Unicorn Day Nursery

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders endeavour to plan and implement a curriculum that is inclusive and accessible to every child. Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is effective. Leaders and staff use ongoing assessment and observations of children's play to swiftly identify children who may face barriers to their learning. Leaders work in partnership with other professionals to gain additional support when needed, promoting the learning and development of children with SEND.

Leaders and staff adapt activities and provide focused support to meet the individual needs of children with SEND. Staff have attended relevant training with other professionals to support and promote children's language and communication skills. For example, staff use visual timetables and picture cues to support children who need extra help to understand and follow nursery routines. This also helps children learning English as an additional language to understand and feel included, reducing the barriers they face to learning.

Leaders have used additional funding creatively to support and broaden the learning experiences of disadvantaged children. Staff understand that some children learn better outside, and a climbing wall and frame were added to the garden area. This promotes outdoor play opportunities and the physical development of children who may have less time to do this away from the setting. A sensory room supports children who face emotional barriers to their learning. Staff recognise when children may need quiet time to talk or help regulate their emotions. This promotes positive outcomes for children's behaviour and wellbeing.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders and staff work collectively to monitor the progress all children make. They check what children know, understand and can do, ensuring that each child makes progress from their individual starting points. Despite the lack of a clear key-person system, staff sequence learning opportunities to reflect the individual needs of children. Staff understand what children need to achieve at different ages and stages of their development. They interact with children as they play alongside them, supporting and consolidating their learning, helping them to make progress. Staff make timely adaptations to activities and learning opportunities to support accessibility for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This encourages their participation in learning, promoting their progress.

Children's communication and language development is generally prioritised by leaders. For example, staff share songs and stories with children throughout their daily routines. They introduce new words during play, such as 'tall' and 'tumble' as towers of bricks children build fall. This typically promotes children's language skills well.

Staff generally introduce the curriculum for mathematics through play opportunities, both indoors and outdoors. For example, children sing nursery rhymes, fill and empty containers with sand and draw and name simple shapes. These experiences help children begin to recognise mathematical concepts and practise their counting skills.

Achievement: Expected standard

Overall, children acquire the knowledge and skills they need at different ages and stages of their development, preparing them well for future learning. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities achieve well because of early identification and swift intervention that promotes their learning and development.

Children enjoy their learning and develop inquisitiveness and curiosity about the world around them, for example when hunting for bugs in the outdoor garden. They benefit from practical experiences that enrich their learning, for instance through visits to local farms and zoos.

Children use their developing language and communication skills to express themselves and talk about their thoughts. For example, older children talk about how eating carrots and swede will help them to grow big and strong. Babies babble and learn first words as they point to the pages in books that staff read to them. Children who speak English as an additional language move from using single words to sharing their thoughts and ideas confidently in short sentences.

Children develop important independence and social skills through the setting's routines. For example, they are learning how to follow the 'golden rules', such as helping to take care of their environment by tidying away toys.

Children develop an understanding of mathematical concepts and counting skills. For example, they sort objects by colour and learn early counting when singing nursery rhymes. These skills help children to become ready for their move to school.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Children generally behave well and demonstrate positive attitudes towards learning. Children respectfully follow the setting's 'golden rules' and routines and the instructions given to them by staff. Staff typically establish support for children's behaviour. For example, they remind children to use 'kind hands' and share toys when playing with their friends.

Staff are positive role models for behaviour, interacting with children respectfully and modelling polite behaviour. Staff recognise when children with special educational needs and/or disabilities need help to follow routines. For example, they share information and give timely reminders to children when activities are coming to an end to help them understand what will happen next. This builds a sense of security and inclusion.

Typically, children demonstrate enjoyment and engagement in learning. For example, when drawing and colouring pictures of their friends and family, children show perseverance to complete the task. Staff recognise and praise this achievement, building confidence and self-esteem in children.

Children learn to take turns, listen to others and share resources with their friends. Staff talk to children about making the right choices that help to keep them safe while playing. For example, children respond by patiently waiting until the climbing wall is clear and ready for them to have a turn. This promotes positive behaviour and children's safety.

Leaders and staff support parents to understand the importance of children attending the setting, regularly and on time. Leaders follow up on any unexplained absences promptly to ensure that children are safe. This helps to establish positive routines that promote children's attendance and the progress they make.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Needs attention

Children's welfare and safety are not consistently prioritised by leaders and staff as children are not always supervised safely. For example, children make independent choices about their play, moving freely from outside to inside play, entering rooms that are unsupervised by adults. Therefore, children are out of sight and hearing of staff, and this does not promote their wellbeing and safety effectively.

The key-person system is not implemented effectively to support children within the setting. For example, some staff are unaware of who their key children are. This does not ensure that every child's care is tailored to meet their individual needs or that positive relationships are built with children and parents and/or carers.

Generally, routines and care practice are implemented across the nursery effectively. Children learn good personal hygiene, such as washing their hands before eating and disposing of tissues hygienically after wiping their own noses. Staff consider the individual needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. For example, they recognise when children would benefit from quiet time, in a dedicated sensory area, away from noise and activity.

Leaders recognise that local data reflects a high rate of obesity and oral tooth decay in the area. They promote and share information about healthy eating and good oral hygiene with parents. Leaders provide children with healthy meals and snacks and promote physical exercise, such as yoga, dough disco and outdoor play. This promotes children's good health and wellbeing.

Leadership and governance: Needs attention

Leaders do not always consider the safe supervision of the children in their care. For example, they do not consistently deploy staff to ensure that children are always in sight and hearing. This is a breach of early years requirements and does not support children's safety and wellbeing effectively.

Leaders recognise the importance of information-sharing with parents about how to further support children's learning at home. They share information about good oral health, healthy diets and the importance of good attendance to promote positive outcomes for children. However, leaders do not ensure a key-person system is implemented effectively to support this. Some staff lack knowledge about the individual needs of their key children. Some parents feel uninformed about their children's key person. This does not promote positive relationships with parents or children, help to meet their individual needs or promote their learning, safety and wellbeing.

Leaders understand the setting's strengths and priorities for improvement. For example, they implement training for staff to personalise teaching and learning for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This improves staff knowledge and skills and promotes progress for children with SEND.

Leaders implement supervision sessions for staff, who report that their wellbeing and workload are considered. Leaders spend time coaching and modelling practice, for newer or less-experienced staff in rooms, to develop their knowledge and skills. Staff regularly undertake professional development to develop their practice further, improving outcomes for children.