The Wendy House Nursery

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders and staff know children well and establish an inclusive culture, overall. They have developed their understanding of how to support children with emerging needs and special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff understand children's varying starting points. They recognise the importance of identifying children's needs through careful assessment and putting plans in place to support them. On occasion, there is a lack of consistency in adapting activities to meet children's next steps in learning, such as to help children in their memory and recall of mathematical concepts.

Leaders work closely with parents and carers to use funding purposely, for example, to provide additional outings, hot meals and different consumable materials. This enables children to feel valued and to benefit from nursery life. Support for children who speak English as an additional language is developing well, especially for them to feel settled and to understand daily routines. There is effective partnership working with other agencies, for example, to provide continued support for those children previously known to social care. Leaders know to share emerging concerns and seek advice and support, for example, from health visitors.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have designed a broad and balanced curriculum with careful consideration of the context of the nursery and those children who attend, for example its rural community. Leaders' intentions are clear. For example, they focus on children's personal, social and emotional development and school readiness. There is an emphasis on children developing early attachments and regulating their emotions. Staff understand that children need to feel safe and secure before their learning can flourish. Children with emerging needs, those learning English as an additional language and those previously known to social care receive essential support to help them engage in nursery life.

Staff typically support children's development well and use accurate assessments to identify children's next steps in learning. However, the quality of teaching is not yet consistent. Occasionally, staff do not use their knowledge of children's next steps in learning to adapt activities to help children progress even further, such as in their mathematical knowledge. Staff have attended training and are developing these skills, for example, to be more consistent in supporting children's communication and language skills with consistently high-quality interactions.

Younger children thrive in a calm environment, where they develop secure attachments with familiar adults. They develop a love for the outdoors, developing excellent physical skills. Children confidently climb onto ride-on toys, propelling themselves on the different surfaces. When children fall off, they brush themselves down, remount and continue unfazed, showing great resilience.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children achieve well, overall. Children with emerging needs make progress through tailored support, such as to re-engage in activities, sit for a story and regulate their emotions. For example, children show great curiosity in the story of 'Stick Man' during a group activity. They ask meaningful questions, listening and responding in turn-taking conversations. Most children develop the communication and language skills needed for later learning. Young children express themselves well, for example signing that they would like 'more' snack. Older children lead their learning and are highly motivated. For example, they communicate clearly that they would like to paint houses next. They respond well to questions, making decisions about what colour paint they would like. Children listen to their friends and talk about the similarities and differences between their homes and learn the names of features, such as 'chimney'. Children confidently talk about their creations, for example how they have painted a bicycle in the garage.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Staff think carefully how to re-engage children so that they develop a positive attitude to their learning. For example, children are encouraged to find a desired resource to take outside to rejoin their friends. Staff are calm and repeat instructions. For example, they help children to share and take turns with the shapes, building collaboration and negotiation skills. Children confidently comply because of these trusting relationships.

Leaders develop an effective attendance policy, which is well understood. They are flexible in their approach and adapt routines successfully to help children attend. Leaders carefully monitor any unexplained or frequent absences. They work in partnership with other agencies to support children's regular attendance.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Children build bonds with familiar adults, who know them well. Through effective partnerships with parents and carers, staff meet children's individual care needs successfully, particularly for the youngest children. Young children receive loving exchanges, reassurance and comfort when unfamiliar adults enter the room. Children develop an early understanding of health and physical wellbeing. There are lots of opportunities for children to be outside and active. This includes weekly forestry, beach and swimming activities, where children develop an understanding of personal safety.

Children develop a secure sense of emotional wellbeing. Staff support children who find it more difficult to regulate their emotions. For example, they use stories and puppets to help children to gain a better understanding of their feelings. Staff use calm spaces well, and agreed handovers with parents enable children to settle into routines without undue stress.

Generally, mealtimes are a social occasion with lots of opportunities to recall previous learning and to explore their own ideas. Children eat healthily and willingly try new things. They gain excellent independence, for example using safety knives to prepare their fruit and refilling their water bottles from the dispenser. Young children love their food. Staff have sensitively adapted practice so that young children do not overfill their mouths to avoid choking.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders continue to evaluate the provision for children following the previous inspection. They continue to engage with the local authority's support team to embed training and to provide continuously high-quality care and education for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff work closely with parents and carers and share information about their children's care and learning. They promptly put strategies in place when children's emerging needs arise. Parents feel listened to and value the support leaders and staff offer during these times, such as ideas for home learning and consistent behaviour strategies.

Leaders demonstrate a clear understanding of the nursery's strengths and where improvements could be made. They have improved the arrangements for regular supervision meetings and have introduced peer-on-peer observations to share effective practice. Staff feel well supported and that their workloads are manageable. Professional development is ongoing. Staff have attended training, and this is beginning to embed, although there are some inconsistencies in the quality of teaching and interactions.