Early Explorers Day Nursery

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders demonstrate a robust and consistent approach to inclusion. They identify children's needs early and take prompt, well-targeted action to reduce barriers to learning and wellbeing. Staff respond quickly and effectively, putting in place adaptations to ensure that children's individual needs are met and that children can participate fully in the curriculum. For example, staff observe and assess the children and make prompt referrals.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities benefit from targeted strategies. This includes speech and language support, occupational therapy referrals and daily adaptations that reduce barriers to learning. Staff consistently use visual timetables and choice boards. They simplify language and use key words from children's home languages to help them understand routines and participate confidently. This ensures that children progress securely from their starting points.

Staff also support disadvantaged children and children who face barriers to their learning or wellbeing. They work closely with parents and carers through daily conversations, shared updates and parents and carers meetings. This ensures that families remain well informed and involved in decisions. Staff considers children's home experiences, their interests and any changes in behaviour when planning their next steps.

Younger children receive tailored support, including activities and calm spaces that help them regulate and engage. Staff adapt routines so that all children can join in. For example, they allow younger children to participate with older groups, and adjust environments to create quieter, more focused areas. Through these thoughtful adaptations, all children feel fully included and thrive in this inclusive environment.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Overall, leaders have an accurate understanding of the curriculum and how this should be used each day. They talk about the changes to in-the-moment planning that they have recently made to support children's learning and development. However, these changes are not fully understood by all staff. This means that, at times, the curriculum is not fully embedded.

The curriculum is well sequenced, and leaders ensure that it is typically taught well. Leaders and staff assess children's progress regularly and use this information to identify any gaps in the curriculum. Mathematics is threaded through the curriculum, and staff take opportunities to extend and support children's mathematical thinking in playful and engaging ways. For example, during outdoor learning in the park, children roll across the playground and count how many times they roll. This deepens their understanding of numbers and sequencing through active exploration.

Children's communication and language development is prioritised by leaders. Staff skilfully adapt their language to meet the needs of different ages and stages. Children of all ages are supported to communicate their needs effectively. For example, when a child wants a toy that a friend is using, staff calmly model appropriate language and guide them to engage positively with their peers. This enables all children to fully participate and make progress from their starting points.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children make steady progress from their starting points, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They gain important skills to support their further learning. Children learn to take turns and develop early negotiation skills that are vital for collaborative learning. They build confidence in their play and use appropriate vocabulary that allows them to interact with each other and make friends.

Children show increasing independence and often want to complete tasks by themselves. They take pride in their achievements and confidently say, 'I did it by myself.' Children take turns and build positive relationships with their peers. Overall, children build on their physical development in a variety of ways. In the local park, they develop gross motor skills outdoors, balancing, running and climbing. Younger children refine their fine motor skills while exploring busy boards with interest. Children's confidence and willingness to try new tasks are boosted by the praise and encouragement they receive at appropriate times. This means that children are suitably prepared for their next stage of learning.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders work closely with parents and carers to support punctuality, attendance and settling in. As a result, children are settled and confident in the nursery. Staff build secure, trusting relationships with all children. This supports their emotional wellbeing and positive behaviour. Children follow routines confidently, including circle time, snack time and outdoor transitions. Staff model positive behaviour and reinforce good manners. They encourage children to say 'Please can I have some more?' and 'Thank you'. Children show positive attitudes to learning, engaging enthusiastically in songs, activities and outdoor play.

Overall, leaders and staff set clear expectations and maintain a calm environment. Children are supported to follow routines, such as for tidy-up time, mealtimes and personal care. These routines help even the youngest children develop growing independence and understand what is expected of them. Staff guide children effectively through transitions, enabling them to move smoothly and confidently between activities.

Children demonstrate positive behaviour, cooperating with peers, sharing snack bowls. They help one another and negotiate resources during play. Attendance is monitored carefully, with families contacted promptly when concerns arise. Staff encourage independence and self-help skills throughout the day, reinforcing children's understanding of routines and expectations. However, at times, children are not fully supported to understand how their behaviour may affect others. This means that they do not always develop a secure understanding of what is right or wrong.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Leaders place children's welfare and wellbeing at the heart of the setting. They create a warm, home-from-home environment where children feel safe, nurtured and emotionally secure. This consistent focus on care and comfort enables children to settle quickly, express themselves confidently and develop trusting relationships. Leaders celebrate each child's individuality, ensuring that their emotional and physical wellbeing is prioritised throughout daily routines and interactions. Leaders have designed flexible and robust settling-in procedures for children, tailored to their individual needs. Settling-in sessions are carefully planned. This means that trusting relationships between staff, children and families develop swiftly.

Staff, including those who are relatively new to the nursery, are highly supportive of children's wellbeing. They work closely with leaders to strengthen relationships through a highly efficient key-person system. Leaders place a high priority on staff knowing children and their families exceptionally well, enabling them to respond quickly and sensitively to children's changing needs. As a result, every child's emotional wellbeing remains a consistent focus, and care and learning are tailored precisely to each individual.

Staff place an inspiring focus on helping children develop independence from an early age. Children experience abundant opportunities to practise self-care skills. Staff celebrate each small step children take as they master new routines. Children beam with pride when their growing independence is recognised. Staff praise children and babies warmly for following hygiene routines, such as drinking confidently from open cups and managing self-care tasks with increasing control. Children approach these routines with enthusiastic determination and learn that their efforts matter. They begin to see independence as something joyful and achievable.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders prioritise staff wellbeing and develop positive working relationships with staff to identify when they may need additional support. Staff speak positively about working at the setting and describe leaders as approachable and supportive. Leaders promote staff's wellbeing through regular supervision meetings, an open-door culture and opportunities for staff to discuss concerns or seek advice.

Generally, leaders have a clear understanding of the setting's strengths and priorities for improvement. They evaluate the quality of teaching and identify ways in which practice can be further strengthened. Leaders work hard on designing an ambitious curriculum that offers a broad range of meaningful experiences for all children. However, they do not consistently ensure that staff understand and implement the curriculum. This means that children do not always benefit fully from the intended learning.

Leaders prioritise relationships with parents and carers. They set clear expectations and foster a culture of teamwork, trust and continuous improvement that supports children and families. Families value the clear communication during handovers and the supportive approach that staff take during transitions. This practice helps to meet the needs of children and their parents.