Ashbourne Day Nurseries at Cheshunt

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders have simplified the curriculum into clear, step-by-step goals for each room. This has helped staff to understand what to teach and how to adapt learning for different children. Children with a range of starting points, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language, now access activities alongside their friends. Staff use simple, clear language and visual cues effectively. This helps children to understand routines and engage in play. As a result, all children are increasingly involved in activities and participate confidently.

Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is structured, although this is a relatively new area of development for the setting. Leaders have addressed previous gaps by introducing individual plans, regular reviews and closer work with parents and external professionals. Staff use targeted approaches, such as small-group activities and support for communication, which are starting to have a positive impact. As a result, children are developing essential language skills and engage confidently with others.

Partnerships with parents are a key strength and contribute positively to inclusion. Staff gather information about children's home lives and use this to shape learning, such as linking activities to family experiences. Leaders implement practical support for families experiencing disadvantage. This helps to reduce barriers to attendance and enabling children to feel secure.

Leaders have taken decisive action to improve inclusion, and the impact is evident in children's increased engagement and progress. However, as approaches are relatively new and continuing to embed, practice is not yet fully consistent.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have introduced a clear step-by-step curriculum with simple goals for each age range. Staff understand what children need to learn and how these build over time. For example, physical and mathematical skills are developed through staff incorporating counting as children balance on stepping stones. Therefore, play is meaningful and engaging. However, not all staff are equally confident in delivering the curriculum due to changes still being embedded. As a result, children's learning is not always deepened and limits their ability to apply newly learned skills in different situations.

Leaders review the curriculum regularly and adapt it to meet the needs of children attending. Staff use dedicated spaces, such as the library and art room, purposefully to promote communication, creativity and small-group learning. This helps children to focus, engage and build skills in a calm environment.

Staff use everyday routines and modelling to enhance learning, with a clear focus on communication, language and school readiness. Staff use repetition well. For example, circle times revisit familiar stories to help children recall previous vocabulary. Activities such as manipulating pipe cleaners are skilfully provided to support fine motor skills needed for writing, while allowing children to explore their own ideas. Children are engaged, enjoy their learning and remember what they have been taught.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children make steady progress from their starting points and develop key skills across all areas of learning. For example, babies develop communication through songs, stories and repeated experiences, with many joining in with familiar words and actions. Toddlers confidently use language, such as 'full' and 'empty', during play. As a result, children are building early language and mathematical understanding through everyday experiences.

Children are settled, happy and show increasing confidence. They use words positively and play cooperatively. Children demonstrate self-control and join in with group activities, building relationships with friends.

Children develop independence and physical skills through daily routines and play. For instance, babies feed themselves and use open cups, helping to prepare them for the next stage of moving to the toddler room. Older children take part in activities, such as moulding play dough, which support fine motor skills. Children show high levels of engagement, moving confidently between activities and making choices about their play. However, children do not always understand expectations around hygiene because some routines are newly embedded and not yet consistent across the setting.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Children are settled, happy and show positive attitudes to learning. Staff support children to move confidently between activities, make choices about their play and engage well with others. For example, children cooperate when washing bikes in the garden, taking turns and sharing resources. Leaders actively promote attendance by clearly communicating expectations to parents. They follow up promptly on unexplained absences, taking swift action to ensure children's safety when they are not accounted for.

Staff support children to understand feelings and behaviour. For instance, when children take toys, staff explain how this makes others feel upset. Children respond by returning items and continuing with play. Staff support children with turn-taking and managing their frustrations through consistent strategies and access to calming spaces. As a result, children manage their emotions and engage more positively with others.

Children are beginning to follow routines and develop independence. For example, children help with tasks, such as tidying up. Staff are working to improve transitions, for example introducing singing to keep babies engaged while others finish meals. These approaches are newly embedded, and children are starting to understand what happens next in their day. Leaders have identified some transitions are less well managed, leading to children wandering about for brief periods until redirected by staff.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Needs attention

Children are settled and form positive relationships with staff. However, some everyday practices are not yet fully supportive of health and hygiene. For example, children occasionally have dirty noses throughout the day. While nose hygiene stations are available, staff do not consistently prompt or support children to use them. As a result, children's hygiene habits are not totally secure.

Some mealtime practices also require development. Children, occasionally, walk around with food in their mouths and staff do not always intervene or explain why sitting while eating is important. As a result, opportunities for children to learn how to keep themselves safe are not fully embedded. Expectations around hygiene and safety are not typically reinforced, which limits children's understanding of how to manage their own physical wellbeing effectively. However, leaders are aware of this and are supporting staff to develop practice in the highlighted areas.

Children are happy, confident and show that they feel secure in the setting. Staff are warm and caring, and children form positive attachments, which support their emotional wellbeing. Staff carry out personal care routines, such as nappy changing sensitively, maintaining children's dignity and comfort. Children are supported to understand and manage feelings through helping them name emotions and recognising the impact of their behaviour on others. Therefore, children are empathetic and considerate of others.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders demonstrate a clear understanding of the setting's strengths and areas for development. They have already made meaningful improvements in such a short period. Leaders have acted quickly to address weaknesses and bring clearer direction to the setting. Leaders have recently reviewed and changed their curriculum. This means support has been strengthened for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. For example, individual plans are now regularly updated with parents for children who need extra help. As a result, children are making positive progress and are more engaged in their learning. Leaders have also improved how staff are supported and monitored.

Leaders have developed communication strategies and created a positive staff culture. Staff feel listened to and supported. This is reflected in their willingness to take on feedback and develop practice. Parents highlight improvements, particularly in communication and involvement in their child's learning through daily updates. Children's care and learning are more consistent between home and the setting, which supports their wellbeing and progress.

Leaders have effective systems in place to monitor practice and identify areas for improvement. For example, peer observations and external support from the local authority are used to review quality and guide next steps. Leaders have accurately identified priorities, such as improving the outdoor environment, strengthening communication and language and refining routines, like mealtimes. These improvements are being introduced gradually to ensure staff understand and sustain changes. Children and families are benefiting from a provision that is improving over time. The curriculum and some routines are newly embedded and not yet consistent across the setting. Staff are still developing confidence in delivering the curriculum and applying routines effectively, which impacts on the consistency of children's experiences. Leaders are managing this professionally through staff training and modelling desired practice to quickly reduce the impact on children.