Daisy Maisies

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders and staff create a highly inclusive and harmonious environment in which all babies' and children's individuality is recognised and celebrated. They are ambitious for all children and want them to succeed. Leaders have carefully considered the environment and have created calm spaces where children can go to if they feel overwhelmed. In addition, staff skilfully adapt the curriculum to meet every child's needs. They use a graduated approach to support children's learning. This means children successfully build on their knowledge over time, and this is firmly embedded.

Leaders and staff correctly identify when children may need additional support and make the appropriate referrals to partner agencies. They collaborate with parents and professionals to create bespoke plans, which celebrate the uniqueness of each child, to support them. Leaders and staff meet regularly to discuss the progress children are making and to consider the effectiveness of the plans in place for them. Additional funding is used well, for example, to purchase specific soft play equipment for children. Support for children who speak English as an additional language is a strength. Staff work in partnership with parents to support children's acquisition of language. As a result, all children make rapid and sustained progress.

Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard

Leaders and staff have created a highly ambitious and carefully sequenced curriculum. They skilfully adapt the curriculum to meet the ever changing needs of the children. This enables children to build on what they know and can do. Communication and language development is a key focus that threads throughout all the activities. Leaders and staff provide a rich environment that encourages children to understand different attributes, such as helpfulness and determination.

Staff are skilled communicators who seamlessly thread new ideas into activities. They pose questions to support children's critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Songs and stories are an integral part of the curriculum. Babies giggle in delight as they rock backwards and forwards to 'Row, Row, Row Your Boat.' Babies and children constantly look at books. Older children develop an awareness that books can also be used for gathering information, such as identifying bugs in the garden.

The teaching of mathematics is effective. Staff use every opportunity to introduce children to numbers, counting and shape. They introduce words, such as 'bigger', 'smaller', 'heavy' and 'light', to describe what children are seeing and doing. As a result, children develop a secure understanding of early mathematical concepts.

Children demonstrate sound physical skills, such as balance and coordination. Younger children concentrate intently as they attempt to catch the ball. Babies enjoy scooping and pouring sand, which helps develop the hand control needed to feed themselves. The curriculum provides children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and/or other barriers to learning, with a secure foundation for future learning.

Achievement: Strong standard

Children develop effective knowledge and skills across the areas of learning. All children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make excellent progress from their starting points. They demonstrate high levels of curiosity and engagement as they explore the enticing environment. This provides a secure foundation for future learning. Children communicate effectively with staff and express their thinking clearly. They enjoy using new words, such as 'juicy' and 'delicious,' to describe the melon. Children and babies learn the specific skills they need to gain independence. This includes learning how to put on their coats and using a spoon to feed themselves. As a result, children confidently progress to using a knife and fork. These well-planned learning opportunities help children to achieve well and become confident and independent learners, ready for the next stage of their learning.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Leaders and staff create a harmonious and respectful culture, in which babies and children thrive. They set age-appropriate expectations for children's behaviour. Staff typically role model expected behaviours, such as using polite manners, and they consistently praise positive behaviour. Children are kind and respectful to their friends because staff instil clear expectations of behaviour from a very early age. Staff make effective use of items, such as sand timers, to help all children know when their time at an activity has finished. This helps to manage their emotions. Children learn from a young age to take turns and to listen to their friends and others. The play collaboratively with their friends.

Children develop positive attitudes to learning. They are curious and interested learners. For example, babies persevere at tasks, such as pushing the animals through the holes on the ark. Older children show tenacity as they work out how to open the different locks to find the hidden animal. Leaders and staff work effectively with parents to establish routines, including promoting regular attendance, especially for those children in receipt of funding. Staff know and value the importance of regular attendance on children's learning and to form positive habits for the future.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Leaders and staff place a strong emphasis on children's personal and social development. Children are encouraged to be as independent as possible. For example, babies learn how to wash their hands and face after meals. Older children know and understand why they need to wash their hands after playing outdoors. Children say, 'It is to get rid of the germs.' Children develop an awareness of their own health and wellbeing. They understand the importance of eating a healthy diet and being active. In addition, staff use these opportunities to talk to children about the importance of good oral health. Staff have an innate understanding of the children's personal needs and meet these well in practice. Children with food allergies or intolerances learn to manage this. They are confident to ask staff if this food is 'ok' for them to eat. In addition, children recognise the importance of drinking water throughout the day to stay hydrated.

Staff work in partnership with parents to ensure babies' routines are known and implemented into daily practice. This helps children develop secure attachments and promotes their health and wellbeing. Staff supervise children well while eating or sleeping. This helps keep them safe.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders have clear oversight and governance of the nursery. They are ambitious, and they complete reflective and balanced analysis of the care and education provided. This enables them to respond quickly to any gaps in practice. High expectations of professionalism are fully embedded across the nursery. It is clear that children are at the very heart of everything that they do. This is reflected in the staff's commitment to improving the quality of care and education for all children. Ongoing training, development and support means that staff understand their roles and responsibilities. Careful monitoring and oversight of the curriculum means it continually meets the needs of all children.

Leaders and staff place great emphasis on working in partnership with parents. They work tirelessly to ensure parents are fully involved in their child's care and receive information on their progress. Leaders and staff implement home reading schemes which has seen an improvement in children's love of reading. They provide ideas for activities for parents to do at home with their children. This consistently promotes children's ongoing learning. Parents speak enthusiastically about the nursery. They comment on the excellent support from staff and the positive impact this has had on their children. Staff collaborate with schools to ensure all children receive the right support to help them to engage in the next stage of their learning. These timely and precise interventions mean all children receive the help they need to succeed.