The Park Nursery

Inclusion: Urgent improvement

The curriculum, teaching and the environment for learning are not consistently effective in supporting all children particularly with barriers to their learning. Leaders do not ensure staff are able to identify, assess and put plans in place for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff do not identify and make timely referrals for children to relevant agencies to ensure that swift interventions are made to prevent children from falling behind in their learning.

Leaders do not typically monitor children's progress and review where support is needed for children with barriers to learning. Although, Leaders identify some support that some children need to help reduce barriers to learning and wellbeing, staff work with parents to discuss strategies to support children. However, they do not implement this quickly enough. Some staff do not identify discrete signs and changes in children's behaviour that indicate gaps in their development or learning. The lack of effective assessments to identify children needing further support impacts on staff's ability to know what children already can do and how to move them on in their learning. Despite this, staff are aware of professional agencies they can work with to give support to those children in need.

Curriculum and teaching: Urgent improvement

The curriculum design is weak, and leaders have not had sufficient oversight of what children are learning. Without effective leadership, staff have lost confidence in their abilities and cannot explain sufficiently how their teaching helps children to progress. Staff are not always clear on what they expect children to learn. This means that children do not experience teaching that helps them to build on what they already know. Sometimes, they lack meaningful engagement and enjoyment in their learning.

Children who are more quiet and less likely to join activities do not experience suitable interaction to support their development, and so they do not gain skills to help them to progress. Staff do not support children's communication and language development well enough. Children are not provided with tailored interactions to support individual language development; children are either not spoken to or asked questions that are too complex for them to understand. Although children mostly engage in independent play, such as cooking in the mud kitchen as they gather leaves and water to make dinner, they engage more keenly when staff join them. Despite these interactions, staff are not familiar with the children they are working with and, therefore, unable to support children's learning. The curriculum is not ambitious for all children, and the lack of effective planning results in incidental learning at best.

Achievement: Urgent improvement

Children are not developing the skills and knowledge that they need to advance in their learning. Children are not progressing well enough across all areas of learning. Activities are not motivating children's learning, and they quickly move from one activity to another. However, children collaborate and cooperate with each other and build on one another's ideas. For example, at the water play, exploring the different-sized pots for quantity. Although there is a large garden space, this is not set up to support all aspects of children's development. For example, older children are able to use bikes to develop their physical skills but very little else is available for them.

Some older children begin to develop skills ready for school, particularly independence. The youngest babies are supported to develop language skills through songs and rhymes. They develop their physical skills as they move around activities that are set up at different heights and strengthen their leg muscles. They enjoy singing and music time and join in with familiar songs. Babies benefit from hearing language as staff introduce new words to extend their vocabulary.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

The nursery has a key-person system in place, which is communicated to parents. Children are settled and play well together. Children are confident to speak to visitors, and they trust adults that work in the nursery.

Generally, leaders and staff have created a positive culture where children learn and play harmoniously. Leaders and staff recognise the importance of establishing robust routines to help children feel safe and secure. Staff support children to understand what is happening next, for example babies find their shoes once they have sun cream in preparation for outdoors, and older children eagerly find their hats to protect them from the hot sun.

Typically, staff are positive role models. They teach children to be kind and caring towards each other and how to use manners, such as saying 'please' and 'thank you' when giving out food. Leaders know the importance of punctuality and good attendance and the benefits of these for the children. There are policies in place to ensure that children benefit from regular attendance at the setting.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Children have an effective bond with staff and demonstrate they feel safe and secure. Leaders have developed a key-person system that ensures that children are settled and happy with all staff. Routines are in place for babies to ensure that their need for consistent engagement, care and support is met. Babies and toddlers are sensitively encouraged to rest and sleep, helping them to wake refreshed and ready to engage in play and exploration. All staff's interactions are considerate and respectful to children. As a result, children learn to show care and concern for each other. Children are increasingly sociable when they play together. Staff model how to share, and they praise children warmly when they copy.

Leaders and staff have embedded consistent hygiene practices. Children eagerly wash their hands before meals, and the youngest children are asked permission to change their nappies. Children benefit from healthy meals cooked on site for the children. Discussions about healthy and less healthy foods are effective during lunchtime routines, and interactions between staff and children are meaningful, as children eagerly talk with staff about the vegetables they like and how the pasta will give them energy. Staff remind children to keep hydrated during the very hot weather. Children benefit from a large garden where they develop their physical skills, riding bikes, chasing and dancing with musical instruments.

Leadership and governance: Urgent improvement

Leaders do not meet their responsibility to ensure effective day-to-day running of the setting and to keep children safe. They do not have effective oversight to meet the learning and development requirements of the early years foundation stage, which negatively impacts the care and education of all children. Leaders do not target professional development precisely enough to provide children with the high-quality care and learning they deserve.

Leaders do not have a suitable understanding of what they need to do to improve. They know what it is that they want the children to learn and how this should be delivered, but this is not done in practice as their assessment of the provision is not accurate. Staff have supervision meetings and complete training; staff are supported to gain qualifications to enhance their careers. Leaders do support staff's emotional wellbeing and have regular discussions with them to check how they can further support this. Leaders and staff engage with parents. They share some information about how they can support their children at home, for example guidance on potty training.