Edisford Day Nursery

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders are quick to respond and support effectively the emerging or changing needs of children to make a remarkable difference. Highly effective communication between staff ensures that children's progress is continually monitored, with any barriers to learning identified and addressed at the earliest opportunity. Early intervention is carefully tailored to meet individual needs, enabling children to thrive. Leaders and staff work seamlessly together to devise and implement ambitious, targeted support plans that are consistently reviewed and refined. Children receive consistency and are confident in knowing what is expected of them. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities or who may be known to children's social care are involved in all aspects of learning. Staff carefully, but quickly ensure that resources and adaptations are in place to support all children.

Children access a sensory circuit as part of the routine to allow additional opportunity for specialised physical activity. The need for this support is identified early, enabling children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, as well as those facing other barriers to learning or wellbeing to better engage and learn within a busy environment. As a result, children then learn and play when feeling ready and calm. This is consistent across the setting. Leaders and staff work collaboratively together along with external agencies, such as specialist teachers, to discuss strategies and implement these with effect. Through leaders dedication to improvement, staff actively seek training opportunities to support new ideas and enhance children's learning. Leaders and staff openly engage with parents and families to enable secure partnerships for decision-making. Parents express how they feel heard by the staff team.

Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard

The curriculum is highly ambitious and carefully designed to meet the individual needs of all children. Leaders and staff have a clear vision for learning, placing a secure emphasis on developing independence, life skills and children's physical, social and emotional wellbeing. They explain with confidence how the curriculum prepares children for future learning and build on their skills needed to navigate everyday life successfully. Staff engage with high-quality interactions and are committed to carefully tailoring their curriculum for differing needs of the children. For example, staff consistently use a combination of speech, signing, and now and next picture cards to communicate. Children naturally sign when singing and in response to questions. Staff consistently ask open-ended questions that provoke further thought. This challenges children's curiosity as it encourages children to experiment and take risks. Younger children are encouraged to have a go as they cruise around furniture and begin toilet training.

A love for books and songs is shared and celebrated as babies and toddlers enjoy stories with comfort and cuddles. Babies enjoy singing and signing along to nursery rhymes during snack times. Older children invite peers into a calming space to read and play with puppets or explore their emotions. The curriculum focuses on physical development as children explore the outdoor area. Babies are supported to walk around the garden with staff holding hands with enthusiasm. Older children use their experience and knowledge to create large-scale drawings, climb outdoor play equipment with confidence and express themselves through water play. High-quality teaching is delivered in a way to support and challenge children's next steps and intentions for learning. This is following the ambitious curriculum, which is consistent. Leaders work hard to ensure that high-quality teaching and interactions are embedded into everyday practice.

Achievement: Strong standard

Staff know children inside out as they passionately explain their unique personalities. Staff are clearly invested in their roles to support the learning journey of each child, empowered by dedicated leaders. Children are excellent communicators as their love for singing and books develop their language skills. Mathematical learning, such as measuring, counting and number recognition, are incorporated into fun games as children create their own number soup.

Children are confident to explore their environments and are encouraged by staff to risk take and problem solve. Children transfer these skills into all aspects of their play as they are able to work together and be creative. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are at the forethought of everything, and staff constantly reflect on how to support them further. Children are achieving rapidly from baseline to their current stages of development. This is due to staff ensuring a secure learning environment where children are confident to take risks and learn.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Staff support children to form positive relationships. Staff model language to invite one another to play using positive speech and body language. As a result, babies and toddlers openly share spaces together as they splash in the water tray. Toddlers begin to initiate play and actively involve the younger babies as they seek their peers out. For example, toddlers hand babies sponges and paintbrushes and model sweeping motions. As older children understand the sound of the triangle chiming to mean 'stop and listen', it is clear that routines and strategies are consistent. This creates a safe environment for the children where staff have carefully considered children's routines and opportunities to engage, and children are confident to know what is expected of them.

Staff and leaders celebrate and praise children when they are kind and show empathy to others. When conflicts arise, older children often have the language tools they need to solve these, where staff model this language for younger children. For example, staff explain how a child may be feeling as a result of not sharing and how we can help make them feel happier. This means that children acknowledge their peers feelings. Children hear the positive tones that staff use with one another and mirror this in their own use of language. For example, children role play saying, 'Let's now use our kind hands.' Leaders are quick to contact parents in the event of an unknown absence. Parents understand the benefits of regular attendance and strive for their children to be there.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Behaviour at this setting is extremely positive as staff set high expectations. Children take turns, show respect and make positive choices within play. The environment radiates warmth and genuine care for one another as staff communicate with such respect. Leaders build secure relationships with parents and families. As a result, difficult conversations are able to be constructed in an empathetic and supportive way. Parents express how 'supportive and nurturing' the staff are. The key-person role is used effectively to form secure bonds for each child. Therefore, children feel confident and able to seek comfort from their key person when needed.

Preparation for transitions are carefully constructed. Pre-school children access the school dinner hall to enjoy nutritious lunches alongside the key stage 1 children. This enables them to understand a new routine and to familiarise themselves with the environment. Local school uniforms feature in the role-play area as children explore and begin to imagine the next stage of their educational journey. This means children talk excitedly about moving to primary school as they feel ready and prepared. Babies and toddlers enjoy seeing familiar faces. They spend breakfast time together each day as well as sharing the outdoor space. This results in a smooth and successful transition from the baby to toddler room as staff, parents and children are already so familiar.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders are clear and focused on the setting's strengths and areas that may require improvement. They prioritise staff developing their knowledge and skill base as they provide continual specialised professional development, for example supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) through specific training as well as working with a specialist teacher. As a result, staff have then developed the provision to provide dedicated spaces and resources to ensure tailored support. Through this development, the environment provides a dedicated space for a sensory circuit to help children with SEND to regulate and calm, which enhances their concentration and ability to learn.

Leaders further share and gain ideas from their sister settings. They work together effectively to create an environment built on respect and genuine care. Staff report how they feel listened to, supported and enjoy a positive work ethic through regular supervision meetings. Leaders create secure and supportive bonds with parents, carers and families to provide a real channel of support, especially families who may be struggling and, therefore, harder to reach. Parents share glowing feedback about the setting as they describe the 'nurturing care, high-quality teaching and supportive staff'.

Leaders acknowledge and understand staff's wellbeing. They continually provide support and regular check-ins to ensure that staff feel valued and are managing their workload effectively. Leaders recognise when staff and parents may need further support and are quick to signpost or provide opportunities to assist with this. Leaders are present, dedicated and responsive, which creates a foundation for a strong and happy working environment.