Chiltern Day Nursery

Inclusion: Strong standard

Staff identify children's needs at the earliest opportunity. This includes the learning and wellbeing needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders work effectively with parents and experts to provide strategic support that helps staff to promote children's learning. For example, they implement specialist strategies to promote children's emotional regulation. Children make extensive progress in all areas of learning. Leaders robustly monitor the progress of all children. They ensure that their own knowledge and skills reflect the needs of children who attend the nursery. As a result, leaders are able to make adaptations to the curriculum and to routines. This consistently promotes children's wellbeing and education.

All staff have extremely close relationships with children and their families. They closely consider changes to the individual circumstances of children. Where children are disadvantaged, funding is used meticulously to enhance children's experiences at the nursery. Staff receive appropriate training and support to teach children who are learning English as an additional language. They work with other professionals to consider the needs of children who are previously known to social care. The work of leaders and staff consistently reduces barriers that children face in relation to learning and wellbeing.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have a strong understanding of the quality of the curriculum and teaching throughout the nursery. They use assessment to identify children with gaps in their learning. Staff adapt their practice to meet the changing needs of children. Leaders acknowledge that they need to work to further strengthen teaching across the nursery so that standards are consistently high for children of all ages. Staff interact with children well. They promote language through rigorous teaching of vocabulary and communication skills. Children are excited to chat to others and share what they know. They become fluent talkers ready for the next stage of their education.

Leaders design a curriculum that brings to life all aspects of children's learning. They consider what children want to learn about to ignite the spark of learning. All children, including babies, develop positive attitudes to learning new skills and knowledge. Staff skilfully adapt their teaching to consider the needs of children with gaps in their learning.

Staff teach mathematical knowledge across the nursery consistently well. For example, children learn to extend their thinking by asking questions and solving problems. All staff prioritise children's physical development through a wealth of opportunities to practise physical skills outdoors. They support all children, including babies, to use a variety of tools to enhance their coordination and control.

Achievement: Strong standard

All children make consistent progress and achieve well across the nursery. This includes children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Children benefit from staff who rigorously track their progress and provide individual support plans for them. This helps children to work consistently towards achievable targets. Where appropriate, children benefit from support from experts in their learning and from careful adaptations to activities. This helps children with SEND to achieve consistently well. For example, toddlers who encounter gaps in their physical development are given the considered support they need to rapidly learn to balance and walk. They enjoy learning through activities where barriers to their learning are removed.

Children who encounter challenges when socialising with others or regulating their emotions feel very well supported. They learn to engage with others and have positive interactions with their friends and staff. Children achieve sustained success in their social development. This means that all children gain high levels of self-esteem and a consistently positive self-image. Children across the nursery are very well prepared for the next stage of their education, including school.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Staff build highly effective relationships with children. The dedicated team works closely with parents to understand children's backgrounds and individual circumstances. This includes considering the gaps in the wellbeing of children who are disadvantaged. Staff work effectively with parents to tackle barriers to attendance and punctuality. This helps children to feel included in key routines that help them develop positive attitudes to learning.

All children, including those with barriers to their emotional development, receive the support they need to build friendships. For example, babies excitedly name their friends and play alongside them. Children are highly sensitive and kind to others, including those with gaps in their learning. Staff carefully consider the changing circumstances of individual children when planning routines. For example, staff encourage children to talk about their feelings and understand their emotions. Leaders seek support from experts where children face significant barriers to emotional or social development. They use a wide range of strategies and succinctly evaluate the impact of these on the progress of children. All children are able to build and sustain relationships with others that help them to thrive.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Leaders rigorously adapt policies and procedures to support children with special educational needs and disabilities. They work with staff to implement consistent strategies for supporting children with gaps in their wellbeing and development. This includes children who need specialist approaches to feeding and sleeping routines. All children gain the self-care skills needed to be very well prepared for the next stage of their education, including school. This includes toilet training and dressing independently.

Staff sensitively encourage babies to sleep in the welcoming environment. They work closely with parents to consider what helps babies to feel safe and secure. Staff are unwavering in their commitment to support children in their physical development. This includes teaching children about their own personal safety. For example, they teach children to understand their own food intolerances or medical needs and to take measures to keep themselves safe.

Staff consistently implement a culture of physical health. They teach children to have a strong sense of nutrition, providing home-cooked healthy feeds. Staff talk to children about what helps them to become strong and healthy. They consistently provide children with healthy messages about oral and physical health. All children develop lifelong healthy habits that promote their physical and emotional wellbeing.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders are highly reflective and open to continuously improving the quality of the nursery. They show integrity, acting in the best interests of all children. For example, staff rigorously evaluate how funding is used to promote the experiences of disadvantaged children.

Leaders ensure that all staff play a vital role in the continuous improvement of the nursery. All staff feel that they make a significant contribution to the ongoing development of the nursery. Leaders carefully select professional development opportunities linked to the learning needs of individuals. For example, staff attend training on the emotional development of children and skilfully disseminate this among others. Leaders rigorously evaluate the impact of these enhancements on children.

All staff report very high levels of wellbeing. The support from leaders helps them to feel valued and enjoy working at the nursery. Leaders provide high-quality professional development opportunities. They ensure that regular meetings help to identify any issues and to consistently provide professional development opportunities that are very closely linked to the learning needs of individual children.