Brambles Rushall

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders place inclusion at the centre of all they do. They ensure that dedicated staff identify and assess children's individual needs quickly and accurately. They support staff to use their observations, assessments and open communication with families to build a clear understanding of each child's development. Leaders act quickly when needs emerge, seeking early support and referring to external professionals.

Leaders remove barriers to learning and wellbeing by implementing targeted support and individualised programmes for children. They adapt routines, provide visual and sensory resources, and tailor communication approaches, such as Makaton and communication boards, to support and initiate interactions to help ensure that every child, including those who are disadvantaged and those known to social care, can participate fully in the curriculum. Furthermore, staff model and reinforce inclusive practice across the setting.

Leaders and staff monitor children's progress closely. They review support plans regularly with parents and external professionals. Staff who work closely with the children identify if targets have been achieved. Leaders prioritise high-quality staff training to build confidence in early identification, ongoing assessment and inclusive strategies. They work proactively with families and external agencies to tailor children's support and create consistent, joined-up experiences.

Leaders use additional funding purposefully to benefit the individual needs of each child. They discuss funding with parents and collaboratively decide how this would be best spent to ensure it benefits the children and has a positive impact on their learning and engagement, such as purchasing resources to support toilet training.

While staff do not yet consistently allow children sufficient thinking time during interactions, the rigour of the setting's inclusive systems, targeted support and collaborative approach with families and professionals means that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, continue to make secure progress and are fully included in all aspects of the curriculum.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have a clear and accurate understanding of the quality of the curriculum and teaching. They monitor practice, coach staff and evaluate impact, using this knowledge to drive continuous improvement. They design and deliver a well-sequenced, inclusive curriculum that meets all areas of learning. They build on what all children can already do and what they need to learn next. Staff adapt activities effectively for every child, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who are disadvantaged and those known to social care.

Staff actively promote children's communication skills across all areas of learning. They introduce new vocabulary and hold meaningful interactions. Staff respond to the youngest children's communication with intent. They introduce vocabulary such as 'big' and 'small' when they roll balls down slopes. They listen to older children with interest and hold meaningful conversations with them. However, at times, staff do not always give children enough time to think and respond for themselves. This can reduce children's ability to develop their own thinking skills.

Staff are confident introducing number, shape and colour language from an early age, embedding mathematical language throughout routines and play. The youngest children enjoy counting their fingers to 5. Staff extend this and count with them to 10. Older children confidently use colour, number and shape language in their play.

Staff use the outdoor environment effectively, offering rich learning opportunities with open-ended resources that encourage problem-solving, risk-taking, imagination and physical development. Staff give high priority to children's physical, personal, social and emotional development. They build secure relationships with children. They support emotional regulation and encourage independence.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children make steady progress through the curriculum, particularly in communication and language, where they develop confidence in listening, speaking and using new vocabulary. For instance, young children are able to respond with purpose. When staff ask, 'What have you found?', they reply 'stick', referring to the object they hold. Older children engage confidently with their peers and hold meaningful conversations with them.

Children build securely on what they already know and can do, enabling them to move confidently through the curriculum from their individual starting points. They make consistent progress, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, disadvantaged children and those known to social care. They understand routines, engage fully in learning and respond well to the carefully tailored support staff provide. While children make secure progress, the inconsistency in thinking time and sustained shared thinking means that children's critical thinking and depth of learning is not yet as developed as it could be from their individual starting points

Children can clearly communicate their needs, manage their emotions effectively and demonstrate increasing independence. They apply their growing knowledge and skills across all areas of learning and achieve well. By the time they leave nursery, children show curiosity, resilience and confidence. They demonstrate the attitudes and abilities they need for the next stage, including school, and are well prepared for future learning.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Children flourish in this outdoor nursery, where leaders have established a calm, purposeful environment with routines that children understand and follow confidently. Expectations for behaviour are high, clear and consistent, and staff model them well. Children know how to be safe in the environment. They handle equipment responsibly and follow well-taught rules around the open fire. They approach this area with maturity, respecting boundaries and demonstrating an age-appropriate awareness of risk. Children enjoy cuddles with staff when they need reassurance and naturally seek them out for interactions, comfort and conversation, reflecting the trusting relationships that underpin their security and confidence.

