Autumn Cottage Childcare Limited

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders and staff know children well and are consistently able to identify where children need support or face barriers to their learning. They work closely with outside agencies and parents to provide the right support for each individual child. Children requiring additional support are given small, measurable targets that are reviewed regularly to ensure that children are progressing in their development. Any funding children receive is appropriately used to support their individual needs. Parents report that the positive impact the nursery has had on their children's development is immense.

Leaders and staff work cohesively with parents and other professionals to ensure that all children, including those who face barriers to learning, are fully prepared for their later learning. They value and implement the advice and guidance of external professionals, ensuring that support is consistent and that everyone works together to meet each child's individual needs.

Effective strategies are embedded to support children's next steps in learning. For example, staff use early sign language to enhance children's early communication and language skills. This enables them to communicate more confidently and engage fully in the setting. They adapt their provision according to the needs of individual children, making sure that everyone feels valued and included.

Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard

Leaders provide a highly ambitious curriculum that supports all areas of their learning and development. Leaders carefully design the curriculum each year, using their knowledge of the children's needs, interests and stages of development to ensure that it is purposeful and inclusive. They consider the needs of all children, including those who may face barriers to learning, enabling them to make excellent progress and develop the skills they need for their next steps. The curriculum is carefully sequenced across each room, ensuring that children build their knowledge and skills progressively. For example, babies begin to develop early mathematical understanding through songs and rhymes, toddlers build their recognition of numerals from 3 onwards. Older children are supported to solve problems by comparing quantities and calculating how many more or fewer are in a group.

Staff demonstrate high-quality teaching. They explain to children what it is they are going to be learning. They encourage them to reflect on previous learning so they can build on what they know and can do. For example, staff encourage the children to share their ideas about how to remove dinosaur teeth and fossils from ice. They are encouraged to remember what happened when the ice melted in someone's drink and why this happened. When experimenting with different tools and materials to melt the ice, staff expertly ask prompting questions to encourage children to articulate what is happening. Children can make links in their experiences and embed what they have learned. Children are highly motivated and engaged in their play.

Children develop an appreciation of the natural world. They take part in planting flowers and growing fruit and vegetables. They care for the plants as they grow, developing an understanding of life cycles and where food comes from. Children proudly enter their produce into the local village produce show. Children develop a sense of achievement, belonging and connection to their wider community.

Achievement: Strong standard

Children develop the skills and confidence they need to prepare them for their next stage of learning. Staff provide targeted support for children who may face barriers to learning, working closely with families to identify effective strategies that can be used both at nursery and at home. Children develop increasing independence in everyday routines, including managing their self-care, trying new foods and becoming less reliant on comfort routines. Consistent approaches between nursery and home help children build confidence and apply their developing skills in different environments.

Children become confident communicators. Staff skilfully adapt their interactions to meet children's individual ages and stages of development. Staff consistently support children to develop their vocabulary by introducing new words and language during everyday experiences. With younger children, staff model correct pronunciation, respond sensitively and allow children time to process questions and share their ideas. Older children are encouraged to extend their language further by predicting, explaining and describing their thoughts. For example, during colour-mixing activities, staff encourage children to use descriptive language to anticipate what will happen. They introduce words such as 'light' and 'dark' to help them develop a broader understanding of colour.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Leaders and staff have robust procedures in place to monitor and support children with ongoing behavioural needs. They identify patterns in behaviour to help understand and address any underlying causes, reducing the likelihood of further incidents. Staff respond calmly to minor disagreements, encouraging children to reflect on how their actions affect others. For example, they ask children to consider how they would feel if someone spoke to them in the same way, helping them to develop empathy and respectful interactions. Children increasingly manage their own feelings and behaviour.

Children show kindness by offering one another different resources to support their play. They work collaboratively, for example, to free dinosaur teeth and fossils from blocks of ice. Staff encourage them to take turns and work together. Children proudly tell others when they have helped a friend free a dinosaur bone, demonstrating a strong sense of cooperation. Children develop skills that help create a positive and inclusive learning environment.

Leaders go above and beyond to support children and families experiencing challenging circumstances. This ensures that children, particularly those facing barriers to learning, can maintain positive routines and regular attendance. They provide practical, financial and emotional support tailored to families' individual needs. This helps to reduce the impact on children's wellbeing and education. This includes enabling children to continue attending the nursery during periods of hardship, offering assistance with essential household needs, signposting families to access wider support services and helping them secure more stable living arrangements. Their compassionate and proactive approach helps to provide children with consistency, security and the best possible opportunities to thrive.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Well-structured routines are embedded throughout the nursery to promote children's self-care, emotional wellbeing and healthy lifestyles. Leaders place a high priority on keeping their knowledge up to date to ensure that they provide high-quality care and support for children and their families. Children develop valuable hygiene habits, such as washing their hands before meals. Staff follow effective food preparation practices to minimise choking risks. Opportunities for independence are woven into daily routines, with children serving their own vegetables at lunchtime and being encouraged to peel and segment fruit independently. The nursery's commitment to healthy living is recognised through a healthy eating and nutrition badge awarded by the local authority. Staff have also received training through The Sleep Charity, providing them with the knowledge and practical strategies to support families in establishing healthy sleep routines for their children.

Staff develop nurturing relationships with their key children and are highly attuned to their emotional needs. Babies and children confidently seek reassurance from familiar adults when they feel unsure or upset. Staff respond with warmth and sensitivity, offering comfort and reassurance. Because staff know the children so well, they quickly recognise when a child is behaving out of character. They respond appropriately to support their wellbeing and communicate any concerns promptly with parents.

Children are taught strategies to help them self-regulate their emotions. For example, staff teach children breathing techniques to help them calm down when they are feeling stressed or angry. This enables children to manage their emotions more effectively and respond to challenging situations in a calm and positive way.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders are highly reflective and continually strive to provide the best possible care and education. They evaluate their practice effectively, accurately identify areas for improvement and take purposeful action to strengthen the quality of the provision. Leaders ensure that the curriculum and environment are responsive to the needs of the children attending. For example, they have adapted resources and adjusted expectations around concentration times to reflect the abilities and developmental needs of the children who attend. They actively value feedback from parents and consider children's views when making improvements, ensuring that the provision continues to evolve and support positive outcomes for children and families.

Staff feel highly supported and valued. They receive regular supervision, ongoing feedback and encouragement to reflect on and develop their practice. Leaders place a strong emphasis on continuous professional development, providing staff with opportunities beyond mandatory training to deepen their understanding of children's learning and development. For example, staff benefit from training that helps them to understand how and when to interact with babies during play, including using simple language, repeating words and phrases, and recognising the right moments to engage. They also develop their knowledge of child development through training such as brain development and attachment, which informs their approach to supporting children's emotional wellbeing and learning. This knowledge is used effectively when shaping the curriculum and creating an environment that responds to children's individual needs.