Doodle Do Day Nursery

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders create a highly inclusive environment where children's individual needs are identified early and supported effectively. Staff work closely with parents from the outset, completing joint assessments and maintaining ongoing communication. This ensures that children's starting points are clearly understood and that barriers to learning are quickly identified and reduced. For example, staff recognise children who are initially withdrawn and use their interests in musical toys alongside one-to-one support to build confidence. As a result, shy children explore the environment independently and engage alongside their friends.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported through targeted, responsive strategies. Staff adapt approaches based on what works best for each child. For example, they use sand timers instead of visual boards to support turn-taking. This enables children with social anxieties to develop friendships and increase their confidence. Children with emerging speech or emotional needs benefit from consistent strategies focused on emotional literacy and communication, leading to clear progress in behaviour and language.

Leaders ensure inclusion extends to children who speak English as an additional language. Staff use key words in home languages and visual prompts, helping children settle quickly and communicate with others. Children who speak English as an additional language engage confidently in play and build meaningful relationships with others. Partnerships with parents and external professionals are extremely valued by staff, ensuring coordinated support. Inclusion is highly effective, enabling children to feel valued, overcome barriers and make meaningful progress from their starting points.

Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard

Leaders have designed a highly ambitious curriculum for babies, toddlers and pre-school children that builds progressively on what children know and can do. Staff's clear planning creates a consistent pathway, ensuring learning is revisited and embedded over time. They ensure that a prominent focus on communication and language runs throughout the setting. They use stories, songs and daily interactions to help children develop wonderful vocabulary and confidence from an early age.

Teaching is consistently purposeful and responsive. Staff use rich language, role modelling and open questioning to extend children's thinking. For example, during water activities, they introduce vocabulary such as 'squeeze' while encouraging children to solve problems and explore ideas. Children confidently recall prior learning, explaining how rubbish harms sea animals, showing they understand and apply new knowledge.

Children benefit from exciting, well-planned opportunities to develop mathematical understanding, such as comparing size through play dough models and exploring concepts such as full and empty. Staff provide physical development experiences, such as indoor climbing, and fine motor activities using tools such as tweezers. These ensure children are well prepared for their next stage of learning.

The curriculum is inclusive and tailored to children's needs. Staff adapt activities and provide targeted support, such as one-to-one interactions and small-group work. As a result, children are highly engaged and motivated to learn. For instance, children developing speech are supported through repetition, songs and meaningful conversation, leading to rapid gains in communication.

Achievement: Strong standard

Children achieve well across all areas of learning. Babies confidently explore their environment, selecting resources independently and engaging in sensory play. They develop early communication skills through babbling, single words and gestures, and respond positively to songs and familiar routines. Toddlers and older children communicate confidently, asking questions, sharing ideas and using an increasing range of vocabulary during play and daily routines. Children show a secure understanding of early mathematics. For example, they count confidently and discuss shapes during water play. Pre-school children extend this further, counting to high numbers and matching numbers to quantity.

Children recall and apply their learning throughout their day. For instance, they talk about emotions, such as feeling 'grumpy' or 'sad'. Children develop independence by managing routines such as handwashing, pouring drinks and tidying up. Children behave remarkably well and form positive relationships with others. They share resources, take turns and show kindness towards their friends. For example, children work together during activities and consider others' needs, demonstrating cooperation and respect. They confidently express their needs and seek support from adults when needed, showing they feel secure.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Children behave remarkably well and show positive attitudes to learning. Enthusiastic staff provide clear, consistent guidance and engaging experiences. They model calm, respectful interactions and use praise effectively, meaning children remain focused and motivated. For example, during garden time, staff demonstrate how to use tools safely, ask questions and celebrate children's efforts. As a result, children are engaged, curious and willing to try new things.

Children form meaningful, trusting relationships with staff, who respond sensitively to their needs. Staff get down to children's level, use soothing tones and acknowledge feelings, helping children to understand and manage their emotions. For instance, when children become upset, staff offer comfort, gently explain expectations and model sharing or taking turns. This consistent approach helps children to develop self-regulation and positive social skills.

Staff establish consistent, well-embedded routines that children understand and follow confidently. They use clear instructions and reminders to support transitions, such as encouraging children to sit for a snack or wash their hands. At the same time, staff remain highly flexible, allowing children to make choices, such as returning to play when ready. This supports children to feel secure while developing independence in the setting.

Inclusive strategies are used effectively to meet individual needs. When children become frustrated, staff expertly acknowledge how they are feeling and guide them towards appropriate ways to respond, such as asking for help. As a result, children are cooperative and confident, and they develop important relationships with others.

Leaders promote attendance through sharing clear expectations with families and robust monitoring of attendance patterns. Staff promptly follow up on unexplained absences when necessary. Therefore, children's safety is prioritised and consistent attendance is promoted, supporting continuity of learning.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Children's welfare and wellbeing are prioritised. This is reflected in the calm, nurturing environment created by staff. Children feel safe and secure because staff are attentive, caring and responsive to their needs. For example, staff provide comfort through cuddles, soothing language and close interaction. Children settle quickly and build an abundance of emotional security. As a result, children are happy, relaxed and confident to explore their environment.

Children's health needs are thoroughly supported through consistent routines and effective care practices. Staff promote excellent hygiene through supervising handwashing and maintaining clean environments. Mealtimes are calm and social, with staff sitting alongside children, encouraging healthy eating and supporting safe practices. Children confidently manage their own self-care, such as feeding themselves, pouring drinks and tidying away, promoting independence and a sense of responsibility.

Children's physical and emotional wellbeing are carefully supported. Staff adapt routines to meet individual needs, such as following home sleep routines and providing flexible transitions and daily flow. For example, children who need rest are supported in quiet, calm spaces, while others continue to play elsewhere. Staff support emotional wellbeing by helping children to understand and express their feelings consistently, leading to improved behaviour and confidence.

Inclusive practices ensure all children's needs are met effectively. Staff work closely with parents and external professionals, such as occupational therapists, to provide secure, regular support. Therefore, children feel deeply valued, develop resilience and thrive in this safe and supportive environment.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders provide clear direction and have taken decisive action to improve the quality of the provision. Although the manager and some of the wider team are relatively new, their impact is already evident in the well-organised environment, improved planning systems and targeted focus on communication and language. Leaders have introduced a more structured curriculum and clearer expectations for staff, resulting in children experiencing purposeful, engaging learning that builds on what they know and can do.

Leaders implement robust systems to monitor practice, including regular observations, supervision and feedback. For example, staff receive immediate guidance on how to improve their interactions, such as allowing more time for children to respond. This ongoing support strengthens teaching and ensures greater consistency. As a result, children benefit through high-quality interactions and improved learning experiences.

Leaders place a high emphasis on staff's wellbeing and professional development. Staff report feeling supported through an open-door culture, regular check-ins and tailored training opportunities, such as shadowing more experienced colleagues. This helps newer staff, including apprentices, to quickly develop confidence and competence, ensuring children receive safe, attentive and knowledgeable care.

Partnerships with parents are a key strength. Leaders actively engage families through regular communication, workshops and shared learning opportunities. For example, parents are supported with strategies to develop children's speech and behaviour at home. This joined-up approach ensures children benefit from consistent support between home and the setting, significantly enhancing their progress.

Leaders respond quickly and appropriately to concerns, including reviewing practice, strengthening training and improving risk assessment processes. As a result, there is a clear journey of improvement, with children benefiting from a safe, well-led and continually improving environment.