Green Shoots Day Nursery

Inclusion: Strong standard

Consistent staff practice ensures all children, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who have barriers to their learning, receive tailored support that helps them make the best progress. Work in small groups promotes the focus on children's communication and language skills. Through stories and games, such as 'What is in the basket?', children benefit from hearing repeated words. They explore and name a range of objects. This successfully helps children who are learning to speak English as an additional language and those who have SEND to extend their vocabulary well.

Staff work closely with parents and carers to promote early identification and assessment where needed for any children with SEND. Staff complete relevant training and gain support from the local authority. They implement a continuous process to review children's additional needs to help them make the best progress. Staff carefully consider the use of any additional funding. For example, they obtain extra resources such as books, picture cards and outdoor play equipment to further support children's learning and reduce any gaps in their development. As a result, access to wheeled push-along toys helps children develop confidence and enhances their physical skills well.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Since the last inspection, leaders and staff have reviewed the curriculum and improved methods of assessment. They use this information to plan focused activities based on children's learning needs, including targeted support for children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. As a result, children participate well and enjoy their play.

Staff use themes that spark discussions, such as 'My family'. They link children's learning with relevant books and activities, such as bathing and dressing dolls. Staff encourage parents and carers to participate by providing family photos. Staff talk to children about their photos, encouraging babies to point to the photos of their family, while older children talk about people who live with them. This helps children develop their sense of belonging and extends their language skills well.

Strategies to enhance the independent learning skills of older children and help them to expand on their interests are not fully embedded in staff's practice. For example, most children play with the resources set out, and only a few children self-select resources to extend their learning further, such as adding animals to the pens they have made with magnetic shapes.

Staff skilfully enhance children's mathematical skills during song and rhyme time. They encourage children to use resources and their fingers to count, add and subtract in fun ways. Children confidently use wheeled toys in the outside play area, showing good spatial awareness as they move safely around others. Staff support children's physical skills further while encouraging them to put nappies and clothes on dolls. This supports children's fine movements and hand-eye coordination well.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children enjoy their learning, showing high levels of concentration and perseverance. For example, while participating in creative activities, older children skilfully use scissors to cut the lines on their picture to make Santa's beard. Children's language skills are enhanced further during creative activities. For example, while making collages of faces, they talk about their different features, such as beads in their hair. Younger children enjoy exploring the different textures of collage materials. Staff extend their vocabulary well by naming the different materials, shapes and textures, such as soft feathers.

Older children show control as they draw pictures and make attempts to write some letters from their name on their letter to Santa. They put their letter in an envelope and post it in their post box. Repeating this sequence in play helps them consolidate their learning. Babies and younger children excitedly wave scarves as they dance and join in key words of familiar songs. All children, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, are developing the skills they need to support their future learning.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Staff show high regard for helping children learn about behavioural expectations. They embed consistent routines that support all children, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. This ensures children have lots of opportunities to participate in activities together. Staff understand that activities may be more challenging for some children and are mindful of children's ages and stages of learning. They adapt group sessions so that all children enjoy a short song, and staff use pictures cards and objects alongside. This captures children's attention and successfully enhances their participation. Staff continue sessions with children who choose to remain, engaging them in number-based songs that extend their learning further. This approach successfully promotes a positive learning environment for all children where their individual learning needs are considered.

Staff are skilfully attuned to children's individual behaviours and act swiftly to minimise any negative impact on others. This ensures children are supported in positive ways to manage their behaviour, while minimising risks of any disruption to other children. Well-established daily routines and ongoing discussions with children ensure they feel secure in their day and know what will happen next. For example, at lunchtime, children help to tidy away toys, wash their hands and join the dining area. Staff show consideration for children moving between activities. Routines such as mealtimes are relaxed but well structured. Children show consideration towards others and celebrate their differences and uniqueness. Children's regular attendance is successfully promoted, enabling them to develop consistent routines and positive attitudes towards learning.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Children enjoy a balanced and nutritious diet of freshly prepared meals. They show secure skills as they serve their own portions, making choices about foods they like. This helps them to develop positive eating habits. Staff sit with children, engaging them in conversations about foods they like and about the day. Children help themselves to more food and pass the serving trays to each other. The relaxed atmosphere successfully enhances children's social skills.

Staff work closely with parents and carers to support children's personal development, such as around toilet training. Children benefit from lots of exercise during outside play and during indoor music and movement sessions. Babies have space to crawl and safely develop their walking skills. Staff encourage all children, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to express their emotions and feelings. They help children to consider their actions and any impact on others. As a result, children respond well to staff and build positive relationships with them and their friends. The key-person system is securely embedded in staff's practice. They show a clear understanding of children's individual care and learning needs. Children enjoy cuddles and lots of praise for their efforts and achievements. Staff help prepare all children, including those who have SEND, for when they move on to the next stage of their learning, promoting smooth transitions that consider children's wellbeing.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders work with other agencies, including the local authority, to bring about effective change. All actions from the last inspection have been met in a timely way. Consequently, significant progress has been made since the last inspection. The new team has quickly embedded consistent ways of working. The reviewed curriculum helps all children to make effective progress from their starting points. Focused induction and training for staff ensure they understand their roles and responsibilities. This ensures children's welfare is promoted effectively. Although coaching arrangements for staff are in their infancy, leaders monitor them closely to identify any support or training required to enhance their practice. Secure partnerships with parents and carers help all parties work together to support children, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Children are well prepared to move on to other settings and to school to continue their education. Leaders are mindful not to overburden staff with information. Procedures for keeping staff updated promote their practice well.