Wrigglypeeps @ Coldharbour Lane

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders recognise the different needs of children and families in their community and have high expectations for children's learning and development. They use any additional funding children receive to maximise adult support, enhancing ratios. They recognise the positive impact these high-quality interactions have on those children that attend part time, disadvantaged children and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Leaders have clear assessment processes that ensure support plans are reviewed and adapted to meet children's changing needs regularly. However, staff do not always incorporate these adaptations as quickly as they might into their practice. This means, occasionally, children's progress is not as rapid as it could be.

Parents comment positively about how leaders and staff include them in discussions about their children's needs and provide information about how they can help their children at home to provide consistency. Staff receive help from leaders to meet children's needs and are proactive in requesting professional development opportunities, such as sign language training. Leaders and staff know that this training will benefit all children's communication and development, particularly those with SEND and those that face other barriers to their learning, such as learning English as an additional language.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum. It is flexible and meets the learning needs of all children, including those children that attend part time, disadvantaged children and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Typically, staff understand the curriculum intent and use their knowledge of individual children to skilfully include their next steps in learning as they play and interact. For example, staff encourage young children to name colours while exploring 'rainbow rice' and engage older children in conversations about rice dishes they eat at home. These playful interactions support children's communication and language development at the appropriate level. However, this is a relatively new staff team, so approaches are not yet fully embedded, which means there is some inconsistency in the quality of staff interactions. Leaders are already aware of these inconsistencies and are taking action to address them.

Leaders have an accurate understanding of the quality of teaching and have planned training opportunities to support consistent implementation of the curriculum within the setting. Leaders implement a well-sequenced mathematics curriculum that means children build on their existing knowledge and acquire a secure understanding of mathematical concepts. Staff take opportunities to teach children mathematical language and talk about teaching children prepositional language such as 'in, on' and 'under'.

Leaders and staff place a high priority on helping children to understand their feelings. This is weaved through the curriculum and taught explicitly through stories. Leaders and staff provide a range of opportunities to support children's physical development. For example, children use small tongs to successfully pick up beans, which helps build their arm and hand muscles.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children achieve well from their starting points, particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language. Children acquire knowledge sequentially, building on what they already know and can do.

Staff provide opportunities for children to consolidate learning through practise, and this means new learning becomes embedded. Parents comment positively about the progress their children are making, especially speaking and using words.

All children gain skills that will prepare them for their next stage in learning. Children consistently and confidently follow well-established and familiar routines throughout the day with minimal adult support. They develop their motor skills effectively, building strength and coordination. For example, they jump in and out of hoops in the outdoor area. Children use pipettes and manipulate play dough with their fingers to develop their fine motor skills.

Children are confident communicators, who enjoy back-and-forth conversation with each other and the staff in the setting. They learn about their feelings and can express them appropriately, which helps them to resolve simple conflicts with minimal adult support. Children of all ages have positive attitudes to learning, they are interested and eager to engage in focused group activities. This means that children are well prepared for their next stage of learning, whether this is within the setting or when they transition to school.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

The nursery is a very happy place and relationships are characterised by warmth and kindness. Staff use visual and auditory resources to prepare children for change. This means children transition very well between activities throughout the day. For example, when a group of children hear the tambourine that indicates it is time to tidy up before snack, they immediately stop what they are doing, put their toys away and wash their hands.

Staff interactions are consistently warm, calm and respectful, providing excellent role models for children. This has a positive impact on children's behaviour and supports them to form meaningful friendships with their peers. Children use each other's names and share resources appropriately and, at times, without adult support. Any instances of children becoming distressed are managed sensitively and swiftly by staff, who know what individual children need at that time to re-engage them back in their learning.

Leaders have established a unique approach to attendance that balances their families' need for flexible childcare while still taking steps to ensure good habits of attendance as part of school readiness. They consider individual family circumstances and work proactively with parents to support successful transition to school.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders and staff create a home-from-home environment, where children feel emotionally safe and secure, relationships are respectful and warm. This means that children have a strong sense of belonging, they settle quickly and form a close bond with their key person. Care routines are tailored to meet children's individual needs, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. For example, staff use visual prompts to help children transition from play to nappy changing.

Leaders and staff focus on developing children's independence. For example, during morning circle time, children look out of the window to see what the weather is doing. Staff then guide them to think about what they might need when they go outside to play, for example wellies. This encourages children to identify how to keep themselves safe and healthy.

Leaders place a high priority on promoting healthy eating habits. They are reflecting on how they can best support their children and families to adopt healthy lifestyle choices that will form good habits for future health and wellbeing. Leaders are currently reviewing the snack time routine to see how it can be adapted to actively teach children about making healthy eating choices that will stay with them for life.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders have high expectations of staff and work closely with them to consistently model the attitudes and behaviours they want children to develop. As a team, they are very reflective and respond to the changing needs of the children and families. They are ambitious for all children, especially those that attend part time, disadvantaged children, children who speak English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Leaders have an excellent understanding of the setting's strengths and areas for development. For example, they have identified that children struggle to make friends and have swiftly put measures in place to address this. As a result, children play together harmoniously and are to kind each other. Leaders are fully aware of the minor inconsistencies in staff interactions and have taken steps to ensure that appropriate training and development opportunities are in place. Leaders are actively assessing and reviewing ways to further strengthen attitudes towards healthy eating within and beyond the setting.

Leaders are proud of their staff and actively encourage professional development that will positively impact both staff and children. Staff comment on how much they enjoy working at the setting and that they feel well supported and valued.

Communication with parents is highly effective. Leaders have implemented robust systems for sharing information which ensures children's learning and development are prioritised and celebrated in the setting and at home. Parents comment positively about the nursery, reflecting the successful partnerships that have been built between children, their families and the whole nursery team.