The Den Nursery Ltd

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders and staff are committed to ensuring that the setting has a strong culture of inclusion where every child's needs are recognised and quickly acted upon. They are committed to meeting the individual needs of all children, including those who experience disadvantage. Staff attend training to help them understand how to identify and support children's needs. They continually observe and review children's development, using the information obtained about individual children to plan appropriate next steps for children to help them progress.

Leaders and staff work closely with parents and other professionals to consistently overcome any barriers to children's learning and development. Staff make adaptations to ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language can fully participate in activities. They use picture cards, visual timetables and provide simple instructions. This helps children understand what is happening now and next and supports them to understand routines and access the full curriculum.

Additional funding, such as pupil premium and inclusion funding, is strategically used to support the individual children who receive it. Leaders work with parents to identify the resources and equipment that can be purchased to aid children's specific development needs. Leaders monitor the impact of funding carefully, ensuring that the use of the resources and equipment purchased has a positive impact.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders and staff provide a child-centred curriculum with a clear focus on supporting children to become confident and independent learners. This helps children communicate their needs and develop their knowledge and understanding of the world around them. Staff complete assessments of children's abilities and use this information to plan what children need to learn next. They use advice from other professionals to ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language receive the correct support to enable them to make progress in their learning and development.

Children are well supported with their communication and language development. During an activity to make volcanos, staff model new words for children to copy, such as 'lava', 'explode' and 'erupt'. They help children extend their vocabulary by repeating words that children say to them, modelling them in a full sentence.

Staff support and encourage children to problem-solve. When a volcano that the children had made did not erupt, staff encouraged them to check that they had added the correct ingredients. They helped children identify that they needed more of a certain ingredient. However, staff do not always support children's mathematical skills consistently. They directed the children to add 2 teaspoons of an ingredient to the volcano. However, they did not support the children in counting and adding the correct amount. This means that children are not consistently learning about the link between numbers and quantities.

Achievement: Expected standard

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language, develop a positive attitude to learning and make progress from their individual starting points. Children are developing good hygiene skills and understand that they need to wash their hands before eating. They are confident to peel fruit such as oranges and bananas, and use knifes safely to cut up apples for their snack. Children show an interest in looking at books. They hold books with care as they look at pictures and know that text has meaning. They take their favourite books to adults, eager to listen to them being read. Children sing number rhymes and hear language in relation to size, position and weight. However, their learning and development in mathematics are not as secure as in other aspects of the curriculum, as the teaching of mathematics is not consistent. Overall, children are developing the skills that they need for their next stage of learning.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders successfully promote the regular, punctual attendance of children. They work with parents to support them to understand the benefits of early education. Where there are barriers to attendance, leaders make adaptations, such as varying children's hours so that children access the early education that they are entitled to.

Children thrive in the nursery's welcoming atmosphere. Activities are organised in a way to ensure that children have the space to enjoy some quieter calmer moments. Children sit cuddled up to staff inside a den looking at books, away from the business of the main room. Children concentrate for considerable lengths of time as they take part in activities that engage them.

Staff support children of different ages and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to share resources and take turns during group activities and games. Overall, staff model positive behaviour well. Children are generally well behaved. They listen to and follow instructions successfully. Staff praise children and this helps build their confidence. Although staff offer consistent reminders about the rules and boundaries in place, there are times when they do not support children to understand why the rules and boundaries are needed. This means that children do not fully understand the consequences of their actions and how their behaviour can affect others.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Positive key-person relationships are quickly established. This supports children to feel safe and secure. Leaders and staff know children and their families well. They recognise any changes to the circumstances of the children and their families. Staff take swift action and offer any support needed to keep children safe and healthy. Staff work with parents when children first start to ensure that they understand how to provide a healthy and balanced diet for their children. As a result, children are provided with a healthy lunch. Mealtimes are sociable. Staff encourage conversation between children and the use of good manners at the dinner table. Children are closely supervised to ensure they remain safe as they eat.

Staff adapt routines effectively for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language. They use 'now and next' picture cards so children can anticipate and prepare for changes. This supports the children to participate in activities such as getting ready to go outside. Staff are tuned in to children's emotional needs. When children are hesitant to join in with group activities, they offer them additional focused support and encouragement.

All children who attend the nursery are becoming increasingly independent. Toddlers follow instructions to fetch their shoes and coats, and pre-school children confidently dress themselves to go outside. Children take part in daily toothbrushing after eating their snack. Older children recall that by brushing your teeth you get rid of the sugar and bacteria that cause tooth decay. Staff have worked with parents to ensure that they understand how to encourage effective oral hygiene routines for their children at home.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders are dedicated to ensuring that the setting provides the best possible opportunities for the children and families from the local community that use it. They use feedback and self-evaluation accurately to identify strengths and opportunities for development. Since the last inspection, leaders have ensured that staff have received training in promoting children's speech and language. This has helped ensure that correct support is given to aid the communication development of children who speak English as an additional language. Leaders recognise that there are some inconsistencies in the delivery of the curriculum for mathematics and that support is needed to ensure that staff understand how to deliver the curriculum for mathematics consistently. All staff comment that they work well as part of a team and feel well supported through regular supervision and team meetings. Their workload is well managed.

Leaders understand the importance of working in partnership with parents and other professionals to ensure that the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who experience disadvantage are met. This helps reduce barriers to children's learning and supports them to make progress. Parent speak positively about the relationships that they have with the leaders and staff and that they welcome the help and support offered by them.