Altrincham Day Nursery

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders and staff know children and their families very well. They identify children's individual needs and barriers to learning quickly and ensure that appropriate support is put in place promptly. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face barriers to learning benefit from highly targeted support that enables them to make rapid and sustained progress from their starting points.

Leaders work closely with families and external professionals to ensure support is coordinated and responsive to children's changing needs. Staff consistently implement purposeful support plans and carefully review children's progress to identify what is working well and where further adaptations are needed. Additional funding is used thoughtfully and promptly. For example, leaders purchase specialist resources, create calming spaces and adapt the environment to ensure children can participate fully in nursery life. These approaches help children develop their communication, emotional regulation, independence and confidence.

Families receive highly effective support that extends beyond children's learning in the nursery. Leaders respond swiftly when circumstances change and work collaboratively with families and professionals to reduce barriers. As a result, children who face significant barriers to their learning and development thrive. They make rapid progress, become increasingly independent and are very well prepared for their next stage of learning.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have developed a broad and balanced curriculum that reflects the needs, interests and experiences of the children who attend. Staff understand what they want children to learn and use assessment effectively to plan experiences that build on children's starting points and support their next steps. Activities are adapted well to enable children of different ages and stages of development, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to participate fully in learning.

Staff generally promote children's communication, independence and personal development throughout the day. For example, children take part in language lessons, community outings and creative experiences that broaden their knowledge and understanding of the world. Staff typically explain the purpose of activities clearly and adapt teaching to meet children's individual needs.

While most staff are knowledgeable about how to support children's learning effectively, this practice is not yet consistent across the nursery. On occasions, staff fail to extend children's thinking, encourage meaningful conversations and deepen learning during everyday routines. For example, during some group activities and mealtimes, children are not always given sufficient time to think, respond or engage in sustained conversations. As a result, the development of some children's language, thinking and understanding is not consistently extended to a higher level.

Achievement: Strong standard

Children make rapid and sustained progress from their individual starting points. This includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face barriers to learning. Children who begin nursery with gaps in their development quickly gain new knowledge and skills. For example, children receiving support for communication rapidly develop their vocabulary and increasingly use language to express their needs and interact with others.

Children consistently build on what they already know and can do and make significant progress across all seven areas of learning. Those who require additional support make sustained progress towards their individual targets. Children develop their communication, form positive relationships and become increasingly confident in managing their emotions. They also develop high levels of independence through everyday routines and confidently manage aspects of their own self-care.

Children remember and apply what they have learned across different experiences and routines. This helps them become confident, independent and motivated learners. As a result, children, including those who face significant barriers to learning, achieve highly from their individual starting points and are very well prepared for the next stage of their education.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Children typically behave well and develop positive relationships with their peers and staff. Staff create a calm and welcoming environment where children feel secure and understand what is expected of them. Children confidently follow familiar routines throughout the day, such as washing their hands before meals, brushing their teeth and helping to tidy away resources. These well-established routines help children develop independence, confidence and positive attitudes to learning.

Staff support children to share, take turns and develop friendships through play and everyday experiences. Staff recognise the importance of regular attendance and work closely with families to promote this. They have clear procedures for following up absences and supporting children to attend regularly, helping them benefit fully from the curriculum and maintain positive relationships with their peers.

On occasion, staff do not consistently make expectations clear or help children understand why some behaviours are expected. For example, when children use unkind hands, staff do not always explain the impact of their actions on others or use these moments to deepen children's understanding of positive behaviour. As a result, at times, children do not fully understand behavioural boundaries or how their actions affect others.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Staff create a warm, nurturing environment where children feel emotionally secure. Key persons and staff working directly with children build trusting relationships with them and provide reassurance and support when needed. This helps children feel safe and ready to learn.

Staff typically promote children's health and wellbeing through consistent daily routines and meaningful experiences. They teach children about healthy lifestyles through regular toothbrushing, nutritious meals and snacks, and outdoor play. Staff encourage children to develop independence and make appropriate choices. This supports children's growing confidence and self-esteem.

Staff understand children's individual health, care and dietary needs and ensure these are met appropriately. Leaders work effectively with families and other professionals to coordinate children's care. For example, staff implement individual care plans consistently and make appropriate adaptations to the environment. This enables children with differing needs to participate safely in nursery life and supports their health and wellbeing.

Staff provide children with extensive opportunities to be physically active. They enhance these experiences through external visitors who provide sessions involving movement, singing and dancing. This helps children understand the importance of being active and supports their physical development, health and confidence.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders have established a highly positive culture where children, families and staff are valued and supported. They have an accurate understanding of the nursery's strengths and priorities for development. Leaders are highly reflective and take prompt action to secure improvements. They use observations, supervision and detailed action plans to continually evaluate practice and ensure improvements are embedded. Parents and staff are actively involved in this process, helping leaders make informed decisions that improve children's experiences.

Professional development is purposeful and closely aligned to the needs of the current cohort of children. Leaders provide regular coaching, supervision and professional discussion. They respond promptly when areas for development are identified and provide targeted support to strengthen staff's knowledge and skills. Staff describe leaders as highly approachable and supportive and value the guidance they receive. Leaders place significant importance on staff wellbeing, creating an open culture where staff feel listened to and valued. As a result, staff are motivated and committed to continually improving their practice.

Leaders work highly effectively with families and external professionals to remove barriers to children's learning and development. They use additional funding thoughtfully and promptly to ensure children receive resources and support when they need them. As a result, children, including those who face significant barriers to learning, benefit from a highly responsive and well-led provision and are very well prepared for the next stage in their learning.