Children learn to collaborate effectively. They work together in the mud kitchen, negotiating roles, sharing tools and creating imaginative mixtures of 'tea cakes' while respecting others who need more time or encouragement. Staff are close by to support these interactions, considering each child's individual needs, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, disadvantaged children and those known to social care. Staff use strategies they have in place to ensure successful engagement and interactions.

While staff do not yet consistently allow children sufficient thinking time during interactions, the rigour of the setting's behaviour and attitudes environment, the consistently high expectations, secure relationships and explicit teaching of positive behaviours mean that children's overall behaviour, attitudes and engagement remain at a very high level across the setting.

Leaders promote the importance of regular attendance. Families understand that consistent routines help children settle and feel part of the group. Leaders monitor attendance closely. They provide practical support and adaptations for families who face barriers.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Children's welfare and wellbeing are promoted excellently in this outdoor nursery. Leaders ensure that care practices are responsive and rooted in a deep understanding of each child's needs. Staff know children very well and adapt routines sensitively for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who are disadvantaged and those known to social care, ensuring that they experience consistently nurturing care. Secure, trusting attachments are evident. Younger children benefit from staff using infant carriers. This provides close physical reassurance and supports emotional regulation, while enabling them to explore the outdoor environment safely and remaining connected to their key person. Bespoke settling-in procedures and transitions to the next stage are shaped around individual children's and family's needs, helping them feel secure from the outset. Children of all ages seek staff for comfort or to share moments of curiosity, reflecting secure emotional bonds.

Staff support children effectively to understand their physical development and personal safety. Children learn to confidently manage wellington boots and warm clothing and understand why boundaries exist around areas such as the open fire. Staff weave discussions about healthy choices into daily routines, helping children recognise when they are hungry, thirsty or tired. Emotional wellbeing is a priority. Children use the dedicated regulation den when they need a quiet, comforting space to reset. This is supported by calm, consistent language from staff that helps them recognise and manage their feelings.

Routines, including snack times and personalised comfort strategies such as how children are best prepared for sleep times, are adapted skilfully to suit individual needs. Leaders create an inclusive environment where high expectations for children's welfare sit alongside warmth and flexibility. Children feel secure, valued and ready to explore the outdoor world with confidence.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders demonstrate a commitment to providing high-quality education and care for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who are disadvantaged and those known to social care . They understand the nursery's strengths well and take action to address the areas they identify for improvement. Leaders analyse practice effectively and prioritise developments that will make the greatest impact. They identify some inconsistencies in staff practice and provide individualised support and training to develop these areas. For example, they are focusing on supporting staff to further develop teaching and interactions by allowing children time to consistently think and respond for themselves, developing their critical thinking even further. Leaders invest in specific outdoor training to ensure that staff confidently support children's learning across the woodland environment, and in targeted training for those working with those under the age of 2 so that the youngest children's needs are met with expertise. They maintain a strong focus on ensuring that the youngest children benefit fully from the outdoor-only provision, adapting routines and resources to meet their individual needs. Decisions are consistently made in the best interests of all children.

Leaders prioritise inclusion and maintain open communication with families and external agencies to secure timely support for children with emerging needs. Regular staff meetings enable staff to share practice, reflect on recent training and maintain consistency across the provision. Supervision sessions are used well to monitor ongoing suitability, address workload and support staff wellbeing. Staff report they are happy in their roles and feel valued for the contributions they make.

Professional development is purposeful and closely aligned to the needs of the setting. Leaders use their understanding of staff strengths and areas for development to plan targeted training that strengthens staff confidence and enhances the quality of interactions children experience.