. They have the essential knowledge and skills needed for future success. Gaps in children's knowledge are swiftly addressed. Their physical development is supported. Younger children learn about their body parts and their uses. They take their first steps, learn how to avoid obstacles and bounce up and down. Older children run, jump and climb with ease. They independently access a variety of mark-making equipment, developing the small muscles in their hands. As a result, children make steady progress in physical development. On occasion, leaders do not ensure the small steps are taught and practised. This means that sometimes, children do not make rapid progress in physical development.

Typically, children who face challenges in their lives, such as disadvantaged children and those known to social care, keep pace with other children in their learning. This is because of the skilful support and teaching that staff provide based on what children need to remember or understand.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders create a positive environment with commonly understood expectations for behaviour. They have high expectations for behaviour. Clear monitoring for patterns and trends enable leaders to identify routines that do not support positive behaviour. Leaders and staff ensure the nursery's 'golden rules' are well established and accessible to all. As children progress through the curriculum, the expectations increase. The 'golden rules' are clearly displayed and referenced to. As a result, children are well behaved. They share, listen to others and cooperate in their play.

Staff build warm and positive relationships with both the children and their families. Leaders are flexible with the allocation of key persons to meet the needs of the children. Parents and carers comment positively on the nurturing relationships that staff create. Through these important relationships that children develop feelings of security and trust.

Staff teach children about different types of emotions, however younger children are not supported to identify the emotion they are feeling. As a result, some younger children are not able to label their emotions and understand how that emotion affects their body.

Routines are embedded well. A consistent approach across the nursery is used to support transitions. For example, the same song and associated signs is used for tidy-up time in babies, toddlers and pre-school. The impact on children's behaviour is extremely positive. Children sing the song and join in the actions as it is a continuous part of their everyday routines. As a result, children feel safe and know what is expected of them.

Children enjoy coming to nursery and attend regularly. Leaders monitor this closely to ensure children remain safe.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders ensure robust policies and procedures are followed. Children remain safe and have their personal, social and emotional needs supported. Leaders generally reflect on the effectiveness of their practice to meet children's individual needs. For example, leaders adapt the layout of the baby room to ensure children have enough space to support their emerging needs.

Overall, leaders and staff act as good role models. They promote a positive culture in which relationships are sensitive and responsive. Leaders work tirelessly to ensure that communication with parents and carers is effective. Through these fostered relationships, leaders support families to participate in the full life of the nursery. Parents and carers attend workshops and cross site trips. Children delight in seeing their families participating in nursery life. This builds on their feelings of emotional security and belonging.

Safer sleep and eating practices are adopted. Children are closely monitored when eating and provided with a well-balanced and nutritious menu. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities are exposed to a healthy and varied diet. Staff typically use mealtimes to support children's independence. Children serve their food, pour their water and eat independently. Helpers from each age range support with the setting of the tables and bringing in the trolley. Older children spend time in the baby room, acting as positive role models. These additional activities help children to develop a sense of pride and responsibility.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders are passionate about ensuring their staff feel valued and their workload is manageable. Leaders understand that a workforce which is supported means better outcomes for children. Staff comment on how well they are supported to meet the needs of the children. Comprehensive induction processes and ongoing training means that children benefit from well-trained staff. Leaders adopt incentives to motivate their team, which has resulted in a longstanding workforce.

Leaders provide regular, relevant and appropriate professional learning. They work with the local authority and external providers to identify training needs and action them. For example, leaders work hard to establish clear visuals throughout the setting to support children's understanding, especially children with barriers to their learning. As a result, staff are able to access visuals both in the nursery and in the garden, thus supporting children's understanding more effectively. They have a clear vision for the setting which incorporates the children's, staff's and family's needs. On occasion, the monitoring of strategies to support all children during small group times are inconsistent. This means that some strategies are not consistently effective.

Leaders know the strengths of the setting and the context of the families who attend. They develop close relationships with their feeder school. Leaders invite school staff to attend the nursery and meet children who are about to start. As a result, children typically transition smoothly out of the nursery.