Country Kids Day Nursery

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders have extremely high aspirations for every child and are unwavering in their belief that all children can thrive, regardless of their starting points or individual circumstances. They know children very well and identify needs and potential barriers quickly, putting thoughtful and highly effective adaptations in place to enable every child to participate fully. Adaptations, such as sensory baskets and alternative communication methods, work well as strategies for individual children but also for other children too. Leaders ensure that these approaches are shared and embedded across the nursery so that all staff understand how to respond consistently and confidently to children's individual needs. Staff have completed Makaton training, strengthening their ability to communicate effectively with children, while specialist advice from external professionals, including speech and language support, is used purposefully to enhance practice.

Leaders work closely with families and other professionals to ensure support is timely, well coordinated and responsive. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, disadvantaged children and those experiencing other barriers to learning or wellbeing, are supported through carefully considered strategies that enable them to access the full range of experiences. The warm, nurturing and genuinely inclusive culture ensures that every child is valued, celebrated and respected. Children's strengths are recognised and their differences embraced, enabling them to develop confidence, independence and a secure sense of belonging.

Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard

Leaders have an extremely clear understanding of the quality of the curriculum and teaching. The ambitious curriculum is superbly sequenced, with a particular focus on art, music and experiences that introduce science and technology. This supports children to develop as curious, confident learners. Every member of staff knows precisely what children are working towards, alongside their individual next steps, ensuring teaching builds seamlessly on what children already know and can do.

Staff use children's interests and everyday experiences very well to deepen learning. In the toddler room, children develop mathematical understanding through mud kitchen play as staff introduce language such as 'empty', 'full' and 'heavy'. In pre-school, staff skilfully extend mathematical thinking as children explore 'half' and 'whole' crackers and use counting during tidying. Children's vocabulary is continually enriched across the curriculum, including through meaningful experiences such as learning that chow mein means stir-fried noodles.

The curriculum gives high priority to children's physical, personal, social and emotional skills alongside their developing knowledge and understanding. Staff support babies to develop resilience by allowing them time to solve problems independently, while older children develop confidence, cooperation and independence through carefully planned experiences.

Assessment is used precisely to shape teaching and provision. Staff identify individual next steps and adapt environments accordingly, such as positioning furniture to encourage babies to develop strength and mobility. Teaching is highly inclusive, with Makaton, visual communication, sensory resources, smaller-group experiences and specialist advice used effectively to remove barriers. Staff also value children's home languages and cultures, learning key words to support children who speak English as an additional language. As a result, every child accesses the ambitious curriculum and makes secure and sustained progress from their individual starting points.

Achievement: Strong standard

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, achieve extremely well across the curriculum from their individual starting points. They become confident communicators who can express their needs, ideas and experiences, listen attentively and use increasingly rich vocabulary in meaningful contexts. Children confidently apply new mathematical understanding, using language such as 'empty', 'full', 'heavy', 'half' and 'whole', and count accurately during everyday experiences.

Children achieve highly in their physical development and become increasingly capable and independent. They develop strength, balance and coordination and confidently manage routines such as eating, washing, dressing and tidying. Children demonstrate excellent personal, social and emotional development. They form secure relationships, cooperate, share, take turns, manage their emotions and persevere when faced with challenges. Children's individual achievements are recognised and celebrated, regardless of their starting points.

Children are very well prepared for school. They are confident, curious and resilient learners who can listen, communicate, solve problems, manage routines and work collaboratively. They approach new experiences enthusiastically and develop the independence and learning behaviours needed to flourish in their next stage of learning.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Leaders have extremely high expectations for children's behaviour, attitudes and engagement. Routines are thoughtfully established and consistently embedded across the nursery. This creates a calm, purposeful and highly inclusive environment where children feel secure and know what is expected of them. Transitions between activities, moving between indoor and outdoor play and mealtimes are calm and considered learning opportunities. Staff use these moments purposefully to develop children's independence, communication and social skills.

Children develop positive attitudes from the earliest age. Babies learn the importance of 'kind hands' as they play with dolls, while toddlers confidently invite others to join their play, making a circle and telling friends that they have 'saved a space'. Children demonstrate genuine consideration for others and understand that everyone is valued and included. As children grow, they increasingly take responsibility for their environment and demonstrate excellent attitudes to learning. Pre-school children work collaboratively to clean the snack table. Children use cloths and proudly explain, 'The water has been absorbed,' demonstrating curiosity alongside their willingness to contribute.

Leaders take decisive action to promote regular and consistent attendance, identifying emerging patterns quickly and working closely with families to understand and address any barriers. Their inclusive approach ensures every child can participate fully and benefit from exciting experiences.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Leaders and staff provide superb care that is highly responsive to every child's individual needs. Children are known very well, and care practices are thoughtfully adapted to ensure every child receives the precise support they need to thrive. Key persons develop secure and trusting attachments with babies and children. They are highly attuned to children's cues and respond with warmth, sensitivity and consistency, giving children a secure sense of safety and belonging.

Children develop an excellent understanding of their physical development, health and wellbeing. Staff intentionally teach, even the youngest children, vocabulary for different parts of their bodies. As a result, children understand and respond confidently to simple instructions, such as to wipe their face after meals, developing their communication skills and independence. The purposefully designed outdoor area and equipment help strengthen children's upper body and core muscles, supporting physical development through enjoyable challenge. Children enjoy a wide variety of nutritious and healthy meals and develop a positive understanding of food. Mealtimes are sociable learning opportunities. For example, children learn that chow mein means stir-fried noodles, extending their vocabulary and knowledge of the foods they eat.

Staff are skilled at supporting children's emotional development. They recognise individual emotional cues and sensitively help children recognise, express and manage their feelings. Sleeping, feeding and care routines are highly personalised and responsive to individual needs. As a result, children are secure, confident and increasingly independent.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders have an accurate and insightful understanding of the nursery's strengths and areas for development. They take decisive action to secure continuous improvement. They have cultivated a highly skilled, committed and extremely knowledgeable staff team. The long-standing and highly qualified team brings a wealth of experience and expertise, providing children with consistently high-quality care and learning experiences. Staff demonstrate a shared commitment to the nursery's values and to achieving the very best outcomes for every child.

New staff and those completing early years qualifications are very well supported to thrive in the setting. Leaders invest significantly in professional development, providing a wealth of high-quality training, coaching and opportunities to learn from experienced colleagues. Apprentices are quickly integrated into the team and develop confidence, knowledge and professional expertise in a culture where continuous improvement is genuinely valued. This investment ensures that staff rapidly strengthen their practice and contribute positively to children's experiences.

Leaders make decisions based firmly on what is in the best interests of children. They have high aspirations for all children and carefully consider the needs of disadvantaged children, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those facing other barriers to learning or wellbeing. Leaders are reflective and responsive, using evidence from children, families and staff to inform improvement and ensure that decisions have a positive impact.

Leaders' commitment to professional learning extends beyond their own staff team. Their developing role as partners in the early years stronger practice hubs provides valuable opportunities to share best practice across the wider early years sector and to access evidence-based practice. Leaders are ambitious to strengthen staff's knowledge and challenge their thinking, including through international opportunities for staff to undertake charitable and professional learning experiences. This approach demonstrates a commitment to continuous improvement and to bringing about a transformational impact on staff practice and outcomes for children.