Valentine Primary School Nursery

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders and staff have high expectations for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to make good progress and thrive. Staff get to know children, including identify and assessing additional needs children may have. Staff ensure appropriate interventions are swiftly put in place to help narrow gaps in learning. This has been particularly successful in supporting children with SEND and those in receipt of additional funding to develop their communication and language skills. Children who start behind in this area of learning make progress because of the emphasis staff place on developing their speaking and listening skills.

Leaders and staff also take the time to get to know children and their families to support a smooth transition into the nursery. This helps children who find the move from home to nursery challenging to settle into new routines and feel secure. However, for some children who face barriers to learning, leaders do not consistently gather and share the full range of relevant information about their needs. As a result, staff do not always have a complete understanding of children's individual needs, from the outset.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders and staff are working towards an ambitious curriculum that considers every child, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders oversee that the curriculum is taught with clear intentions. Links with the local school and partnership working help leaders and staff have a clear knowledge of the skills children need to have in readiness for their next stage in learning. The focus on children's communication skills, independence and a love of learning are an ethos that enables staff to focus on these as priorities. Staff plan and create learning opportunities to ensure that children's motivation to learn is threaded throughout their daily experiences. They understand the differing needs of children and overall, plan for what they want children to achieve. Staff plan activities around children's interests. However, some aspects of the precise learning goals identified for individual children are still in the early stages of development and are not yet fully embedded across the nursery to maximise children's overall progress.

Staff build children's vocabulary, clarity of language and confidence to speak well. They make good use of children's spontaneous play to introduce mathematical knowledge purposefully. Staff recognise the value of physical active play for children, both indoors and outside. They use daily routines to support children's growing independence and to help children to persist when some new skills need extra perseverance.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are making good progress from their starting points. Children access learning that is appropriate to their individual age and stage of development. This helps them build knowledge and skills over time, enabling them to move confidently to the next stage of their learning. For example, babies who are learning to walk develop confidence and stability in their physical skills as they stand and explore water play at the table. Toddlers explore the patterns they can create mixing paint and develop their coordination skills as they use brushes to explore patterns they make. Pre-school children learn to count in order and recognise size and volume, as they become confident in their mathematical skills.

Children with identified communication needs make clear progress, they build vocabulary quickly and use new words confidently in their play. They are able to concentrate in larger group activities and persevere when some learning is more challenging. For instance, older children learn the importance of being able to put on their shoes themselves as staff actively encourage this and praise children's efforts.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders have a secure understanding of how attendance and punctuality are important to helping children build positive attitudes to their learning. Staff establish clear and widely understood expectations for behaviour. Where appropriate, staff implement individual behaviour plans to ensure a consistent approach to supporting children's behaviour. Staff use their regular discussions to review strategies, identifying what is working well and where children may need extra support. This enables approaches to be adapted as needed, helping children to make continued progress in their personal, social and emotional development.

Children build positive relationships with staff and with their peers. Staff are good role models and use opportunities to promote kindness and respect in daily routines. For instance, staff talk to children at their eye level, listen to their ideas and follow their interests in play. Children gain a positive attitude to learning, such as trying new activities and growing in confidence when they master new skills. For instance, children make their way up the climbing wall, as they proudly show staff how they make their way to the top. Staff recognise and praise children. This helps children to gain a positive attitude to their learning and to feel valued.

Staff have routines which children know and understand well. For example, before mealtimes, all children wash their hands. They learn how to serve themselves foods, pour drinks and to tidy away plates and cups when they have finished.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders and staff prioritise children's welfare and wellbeing in all that they do. Children build secure, positive relationships with their key person and other familiar staff. These relationships help children settle and regulate their emotions, typically re-engaging with activities following moments of upset, such as separation from a parent or carer. Staff recognise when children, including those who are younger or less confident need comfort. They offer cuddles and reassurance to help children feel secure as the move to play.

Children benefit from secure feeding and rest routines, tailored to their needs. For example, staff ensure foods provided to children are prepared and served to reduce the risk of choking. Staff sit with children and supervise them closely as they eat. They teach children the importance of sitting to eat foods, ensuring that children follow these expectations. Staff talk to children about foods they eat and discussions around foods that are healthy choices and those that we eat less often, but enjoy, these conversations help children learn about healthy choices. Younger children, including babies, follow a settled nap routine, supported by a dedicated staff member. This helps to ensure children's physical care needs are met, and supports children's wellbeing.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

The leadership team have a clear vision for the nursery. They make decisions in the best interests of children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those facing disadvantage and those known, or previously known, to children's social care. Leaders have identified areas for further development and have begun implementing improvements, including providing greater opportunities for outdoor play and enhancing children's understanding of the natural world. Following a weakness in understanding the requirements to notify Ofsted of changes of leadership in the nursery. the provider has reviewed and addressed their understanding of the processes for notifications to Ofsted. This has been addressed, and Ofsted are not taking any further action.

Leaders recognise and value the importance of partnerships with parents, carers and other professionals. Staff update parents on children's daily activities and their overall progress, through conversations and the nursery online platform. Parents speak positively about the nursery, and how children 'race to get to nursery' each day.

Leaders support staff wellbeing and manage workload through regular individual meetings, fostering an open culture in which staff feel confident to raise concerns. Supervision arrangements are still in the early stages of development. There is further scope to strengthen supervision so that it supports staff more precisely in developing their knowledge, skills and overall teaching practice.