Angels & Acorns

Inclusion: Expected standard

Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or who face barriers to their learning, are supported well at the setting. Leaders and staff work with families to support children's wellbeing and next steps in learning and development. All children are included, and learning is tailored to meet their needs. The setting has created a calming and inclusive environment for all children. Staff create a tranquil environment for all children to play and learn.

Leaders work closely with the staff team and with parents to ensure they really know each child and what support is needed. This includes any adaptations to planned activities and routines. These are skilfully implemented into daily practice. For example, settling-in sessions are extended if required to support children's transitions into the nursery. Partnerships with parents work well to ensure children's needs are being met. Children embrace the activities and experiences offered by the staff team to ensure children's next steps are achievable and enjoyable for everyone. Children make progress from their personal starting points.

Leaders seek support from external agencies when required to support barriers to children's learning and development. This ensures that children are getting the right support they need to move on to their next stage of learning. Leaders and staff are fully committed to ensure all children are included and really thrive at the setting.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have a clear understanding of the quality of staff's teaching of the curriculum. They have created a well-thought-out curriculum that covers all areas of learning. Leaders ensure that children develop important knowledge about language, books, mathematics and being independent. Staff skilfully select activities to build on children's previous learning well. However, leaders' curriculum is in its infancy, and it is too soon to see the full impact of the consistency in staff's delivery of the curriculum.

Staff focus on getting to know each child when they first start at the setting. This helps integrate them into the nursery and feel part of the nursery ethos. Leaders and staff know children's starting points when they arrive. This helps them to know what children already know and can do. Staff are good role models and provide opportunities for children to develop their next steps further. Children develop skills that support their future learning. For example, they enjoy sharing stories with the staff and using props to bring the story to life. This builds on children's early literacy skills.

Children build positive relationships with their key persons. This supports them to follow children's interest further. Children benefit from sensory play. They enjoy playing with bubbles as they 'pop, pop, pop' them. This supports children's creativity, and they smile with delight as they immerse themselves in play.

Staff are teaching the children to become independent and school ready. Children enjoy following instructions well. They complete tasks to enhance their learning and development. For example, children tidy up after themselves and follow simple instructions well.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children are happy and settled and immerse themselves into the nursery daily routine. Children are praised during play and have a 'can-do' attitude to their learning. They benefit from the organisation of the environment allowing a broad range of skills to develop. Children enjoy using the equipment to climb, run and roll, promoting their physical development. Staff provide teaching to meet the needs of all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or those who face barriers to their learning. Children make progress from their starting points at the setting. They thrive within the nursery environment.

Children show some confidence in their learning, and, at times, are happy to show what they know and can do. For example, children climb and slide down the soft play provided with increasing confidence and control. They have a great sense of pride when they are able to do tasks for themselves. Children develop their early mathematical development. They count and use mathematical language during play. For example, children explore different-sized rocks and describe these as 'heavy', 'small' and 'big'. Parents speak positively of the progress their children have made since starting.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Staff are good role models and provide opportunities for all children to develop their next steps further. They show respect for all children and their families and model positive behaviours. Children follow rules and boundaries set by the nursery well. Children are praised when they follow instructions and use their manners. This is supporting children from an early age to become school ready.

Children follow the daily routine; they know when mealtimes are and how they sit at the table to eat their snacks and meals. Children wash their hands and feed themselves independently.

Children feel safe and secure at the nursery. They build close bonds with their key person and seek comfort when needed. Leaders and staff monitor children's attendance well and share the importance of regular attendance and the benefits with their families.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders and staff ensure children's wellbeing is high priority. They support children and families to lead healthy lifestyles by providing a healthy, balanced diet for all the children. Children enjoy home-cooked meals served at the nursery. Recipes are shared with families to support healthy choices at home.

Children are learning to be increasingly independent, for example by wiping their own noses and feeding themselves at lunchtime. Children are happy and content at the nursery. They build bonds with their key person and seek reassurance when required throughout the day. Children enjoy exploring the nursery and the activities provided. The nursery is calm and supports children's emotional development well. Children and staff sit together at mealtimes and share conversations in the calm environment.

Staff talk to the children and ask their permission to change their nappies. This supports children in making positive choices. Children are building on their confidence at the setting. When the children are praised, this encourages them to smile and have a 'can-do' attitude towards their learning. Children enjoy exploring natural resources at the setting and creating different styles of play using their own imagination.

Children are kind and caring when they help to look after the setting's pet rabbits. Leaders and staff support children to feed and water them to keep them healthy. This helps children to learn to take care of living things.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders have a clear vision of where they want the setting to be. This is shared with the staff team and is in the early development stages. Leaders and staff spend time to get to know the children before they start so they know more about them and their families. This helps children to settle into the setting, as they are aware of their likes and dislikes and what comforts them if needed. Leaders support the staff team well. They regularly review their practice and support their wellbeing.

Staff feel valued and supported well by the leaders of the nursery. They feel listened to and are able to share ideas to support their practice. Professional development is ongoing and at its early stages. As such, it is too early to see the full impact that this has on the staff's training and development. There is still more scope to provide staff with ongoing support and coaching to build on their knowledge and skills even further to provide consistently high-quality teaching in all areas.

Leaders have good partnerships with parents and carers. Outside agencies' advice and support is sought when children face barriers to their learning and development to seek further support for children. Leaders provide parents with home learning ideas to help extend children's learning further at home. Parents speak highly of the setting's communication and how they feel like nothing is ever too much trouble.