A DALSTON nursery has been praised for its inclusive culture and the progress made by children with special educational needs and disabilities.
Abacus Children’s Day Nursery, at Valley Court on Barras Lane, was inspected by Ofsted on September 21.
Inspectors awarded the nursery a “strong standard” for inclusion, while safeguarding requirements were met and the remaining areas were judged to meet the expected standard.
The report, published this week, said a culture of inclusion was “fully embedded” across the nursery and described the support provided to staff on teaching strategies and agreed plans as “excellent”.
Inspectors found that staff were able to quickly identify children who may require additional help or face barriers to their learning.
Children with SEND were said to make “excellent progress”, with staff adapting teaching, routines, resources and the environment to meet their needs.
Ofsted said children felt happy, safe and well cared for at the nursery, forming “highly secure and warm relationships” with staff and leaders.
Children were also found to enjoy plentiful learning opportunities, including building obstacle courses from blocks and mats, while developing friendships and showing kindness towards younger children.
'A difficult year'
Following the inspection, the nursery said it was “very excited” to share the findings and “couldn’t be prouder”.
Writing on Facebook it said: “It has been a difficult year for Abacus and for the Early Years sector as a whole.
"Recruitment has been at its lowest, and many practitioners have left the profession.
“Despite these challenges, this achievement is a true reflection of the incredible teamwork, resilience and dedication shown by our nursery team.
“A huge thank you to all our parents and carers who have supported us through some truly challenging times.
"Your kindness, patience and encouragement have meant the world to us.”
The nursery’s curriculum was found to be well designed and appropriately sequenced, helping children develop the knowledge and skills needed as they progress towards school.
Safe sleeping arrangements were described as particularly well embedded, while dietary requirements, weaning stages and allergies were also found to be well managed.
'Change in leadership'
However, inspectors identified areas where further work was required.
Ofsted said the quality of staff interactions and some practices were not consistently at the highest level across the nursery.
The report also found that outdoor spaces used by toddlers did not provide the same range of exciting learning opportunities as those available to older children.
Leaders were asked to continue developing staff practice to ensure consistently high quality and effectiveness, and to broaden the learning opportunities available during outdoor play.
Ofsted noted that the nursery had recently undergone a change in leadership following a period when its day-to-day running had negatively affected some areas of practice.
Inspectors said the new leadership team had worked hard to support staff and make improvements, with a positive impact on curriculum planning and the indoor learning environment.
The nursery, which has 60 places and was caring for children aged up to three at the time of the inspection, also met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register.
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