YMCA Eastleigh Nursery

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders and staff, on the whole, have high expectations for children, including those who face barriers to learning. They regularly use assessment effectively to identify any emerging needs in children's development. Leaders and staff typically implement appropriate strategies to support children's learning and bridge the gap between children and their peers. For example, leaders implement intervention groups across the provision to provide tailored support. Typically, these intervention groups focus on supporting the development of children's language and their listening and attention skills. Children who speak English as an additional language are supported well. For example, staff ensure they have key words in children's home languages to support their communication.

Leaders ensure funding is used appropriately to support the needs of children. For example, leaders use funding to provide one-to-one support for children's learning. Leaders and staff work closely with professionals, such as physiotherapists, to support children's development. This helps to ensure a joined-up approach to children's learning and development.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Overall, staff understand and implement an ambitious curriculum that is designed to meet the needs of children, including those who face barriers to learning. Typically, staff adapt their provision and their teaching to ensure all children can access the curriculum. Children's key persons know them well and tailor teaching to their individual needs and starting points. However, when key people are unavailable, other staff are not as consistent with their knowledge of the children. This then impacts staff's ability to recognise individual needs and match teaching and activities to further extend and challenge children's learning.

There is a key focus on developing children's communication and language skills throughout the provision. Typically, staff ensure they develop children's language skills through frequent repetition and modelling of vocabulary. Staff weave mathematics into their everyday play. For example, staff teach young children to count out one and two objects as they play together.

Typically, staff teach the curriculum well and understand what children know and can do and what they are working on. At times, there are inconsistencies in the quality of teaching. For example, staff do not always consistently engage children as they play, which, at times, leads to them becoming disengaged from their learning.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children, including those who face barriers to learning, typically make good progress in their learning and development. They develop the skills they need to be ready for their next stage of learning, such as going to school. All children demonstrate confidence and high levels of self-esteem as they independently explore the environment. Children eagerly take on new challenges, such as obstacle courses. They demonstrate a 'can-do' attitude and beam with delight when they succeed.

Overall, children develop the language skills they need to be able to share their thoughts, needs and ideas. They are able to communicate in a range of ways, including non-verbal methods of communication. Children eagerly sing songs with staff and have clear favourites, such as 'Five Currant Buns'. Children typically develop their independence skills through everyday routines, such as pouring their own drink and self-serving their meals.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Children, including those who face barriers to learning, build warm and trusting relationships with staff. They demonstrate they feel settled within the provision and have secure attachments to staff and peers. There are high expectations for their behaviour, which are generally applied consistently across the provision. When there are weaknesses in practice relating to staff approaches to children's behaviour, such as inconsistent approaches to children playing with cutlery at mealtimes, leaders take appropriate action to address these and improve practice.

All children develop positive attitudes to learning and demonstrate their resilience and confidence as they play. Children play collaboratively together and learn to take turns. For example, they take turns as they roll balls towards each other. Staff frequently praise children for their positive behaviour, which helps develop their self-confidence and self-esteem. Staff act as positive role models for children. For example, they role model using 'please' and 'thank you' as they role play having cups of 'tea' with children.

Leaders closely track attendance and follow up on absences quickly to ensure children's wellbeing. They work closely with families to promote the importance of attendance and punctuality.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Children demonstrate they feel safe and secure with the kind and caring staff as they happily come into the provision and settle quickly. Children's key persons know them well and are able to meet their care needs effectively. Children also demonstrate they enjoy playing and building relationships with their peers. Children learn to take risks safely. For example, staff support children as they learn to climb trees safely. Children take pride in their achievements as they eagerly climb.

Staff teach children healthy habits. For example, they regularly discuss with children about the types of food that are healthy and encourage children to try new things during mealtimes. Staff praise children for trying new foods, which helps to broaden their tastes and to promote learning about healthy choices. Children build on their independence skills as they progress through the provision. For example, they develop their skills at drinking from closed beakers to an open-top cup.

Staff ensure children's care and hygiene needs are met, and staff do so respectfully. For example, staff approach children from the front and ask before wiping their noses. Staff use care routines as a time to develop bonds with children. For example, staff sing and talk with young children as they change their nappies.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders demonstrate a clear and ambitious vision for the provision. They ensure staff receive regular opportunities for training and development to enhance their teaching further. Leaders have a secure understanding of the strengths and areas of development for the provision. They accurately reflect on the provision and teaching, and leaders have a plan for addressing the areas of development to ensure that teaching is of a consistently high quality and meets the children's needs. For example, they hold regular supervision meetings with staff to talk about their professional development and their teaching. In addition, leaders act as role models for staff as they model high-quality interactions and teaching. However, precise and rigorous monitoring of practice, followed by appropriate coaching, is not yet consistent and fully embedded within the provision.

Leaders have developed well-thought-out transition plans for children moving to their next stage of learning. This helps children transition seamlessly with any necessary adaptations and support still in place. Leaders and staff have been developing parent partnerships within the provision. For example, they hold regular community events. However, this is not yet fully embedded as, for example, not all parents are aware of children's next steps in learning and development.