Windmill Pre-School at Vaynor

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders have created an inclusive culture where children's individual needs are consistently swiftly identified, assessed and supported. Staff use the graduated approach rigorously and confidently. They work extremely closely with parents, speech and language therapists, the area special educational needs coordinator and other professionals to shape personalised plans. This ensures that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, children receiving additional funding and those facing emotional or behavioural barriers receive precisely the support they need.

Leaders review support plans regularly and adapt the inviting environment and routines effectively. For example, children on the autism pathway benefit from predictable experiences and visual structures that help them regulate and participate. Children with more complex needs access targeted one-to-one support, consistency in communication strategies and well-matched sensory resources purchased through additional funding. These rigorous approaches enable children to engage meaningfully in all aspects of the setting's routines and curriculum and make rapid progress from their starting points.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have designed an ambitious, well-sequenced curriculum that reflects the needs of the community and builds on children's independence, communication and physical skills securely over time. Staff understand the curriculum intent and plan purposeful experiences that help children revisit and consolidate their learning. For example, practical activities such as moulding play dough in time to music, threading, construction and gardening strengthen children's fine and gross motor skills while supporting their language and problem-solving skills.

Staff interact warmly and use clear vocabulary to develop children's communication. They model mathematical language well during play, such as exploring size, quantity and comparison. Staff adapt activities thoughtfully for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, using objects of reference, signing and visual prompts to ensure that the curriculum is inclusive for every child's individual needs.

Overall, most staff's teaching is effective and responsive. They generally use assessment well to identify what skills children need to learn next during planned experiences. However, not all staff adapt their interactions and teaching as swiftly as they could during activities, particularly for older or more confident children. At times, opportunities to deepen children's thinking or extend their problem-solving skills are not maximised.

Achievement: Expected standard

Overall, children make secure progress from their starting points across all areas of learning. They develop particularly strong foundations in communication and language through songs, stories, conversations and consistent routines. Children gain increasing independence, concentrate for sustained periods and show early confidence in solving problems.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities achieve well because support is precisely matched to their needs and regularly reviewed. Children with speech and language delay make clear gains in vocabulary and expressive language. Those who experience anxiety or need additional emotional support show improved confidence and smoother separation from parents.

Children leave the setting well prepared for the next stage of their education. They understand routines, cooperate with others and show readiness for the expectations of school.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Leaders prioritise a positive, respectful environment where expectations for behaviour are well understood. Children behave kindly, share willingly and sustain play collaboratively. Staff respond calmly and consistently when children need support, using sensitive redirection and modelling to help them understand boundaries.

Children demonstrate highly positive attitudes to learning. They display great curiosity, enthusiasm and determination, such as when testing how objects roll down pipes outdoors or when experimenting with kinetic sand and loose parts. They listen attentively during group times and enjoy contributing.

Attendance is well promoted. Staff follow up absences promptly and contact families each day. They are confident in the local authority reporting procedures should they have concerns about a child's non-attendance. These actions support children's continuity of learning and help maintain their wellbeing.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Children's emotional and physical wellbeing is central to the setting's work. Key-person relationships are secure and highly nurturing. Staff tune in to children's cues, provide reassurance when needed and expertly support them to recognise and manage their emotions. Children with anxiety benefit from consistent routines and gentle transitions that help them feel safe.

Staff teach children how to care for themselves, keep themselves safe and make healthy choices. Children enjoy outdoor play daily, drink water independently and talk about how food grows as they tend to the vegetables they have grown. They work collaboratively with their peers to manage small risks safely, such as rolling large equipment. Hygiene routines are well embedded, and staff reinforce expectations in calm, age-appropriate ways.

Children's health needs are understood and managed confidently. For example, health care plans are followed carefully, reviewed routinely and used to ensure that staff know how to respond promptly. Leaders' strong culture of care ensures that all children's welfare needs are met effectively.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders provide highly effective direction and create a culture where children and staff thrive. They make decisions firmly rooted in the best interests of children, particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those facing barriers to learning. Leaders' oversight of safeguarding, inclusion and curriculum implementation is consistent and well established.

Leaders understand the setting's strengths well and are equally clear about areas that are not yet consistently strong. They recognise that, while most teaching is effective, some staff are less confident in adapting interactions during activities to extend learning for older or more confident children. Leaders have identified this through routine observations, supervision and reflective use of the inspection toolkit, and they have prioritised this appropriately.

Leaders are already taking effective action. They provide daily feedback, use supervision to focus on teaching quality and questioning, and encourage staff to share best practice. Training is well planned and targeted, and staff value opportunities to continually build on their skills.

Staff workload and wellbeing are managed sensitively. Leaders offer regular supervision, daily feedback and supportive professional development. Partnership working is a considerable strength. Leaders build incredibly positive relationships with families, the on-site school and external agencies, and parents feel fully involved in decisions and speak extremely highly of the care and progress their children make.