Westside Pre-School

Inclusion: Strong standard

Highly experienced and committed leaders identify children's individual needs at the earliest opportunity, beginning with home visits before children start at the setting. They gather and use detailed information throughout an extensive transition process, to provide effective support for children and their families. This includes close-partnership working with a range of professionals, including family, medical and education support services, to ensure that children receive the right support at the right time. Leaders model targeted interventions for staff, and rigorously monitor the impact on children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those who face other barriers to learning. They regularly review these children's progress with parents and carers to evaluate the effectiveness of support, reducing barriers to learning and making timely adaptations when necessary. As a result, these children make secure, ongoing progress.

Leaders make well-considered decisions about the use of additional funding to ensure that children from disadvantaged backgrounds are well prepared for their move on to school. For example, they provide enriching experiences, such as coach trips to places of interest, including 'Bird World', to make wonderful memories for children who may not have yet experienced such opportunities. Leaders have high aspirations for children and their families, providing highly effective support to promote their wellbeing. This thoughtful and targeted approach makes a significant difference to children's lives, helping the most vulnerable to overcome barriers, thrive and get the best start to their education.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders design a broad curriculum that identifies what children should learn. They place a high priority on meeting children's individual developmental needs, particularly in communication and language, and personal, social and emotional development. Overall, staff introduce new vocabulary and encourage children to apply it in meaningful contexts. For example, at the 'ice-cream parlour', staff model flavour names using the different coloured scoops, suggesting that the yellow scoop could be lemon flavour. Typically, staff engage children in purposeful two-way conversations, asking simple questions that extend their mathematical thinking, such as encouraging them to create a two-scoop ice cream by choosing flavours from the full range available.

Most staff deliver the curriculum effectively, and demonstrate particular expertise in adapting their teaching to support children who face barriers to their learning. For instance, during a discussion about building houses with construction bricks, staff clearly model the names of different rooms in English, helping children who speak English as an additional language to broaden their vocabulary. However, on occasions, some children who are otherwise capable do not consistently have opportunities to solve problems independently before staff intervene. For example, when children build large structures using interlocking pieces, some staff complete the tricky parts for them instead of guiding them to persevere and allowing them the time to work out a solution independently. Consequently, some children do not consistently have opportunities to think for themselves or apply what they already know.

Achievement: Expected standard

Overall, children achieve well from their starting points, particularly those who face barriers to learning. Some children join the setting with delayed speech, or are in the early stages of learning to speak English as an additional language. These children make rapid progress in their communication and language skills. For example, children who share the same home language communicate confidently, before naturally switching to English to ask and answer questions during their independent play. They eagerly describe the 'frog soup' they are making, naming the ingredients for the 'hungry dinosaurs' in their imaginative water play.

Children explore the stimulating indoor and outdoor environments, developing their physical skills well. They demonstrate impressive core strength and coordination as they push large truck tyres around the garden, skilfully avoiding obstacles along the way. Other children carefully paint large outdoor structures with water, ensuring they cover every part as they pretend to decorate them. Experiences such as these strengthen children's hand-eye coordination and help to prepare them for more precise skills, such as using scissors. However, some children who are capable of solving problems on their own do not always have the chance to do so before staff step in.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders have very high expectations for children's attendance and punctuality. They carefully check patterns of absences and identify any barriers affecting families. Leaders take prompt, appropriate action to support parents and carers to improve attendance. For example, they use additional funding to enable disadvantaged children to attend additional sessions at the setting. Through the personalised support and guidance, children benefit greatly from attending as regularly as possible, promoting consistent routines and continuity in their development.

Overall, leaders and staff establish a calm and welcoming learning environment. Most children understand the rules and routines and typically follow them with gentle reminders from staff. Children, particularly the younger ones, demonstrate kindness and respect towards one another. Staff in the younger room consistently support children to play cooperatively and develop positive social skills. These children learn to use effective strategies, such as sand timers to wait their turn when they want the same toy. They patiently watch the sand run through the timer before excitedly swapping places with their friends, who willingly wait for their own turn. However, consistent and effective approaches are not yet fully embedded in the older room. Although staff help children to develop positive friendships, they do not always respond promptly or effectively enough to support some children who find it difficult to regulate their emotions. Consequently, minor disputes occasionally arise, such as children breaking one another's models.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders carefully consider the context of the setting, including the children and families they serve. They create a nurturing and safe environment where children typically form secure attachments with the adults who care for them. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive additional support on arrival and sensitive encouragement from staff with their personal care routines, such as toileting. Staff sit alongside children at mealtimes to promote their safety, support smooth transitions and strengthen relationships through meaningful conversations. All children have regular opportunities to develop their independence skills. They confidently feed themselves and access drinking water throughout the day. These consistent routines help children feel valued, included and settled.

Leaders gather purposeful information about children's home experiences and use it effectively to broaden their learning. They provide rich opportunities for children to experience activities they may not otherwise encounter, such as growing, tending and eating fruit from the garden. In this way, children develop positive attitudes towards healthy eating. Leaders also work closely with parents and carers to encourage nutritious, balanced lunchboxes. Children proudly share the contents of their lunchboxes with staff, receiving certificates to celebrate their healthy choices. This shared approach helps children develop a suitable understanding of how healthy eating contributes to keeping fit and well.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders are passionate about their roles and demonstrate a commitment to supporting children and their families. They have a clear vision and continually drive improvements to strengthen the quality of provision. For example, as they prepare for the new term, leaders plan to involve staff more in home visits, so they can develop an accurate understanding of each child's individual needs and any barriers to their development. This will further help to promote continuity in children's care and learning, from the outset.

Leaders provide staff with a broad range of professional development opportunities to support their knowledge and practice. Training, coaching and mentoring, particularly in supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, equip staff to precisely deliver strategies effectively and consistently. However, leaders do not yet monitor the quality of each staff's interactions rigorously enough to identify their precise areas for development. As a result, some staff do not consistently recognise or de-escalate children's heightened emotions effectively, which occasionally results in minor lapses in their behaviour.

Leaders work tirelessly to build firm, trusting bonds with parents and carers, helping children to continue to thrive. They engage with parents in timely discussions about their children's ongoing progress and share practical ideas to extend learning at home. These collaborative partnerships help to promote continuity in children's learning and development.