Ashbourne Day Nurseries at Fenny Stratford

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders and staff are committed to their work with children and strive to ensure that all children, particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face barriers to learning, have a positive start to their education. Regular observations and assessments enable staff to identify gaps in children's learning and development and recognise when additional support is required. This enables staff to make personalised planning to support children to make consistent progress. Children's progress is monitored carefully, and strategies used to support them are reviewed and adapted in response to their changing needs. However, the implementation of these strategies is not yet fully embedded and requires further development to ensure a consistently effective approach for all children.

Leaders understand the importance of establishing positive partnerships with parents, carers and other professionals. This promotes a collaborative approach to addressing gaps in children's learning and development. When staff identify areas where children require additional support, they implement strategies such as now-and-next cards. However, the use of these strategies is not always consistent across the setting, and further implementation is needed to ensure that all children benefit from targeted support in a timely and effective manner. However, staff know children well and build trusting relationships with them and provide additional support and comfort when needed.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have reviewed the curriculum with staff so that it provides children with a wide range of learning experiences. Staff complete regular observations and assessments to identify children's next steps in learning and development and use this information effectively to support their progress. This includes for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and other barriers to their learning. At times, staff do not effectively support younger children to engage and remain at activities to further their learning and development. In addition, although strategies are used to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, this is not always consistent. At these times children do not benefit from the support needed to provide consistency and development.

Mathematics is embedded well throughout the provision. Recent training completed by staff has had a positive impact on activities provided for children. For example, older children are highly engaged as they push cars along a track and then identify the numbers they have landed on. Staff add dots to help children count to confirm the numbers. Communication and language is effectively supported. Staff use age-appropriate language with children. They encourage children to extend their sentences by adding an extra word. All children show a love of reading as they gather on carpets and listen intently to the stories staff read.

Children enjoy exploring the resources and equipment available in the outdoor environment, which supports their curiosity and learning. They develop new physical skills. For example, babies pull themselves into standing positions and enjoy the praise from staff as they take a few steps. Staff support children to understand what makes them unique as staff use words from their home languages. This helps to promote a positive sense of self and an understanding of diversity.

Achievement: Expected standard

Overall, children make typical developmental progress and are well prepared for the next stage of their learning, including their transition to school. They are confident communicators and increasingly express themselves verbally, clearly communicating their needs and wishes to staff. However, at times, staff do not consistently implement agreed strategies to support children further. In addition, younger children do not always receive the interactions from staff needed to support their engagement and development.

Older children engage in activities for sustained periods and demonstrate good levels of concentration. They manage age-appropriate tasks independently, including attending to their personal care needs. Children show that they understand the need to share and wait for their turn. They effectively problem solve together. For example, older children work together and discuss how many more bricks they need to tilt their ramp and make the cars roll down. Children show pride in their achievements and are confident to take on new challenges.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders and staff have created a welcoming environment that meets children's needs well. They have reviewed different areas to support children's engagement and encourage exploration. Staff are good role models and children behave well. Staff ensure that children understand the expectations of the setting and adapt their approach when needed. For example, for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and for children with other barriers to their learning.

Staff take into account children's age and developmental stages, when planning daily routines and make appropriate adaptations to meet children's individual needs. They understand the importance of play for children and provide long periods of uninterrupted playtime.

Staff are extremely kind and gentle and have positive and caring relationships with children. Children seek them out when they need comfort or reassurance. Children have strong relationships with their key person and are very happy in the setting. Information gathered from parents ensures that staff know children well and can meet their needs. Children are supported to work together at activities. For example, older children discuss together what they are going to play and what resources they will need. Younger children play well alongside each other with encouragement and support from staff. Managers promote punctuality and attendance and ensure parents understand the importance of these to support children's learning and wellbeing.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Staff know all children well, particularly their key children. They gather information from parents and carers when children first start, enabling them to learn about each child's individual needs and follow routines from home. This includes following babies sleep routines. This approach helps children to feel safe and emotionally secure. Staff build positive relationships with children, who clearly enjoy the interactions and comfort they receive. This promotes children's emotional wellbeing effectively. This includes for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those with other barriers to their learning.

Staff establish clear routines that children understand well and ensure that all children have opportunities to develop their independence skills. For example, children manage their self-care needs well, younger children use the tissue station when they need to wipe their noses. At lunchtime, older children self-serve and all children, including the youngest, feed themselves confidently and independently. Staff provide effective supervision, including during mealtimes, which promotes children's personal safety. Children enjoy healthy snacks and meals and have regular opportunities to play outdoors. During play, children learn to share and take turns. Staff recognise children's individual needs and support children's physical skills. For example, they have provided low level equipment for younger children to pull themselves into standing positions and balancing beams for older children to develop their skills. Staff support children to understand how to look after their teeth. Visits from local dentists help children to understand about oral hygiene. Staff ensure information is provided to parents and children on the importance of online safety

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders now have effective oversight of the setting and the care provided for children. They have implemented positive changes and accurately identify further areas for improvement since the previous inspection. For example, leaders have provided training for staff on the effective implementation of the curriculum. However, they recognise that further training and development are required to ensure all staff consistently provide a broad range of activities and experiences that enhance practice and improve outcomes for all children. Leaders acknowledge that further support is needed to ensure that all children's individual needs are met and that all staff understand how to effectively implement strategies to support children further.

Staff receive appropriate support to further their professional development. For example, staff have recently completed training to support children with their mathematical development, this has had a positive impact on the planning of activities to support children in this area. However, leaders recognise that at times, staff do not always effectively support younger children's engagement in activities.

Leaders and staff work effectively with parents and other agencies to ensure that children receive the support they need as quickly as possible. This includes for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and for children who have other barriers to their learning. Leaders have strengthened communication with parents and careers, enabling parents and carers to receive up-to-date information about their child's progress and any additional support that may be required. Parents speak positively about the changes that have been made since the last inspection. They report that they are happy with their children's progress and value the communication they receive from staff