The Old Rectory Nursery

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders and staff ensure that they build solid professional relationships and know each child and family and their needs well. Staff use accurate observations, which enable them to assess and swiftly identify emerging needs for children who may have special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who may face other barriers to their learning or wellbeing. Effective liaison with parents, carers and professionals enables the right support for children and families when they need it. Staff follow a process to review and make plans to help children to continue to thrive and make the progress they need.

Staff ensure that the environment and routines are considered to enable all children to feel included to access the learning they need and fully engage in life at the nursery. They make adaptations to ensure that the range of learning resources is appropriate for children's use, considering their stage of development and include a range of additional resources and experiences to reflect diverse communities. Leaders understand that when additional funding is received, this is agreed with parents and used to directly benefit the development of children who receive it. Staff have close relationships with key children. They are alert to any changes that may impact their wellbeing. Staff make adaptations or amend what is needed to quickly reduce any barriers that children may face.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

The nursery curriculum is ambitious, and leaders ensure that expectations are high for what children can achieve, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or who may face other barriers to their learning. Staff use the information they gain from parents and their observations and assessments of children's learning precisely to decide what children are ready to learn next. Staff are resourceful and use opportunities throughout the activities, play experiences and routines to include the learning for each child. For example, older babies use one or two words when speaking with staff. Staff repeat what children say, adding an additional word for children to hear and use. Staff use regular stories, songs, rhymes, as well as conversation to engage children in using their speaking voices. As a result, children continue to build on their vocabulary and understanding. Pre-school children use their well-developed sentence structure and continually increasing vocabulary to talk about what interests them, such as the types of dinosaurs they know and whether they can fly.

Children develop skills that lead to independence in a range of ways. Staff provide opportunities for children to practise, such as when dressing themselves, washing their hands and serving food. Children benefit from taking the time to practise these tasks to try and try again. However, there are times when staff offer support a little too quickly, which hinders children's ability to work things out for themselves.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children develop the range of skills and understanding they need to help them be ready for the next stage of learning. Staff use simple signing alongside words during their interactions with children. This helps to support their understanding and communication for children who are not yet speaking. The youngest children can follow simple instructions, such as to collect toys and bring them to put away when asked. Older children build increasing independence. They learn to manage tasks for themselves well, for example using the bathroom and washing their hands. Children feel valued and have opportunities to vote and make choices about which stories they hear. Babies develop the physical skills and strength they need. They skilfully crawl at speed across the space to use the well-placed furniture or nearby fencing to make attempts to pull themselves to standing. Older children are eager to set the table for their friends or work together to clear away. However, children do not always benefit from enough time to make attempts and work out how to do things for themselves, such as serving their meals or washing their hands when they are capable. This is because, at times, staff step in too quickly before waiting to see what children might try next.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Kindness and respectful behaviours are of high priority, which leaders ensure is threaded throughout the nursery. Staff model these behaviours with each other and with children consistently. Staff have close relationships with children and know them well. This enables them to purposefully amend activities to include opportunities that support children's understanding, such as how to share, take turns or how to help others. This supports children who may face barriers to their learning or wellbeing. For example, when dressing dolls, staff include older children to help and show others how to put the trousers on a doll, feeding the feet through first. Staff use manners at appropriate times, and children respond well to gentle reminders of when to use their good manners. Children receive ample praise, which helps them to know these are the behaviours that are expected of them.

Older children learn how to keep themselves safe when using the equipment in the pre-school. Staff demonstrate and explain how tools are to be used and how to put them away. Children know how to follow routines that keep them safe, such as waiting for an adult by the gate when moving to play inside. Regular attendance is encouraged to help form these routines for children and their families as children move on to school. Staff use a range of stories, play resources and discussion to help children learn about their emotions and how the emotions of others may differ from their own. Older children recognise when their peers are feeling sad and offer a cuddle or a toy to their friend.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

The positive relationships that leaders and staff have with parents and their children enable them to provide for children's individual needs. Staff are alert to children's emotional wellbeing and provide the support that children need. Children know they will receive comfort and cuddles and genuine care from staff when they go to them. They rest their heads on staff's shoulders when they are tired. The nursery's procedures are robust to ensure that children eat safely, sleep safely and are kept safe in all other aspects of the setting.

Staff help children to understand about living a healthy lifestyle. They talk with children about the food they eat and about how it is healthy for them. They plan to grow some vegetables in their small allotment to help deepen this understanding of where some foods come from. Children have great fun while they exert their energy in the outdoor space. For example, they run up and down, giggling with their friends. Staff help children who are new to the setting to join in with their peers and follow the actions as they march and stomp, using their arms and legs. This helps strengthen their muscles and coordination. Children are keen to share their understanding of the importance of washing their hands is to remove the germs to keep their tummies healthy.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders use their knowledge of children and their families to make appropriate decisions about the running of the nursery. They ensure that strong professional relationships are formed to enable them to meet the needs of all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and where there may be other barriers to learning and wellbeing.

Leaders understand where the setting's strengths are and accurately identify areas to continue to strengthen among the staff team. They ensure that staff receive the training they need to fulfil their duties and responsibilities and keep their knowledge current. They provide training and guidance as they continue to improve practice around consistency in promoting independence. Leaders recognise and provide the ongoing support that is required and provide regular time for staff to reflect on their practice and professional development.

Staff workload is considered well to ensure that the time spent with children is maximised for children to benefit from their time in the setting. Staff provide support and guidance for parents to help them work with their children on what they need to learn over time and to prepare for their eventual move on to school.