The Old Station Nursery - Wellesbourne

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders and staff have a clear understanding of each child's individual needs. They identify children's emerging needs quickly and ensure support is in place to help them make progress in their learning and development. Leaders have introduced effective strategies to help staff further communicate and interact with children. For example, staff use Makaton signs and deliver focused interventions to support children's speech and language development. Leaders and staff work closely with parents and make referrals to other agencies. For example, timely referrals ensure children receive the support they need to help reduce barriers to children's learning and/or wellbeing. As a result, children, including those with any barriers to their learning, receive support that enables them to build confidence and make progress.

Leaders carefully monitor and review additional funding for children who receive this. This is used to support children's learning and development. For example, leaders use this funding to purchase targeted resources, such as a variety of pretend food resources to enhance communication and language. As a result, children benefit from well-chosen support to help them make progress.

While most children remain engaged and supported, staff do not always ensure that all children are consistently supported to participate, to further build on their knowledge and skills to help deepen their understanding.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have designed a well-sequenced curriculum that supports children's knowledge and skills. Communication and language is a key focus across the setting. Staff use stories, books and rhymes to develop children's communication and language skills. They read with animation and excitement, capturing children's attention and modelling vocabulary. Children confidently act out familiar stories, such as 'We're Going on a Bear Hunt', using repeated phrases they have learned to develop their language and recall skills. Furthermore, staff sing familiar songs that children show interest in. This helps children settle, join in and regulate their emotions when they become upset.

Staff support children's physical development effectively. Older children relish being in the outdoor classroom. They balance, climb and swing with confidence. Children, including those who face barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing, eagerly look for worms and other minibeasts, such as beetles, as they work together to roll over logs. They talk to staff about roots they have spotted. Staff explain the importance of roots and how these help trees to grow. However, at times staff do not always extend older children's knowledge and skills about what they know and can do. As a result, some children are not consistently supported to deepen their understanding.

Staff skilfully weave in opportunities to develop children's mathematical skills. For instance, younger children build towers and say 'This is tall', and make shapes in play dough, such as a star. Older children count beyond 20 as they play hide and seek and learn about 'full' and 'empty'. This supports children to develop an understanding of number, shape and measure in meaningful ways.

Achievement: Expected standard

Typically children, including those who face barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing, make progress from their starting points across the early years foundation stage. They learn how living things grow and develop. Children observe chicks break through their shells and take their first steps, sparking curiosity and excitement. They learn to listen attentively as staff explain why some chicks need to remain in the incubator. Children learn vocabulary such as 'incubator, fluffy, wet' and 'dry' as they learn to understand the natural world. As a result, children develop empathy, gain knowledge of life cycles and habitats, and learn how to care for living creatures.

Babies learn to pull themselves up to standing. They persevere and try again when they fall down. Babies learn to use their first words, such as hello, and they learn to copy actions. For example, when babies play with dinosaurs they make them 'stomp'. This helps to prepare them for their next stage of learning. However, as yet, younger children do not have consistent opportunities to develop their growing independence skills, particular at mealtimes.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders and staff have high expectations for all children's behaviour and attitudes. They have developed staff's understanding through targeted training that has upskilled staff's knowledge of managing children's behaviour effectively. Staff consider children's experiences and starting points to help support their development. They help children, including those who face barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing, to feel settled. For example, by using signs as they communicate. As a result, children start the day calmly and engage in play.

Staff support children to develop good manners by encouraging them to say please and thank you. They remind children of the rules, such as using 'kind hands' and kind words. Staff praise children for positive behaviour and tell them they are proud of them. As a result, children feel valued and behave well. Children have developed respect and kindness for each other. They have developed friendships and value spending time with their friends as they play and learn together. This helps children to develop important social skills and understand what is expected of them.

Staff are attentive to children's needs. They tune in to children's interests to help them settle quickly. For example, singing favourite rhymes to help children regulate their emotions. Children are happy and show a sense of emotional security. However, staff have not yet ensured that opportunities to strengthen children's independence are consistently embedded. Leaders place a high importance on attendance and punctuality. They check in with families and monitor attendance regularly. This helps to ensure positive habits for future success and readiness for school.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders have implemented policies and procedures to ensure all children's welfare and wellbeing are met. They develop respectful relationships with all children. Leaders have created a safe, welcoming environment for all babies and children. Babies use their first words to say 'hello' and older children talk about their experiences at the nursery. Staff gather information from parents about their children's individual needs, including dietary requirements, sleeping and toileting routines and health needs.

All children build warm and secure attachments to their key persons. They seek out adults for reassurance and comfort if they become upset. Staff support children to manage their emotions and offer cuddles through their gentle approach.

All children enjoy their mealtimes. They chat with each other and use their manners, such as please and thank you. Children wash their hands and independently find their photos at tables so they know where they need to sit. They feed themselves using forks or spoons as they enjoy mashed potato and mushroom and bean casserole. Generally, staff support younger children as they scoop up their food to feed themselves. However, staff do not yet consistently support children to develop their independence skills during mealtimes. They step in too quickly when children show signs that they are ready to feed themselves. This limits children's self-care skills and confidence.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Since the last inspection, a new leadership team has been established. This has had a positive impact on the setting. Leaders have a clear understanding of the setting's strengths and the priorities for improvement. Following concerns identified through risk assessment, leaders have taken immediate steps to ensure policies and procedures, including any risk assessments, are clear through consistent monitoring, including carrying out daily checks, supervisions and support, feedback and targeted training. Leaders remain visible and present, providing oversight that promotes a safe and continually improving environment.

Leaders are committed and passionate. They place all children and families at the heart of their practice. Staff wellbeing is a priority and staff value the support leaders provide. They appreciate the opportunities to develop their practice even further. For example, staff have recently completed training on identifying and managing children's behaviours. This has deepened their knowledge and understanding and helped improve their practice.

Parents comment that their children are happy at the setting and have made progress in their learning and development. They appreciate the regular communication shared through the setting's app, including photos and guidance on how to support learning at home. In addition, leaders and staff work in collaboration with other professionals to ensure children receive the support they need. Leaders have implemented their 'next stop' school readiness programme to prepare children for their eventual move to school. This ensures that children experience a smooth and supported transition.