Woodberry Day Nursery and Preschool-Peartree

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders have made improvements to their inclusive practice, recognising that previous arrangements for identifying and supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities needed strengthening. They have worked with external agencies to improve processes and provided additional training. Leaders have strengthened their understanding of how to assess children's individual needs, plan targeted support and review its effectiveness.

Staff generally identify emerging needs through observations, assessments and discussions with parents. Individual support plans are reviewed regularly to consider children's progress and identify next steps. Staff use their knowledge of children to select appropriate strategies, including visual prompts, communication aids and familiar objects, to help children understand routines and participate alongside their peers.

Leaders and staff are aware of children's individual circumstances and recognise when additional support may be needed. They work with families and other professionals to help reduce barriers to children's participation and wellbeing. Leaders use additional funding effectively, such as providing enhanced staffing and specialist resources. They work with parents and external professionals to coordinate support.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have developed a curriculum that reflects the needs of children attending the nursery. Communication and language are a key priority, alongside physical development, independence and preparation for future learning. Staff generally understand the curriculum intentions and use observations and assessments to identify what children know and need to learn next. This helps them plan experiences that build on children's interests, starting points and previous learning.

Staff typically use their interactions purposefully to extend children's learning. They model language and introduce early mathematical concepts. For example, staff name objects, describe children's actions and introduce counting naturally during play. This helps children make connections between what they hear and experience. Staff adapt their teaching by adjusting their language, level of support and expectations to reflect children's individual needs and stages of development. This helps children with barriers to their learning access learning alongside their peers and make progress towards their individual goals.

Skills for life are deliberately taught throughout everyday routines. There is clear progression at mealtimes. For example, younger children receive support with feeding, while older children learn to serve themselves, carry plates and take on responsibilities. A monthly focus on skills, such as handwashing, reinforces this learning.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children generally make progress from their individual starting points, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Babies develop secure relationships and build their early communication and physical skills. For example, babies explore sensory resources with curiosity, using their hands and feet to investigate different textures and sensations. Children with SEND are beginning to develop meaningful skills, including communicating their needs and managing transitions and their physical independence.

As children get older, they become increasingly confident communicators. They enjoy conversations, songs and books and use language during their play. Children develop early mathematical knowledge through counting, recognising quantities and using language relating to size and position. They make confident choices, explore their interests and use their developing skills during everyday nursery experiences and play. Children form friendships, understand expectations and increasingly manage their emotions. Overall, they develop the knowledge and skills they need for their next stage of learning.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Children generally behave well and develop positive relationships with staff and their friends. Staff model kind behaviour and help children understand how their actions affect others. When children find it difficult to regulate their emotions, staff respond calmly, using reassurance and discussion about their feelings. Staff adapt their approaches for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. For example, they use visual prompts, simple language and reassurance to help them understand expectations and manage transitions.

Generally, older children are familiar with routines of the nursery and know what is expected of them. They move confidently between different parts of their day and respond well to known routines. In the baby room, recent changes are still being embedded. Leaders recognise that some routines are not yet consistently implemented and are supporting staff to establish a more consistent approach. For example, staff do not always follow the same approach when moving babies between care routines and activities, resulting in some inconsistencies in babies' daily experiences.

Children generally engage in experiences and make choices about their play. For example, they persevere with physical challenges and enthusiastically explore creative activities, such as painting and mark-making, showing curiosity and enjoyment. Leaders monitor attendance and follow up on absences, recognising the importance of providing continuity in children's experiences.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Children form warm and trusting relationships with staff, who know their individual needs well. Settling-in arrangements help children become familiar with the nursery and develop secure relationships with their key person. Staff work closely with parents to understand children's routines and care needs. Older children confidently seek out familiar adults and friends for reassurance and interaction. Babies enjoy comfort from their key person and look at family photos, helping them maintain connections with home and develop a sense of belonging.

Children's health and wellbeing are generally supported effectively. They benefit from nutritious meals prepared freshly on site and have regular opportunities to be physically active outdoors. Children enjoy fresh air and space to run, explore and develop their physical skills. However, the promotion of good oral health is less consistent. For example, expectations around drinks that support good dental health are not yet consistent across the nursery. As a result, children do not always receive consistent messages about choices that support good dental health.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive care that reflects their individual needs. Staff make adaptations so that they can participate fully alongside their friends, while remaining attentive to their comfort and emotional security. This helps children with SEND to feel safe, valued and included throughout their day.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Following recent changes to the leadership team, leaders have worked effectively to strengthen practice across the nursery. They have a clear vision and strategy for improving the quality and inclusivity of the provision. Inclusion is a clear priority, and leaders have strengthened arrangements for identifying, monitoring and meeting children's individual needs.

Generally, leaders have an accurate understanding of the nursery's strengths and areas for further development. They have established clear improvement priorities and monitor the impact of actions taken. Leaders recognise that some recent changes, particularly within the baby room, require further embedding to ensure that practice is consistently effective across the nursery.

Staff feel supported by leaders. Regular supervision meetings and daily discussions provide opportunities for staff to reflect on their practice and wellbeing, discuss training and understand current priorities. Generally, senior leaders provide regular oversight and support to those responsible for the day-to-day leadership of the nursery. Regular visits help to evaluate the quality of the provision and ensure that improvement priorities remain on track.

Leaders build positive relationships with parents and signpost families to local community services when additional support is needed. They are beginning to provide topic-based resource bags to support families with areas such as reducing dummy use, toilet training and home learning. This is intended to strengthen continuity between home and the nursery.