Yarnton Way Nursery

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders and practitioners consistently deliver highly effective, inclusive practice. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), those who are learning English as an additional language and children facing other barriers to learning receive personalised, responsive support that enables them to make secure progress. The setting draws effectively on practitioners' own personal experiences of SEND and additional needs to inform practice, enrich provision and create more meaningful, supportive learning experiences for all children.

Provision is carefully tailored, using appropriate communication tools, sensory strategies and approaches that promote independence, social interactions and self-regulation. Early identification processes and well-adapted routines strengthen children's communication and play skills. This is supported by effective partnerships with parents and carers, outside agencies and strategies that reflect good practice for SEND.

Leadership provides a robust framework for high-quality practice. Reflective supervision and well-embedded SEND systems ensure consistency and maintain high expectations. Practitioners' wellbeing is prioritised, contributing to a stable, confident and motivated team. Leaders promote a culture of continuous improvement, professional curiosity and meaningful partnerships with families. Positive cultural representation and practical family support further enhance the setting's commitment to inclusion.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders provide a broad and ambitious curriculum with a clear focus on developing children's speech, language, confidence, independence and self-help skills. Each group room designs their own curriculum in response to the needs and interests of the current cohort of children. This approach is flexible and continually adapted as children's needs and the dynamics of the room evolve. Practitioners know children well and plan effectively for their interests and next steps. Regular reviews ensure that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make typical progress.

The environment is language rich. Practitioners skilfully narrate play, use hand signs, model language and introduce new vocabulary. Babies babble and use early words, while older children speak in full sentences and engage in meaningful conversations with adults and peers. This supports children to repeat and extend their speech. Books are woven through play, enriching story language and fostering positive attitudes towards reading.

Mathematical development is well supported through play. Practitioners count objects with younger children, while older children count plates and cutlery ready to hand out at mealtimes. Children continually use numbers during maths activities and general play.

The setting benefits from a diverse staff team, and leaders use this effectively to enhance children's development. Practitioners draw on their home languages to communicate with children who share the same language, helping them to feel understood and supported. They also openly share their own experiences of additional needs, providing positive role models for families and demonstrating that children with SEND can thrive and lead fulfilling lives. Home learning links provide further support, offering resources, such as books and sensory resources, linked to children's individual needs.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children make typical progress from their starting points and successfully achieve their next steps. They develop into confident, enthusiastic learners who are eager to explore and engage in a wide range of purposeful, well-planned activities. These experiences are carefully designed to reflect children's interests and support their individual developmental needs, enabling consistent progress for every child.

Gaps in learning, including for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), close steadily because practitioners have a secure understanding of how to help each child meet their targets. This includes developing communication skills, emotional regulation and managing transitions throughout the day.

Children become confident communicators. They express themselves through talk, gestures and play, with practitioners providing consistent support for children with SEND. For example, non-verbal children learn to use tools, such as signing, to communicate their needs effectively and make themselves understood.

All children, including those with SEND or barriers to learning, develop positive social skills, understand routines and learn the importance of healthy habits, such as oral health and healthy eating. This ensures that they are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Practitioners create a warm and nurturing environment where children are well cared for and treated with respect. They set clear, age-appropriate expectations for behaviour and offer gentle guidance. Practitioners draw on their own and their colleagues' knowledge and personal experiences of special educational needs and/or disabilities to understand and inform their approach to children's behaviour needs. As a result, children behave well. They learn to share, take turns and interact kindly with others. Practitioners' calm approach and positive role modelling, such as saying 'please' and 'thank you', promote mutual respect and help children develop a secure sense of belonging.

Practitioners provide carefully planned activities that help children understand and express their emotions. For example, painting activities linked to books about emotions help children talk about their feelings. They mix colours to represent their experiences of emotions. Practitioners offer comfort when needed and support children to understand boundaries in a calm and consistent manner. They work closely with parents and carers to ensure a shared and coordinated approach to supporting children's emotional development.

Young children play happily both with and alongside one another. They willingly share toys, share photos of experiences they have enjoyed and demonstrate genuine enjoyment of each other's company. Leaders and practitioners maintain accurate attendance records and follow sound procedures for managing absences, prioritising children's safety and wellbeing.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

The setting demonstrates effective practice, promoting children's welfare and wellbeing. Practitioners know each child well and use this to tailor support that meets individual needs effectively. Warm and secure attachments are evident; children seek reassurance confidently and receive it promptly from practitioners. This contributes to their sense of safety and belonging. Practitioners build positive, respectful relationships that help children to feel valued and understood.

Children are taught to recognise and understand the importance of their own health and physical wellbeing. For example, children explore resources, such as large model teeth and toothbrushes, to learn about oral health. Through daily routines, discussions and purposeful activities, they learn about healthy choices, personal care and staying active. Practitioners role model positive habits. This encourages children to develop independence in managing their own personal-care needs.

The setting supports children to learn about emotions. Practitioners use age-appropriate activities and conversations that help children learn about emotions and relate to their own experiences. However, they do not consistently use the language of emotions during conflict situations and general interactions to support this further. Effective routines underpin the day. These are well established and support children's emotional security. Transitions are managed sensitively, ensuring that children remain calm, confident and ready to engage.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders promote a supportive culture that places high value on practitioners' wellbeing and the consistency of practice across the setting. Leaders act as positive role models, routinely observing teaching and offering constructive, reflective feedback. Practitioners feel confident to share their professional development needs and to raise questions or challenges in a safe and respectful environment. Regular group and individual supervision sessions provide clear structures for discussing key children, training priorities and emotional wellbeing.

The management team demonstrates solid organisational skills. Processes to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are firmly embedded. Leaders actively seek additional training opportunities, funding streams and partnerships to broaden the support available to children and families. Engagement with parents and carers and the wider community is a notable strength. This is supported through initiatives, such as home learning, cultural celebrations and targeted help for families experiencing difficulties.

Leaders are committed to inclusion, practitioner empowerment and ongoing improvement. Wellbeing is meaningfully prioritised through flexible working, emotional support, culturally responsive practices and practical gestures, such as free meals and an open-door policy. This results in stable staffing and high-quality provision and clear governance. Responsive adaptations for all children, including those with barriers to learning or complex circumstances, underpin a culture of high expectations, reflection and continuous positive development.