Guildford Nursery School under 2s

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders and staff show an excellent and highly consistent commitment to inclusion. This is firmly embedded in the nursery's everyday practice. Leaders and staff ensure that all children, including those with barriers to their learning and with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), experience and receive high-quality provision that enables them to thrive. Leaders and staff maintain a sharp and strategic focus on removing barriers to learning. They evaluate the impact of decisions on vulnerable groups of children. Leaders act swiftly where gaps appear or are identified in children's learning.

Staff are well trained and confident in identifying children's needs early. They use regular observations and assessments, including the required progress checks when children are between the ages of 2 and 3 years. These help to shape timely and effective support. Adaptations to teaching are purposeful and maintain high expectations. This ensures that children access a full curriculum.

Relationships between staff and children are respectful and nurturing, contributing to children's sense of belonging. Leaders and staff use additional funding and engage purposefully with parents and carers about how best to enhance this to maximise learning and support. They work closely with parents and any professionals involved with children with SEND or other needs. This helps to promote continuity and consistency in the approach to supporting children to promote their wellbeing and progress.

Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard

Leaders and staff have an excellent understanding of the curriculum and how young children learn. The curriculum is clear, ambitious and well planned so that it supports every area of the children's learning and development. Staff use daily routines, such as short circle times, singing and free play, purposefully to build children's early communication, social and physical skills, step by step.

Staff create engaging and sensory-rich activities to spark children's natural curiosity. For example, during a water-play activity, children explore a tray of water, bubbles and toy ducks, alongside a range of objects for pouring, floating and sinking. Staff talk to children about what they notice, helping them to compare sizes, observe changes and hear early mathematical language in a natural and playful way. Staff are in tune to what children already understand and gently build on what they already know. They introduce new words and model how to use them. This helps children to grow confidence with early vocabulary.

The environment is reviewed regularly so it reflects children's interests and supports learning for all. Staff encourage children to take safe, appropriate risks in their play, such as climbing low-level equipment or pulling themselves up on sturdy furniture. Staff show children how to use equipment safely, helping them to learn to manage risks as they go. This builds children's confidence, resilience and physical skills, such as balance, strength and coordination.

Staff know children extremely well. They balance close supervision with giving children the freedom to explore, make choices and solve simple problems independently. Staff weave mathematical ideas naturally in children's play and daily routines. For instance, they count the steps with children as they climb them and talk to children about the size of bubbles when exploring the water. Targeted teaching is used effectively to close gaps in children's learning in a gentle and seamless way. Staff provide focused support when needed. They adapt routines and activities so that every child feels included, respected and supported to achieve their best.

Achievement: Strong standard

Children learn exceptionally well across the curriculum. They build their knowledge step by step through a thoughtfully sequenced programme. Children learn to know more and remember more, and apply their understanding with increasing independence. Through rich experiences and well-planned experiences, children receive encouragement to think critically, explore ideas and revisit concepts until their understanding is secure. This thoughtful approach ensures that children's learning is meaningful, embedded and connected.

Children learn to communicate confidently from their varied starting points. They learn new vocabulary and practise forming sentences in engaging and meaningful conversations with their peers and adults. They also learn to listen carefully and respond thoughtfully through vocalisation and sign language. Throughout the nursery environment, children learn to follow their curiosity in sustained concentration. They learn to explore materials, investigate how things work and test ideas. For example, children experiment with sand, balls and guttering to understand how things move. These experiences help children to learn resilience and perseverance.

Children learn important independence skills, such as feeding themselves. For example, they hold their cups, attempt to use a spoon and make choices at snack times. Children learn to be kind and helpful and develop excellent social and emotional foundations that prepare them well for future learning.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Leaders and staff create a calm, positive and highly predictable environment where children behave well. Routines are clear, consistent and understood by all. The key-person approach is firmly embedded and works effectively. Staff build warm and trusting relationships that help children to feel secure and confident to explore. This deep sense of security enables children to try new things independently and take manageable risks in their learning. For example, children learn to take risks as they climb different surfaces, negotiating uneven surfaces and ramps from obstacle courses.

Staff consistently promote children's independence and self-care. This helps children to grow into capable and confident learners. Children follow familiar routines to wash their own hands, and they begin to dress and undress themselves for outdoor play according to the weather. Children listen well, follow instructions and show respect for one another from an early age. Staff model effective communication, showing children how to express their feelings and needs, calmly and respectfully.

Behaviour throughout the nursery is calm, orderly and highly conducive to learning. Children move smoothly between activities because routines are well established and familiar. Furthermore, routines feel natural and predictable, which helps children to feel safe, settled and ready to learn. Disruptions are rare because relationships between staff and children are warm, respectful and built on trust. This creates a culture where children feel valued, listened to and motivated to take part fully in their learning experiences.

Leaders monitor children's attendance and engagement closely. They intervene early to support families and prevent patterns of absences from widening. This helps children who may otherwise struggle to participate fully in nursery life.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Leaders and staff place children's welfare and wellbeing at the centre of everything they do. Staff know each child extremely well. They adapt routines to support children's comfort, confidence and growing independence. For example, children benefit from home visits and staggered settling-in sessions. This helps them to feel secure while giving their families confidence and personalised support. Staff consistently model good manners and positive hygiene habits. They carry out care routines sensitively so that each child's individual needs are met.

Children's views are highly valued. Staff encourage them to make choices. They regularly invite children to express their ideas by showing them what they would like to do. This helps children to develop a sense of security and confidence. Staff promote healthy lifestyles through daily outdoor play and enriching activities, such as cooking, gardening and outings within the community. These experiences support children's physical development and overall wellbeing. Through gentle trial and error, children learn to master physical skills, such as exploring obstacle courses and playing chasing games with staff.

Leaders and staff maintain a proactive and personalised approach to supporting children and families as their needs change. Staff adapt the environment, routines and resources to promote children's positive engagement and wellbeing. They create consistent routines and calm and safe spaces that help children to understand and manage their emotions. This deep emotional security enables children to build positive relationships. It also helps them to develop skills to interact kindly with others and thrive in the learning environment.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders provide a clear and purposeful vision for the setting. They demonstrate an excellent understanding of strengths and the priorities needed to drive ongoing development. Leaders have successfully established a reflective and collaborative culture, which helps all staff to feel genuinely valued and supported. Regular discussions and supervision sessions enable staff to share their ideas and receive tailored guidance. Leaders are attentive to staff workloads and offer effective support. Staff complete essential mandatory training, such as paediatric first aid and safeguarding, along with opportunities for broader professional development to ensure that teaching is consistently high quality. Leaders are continuing to improve how they monitor the impact of training that staff attend to identify where further support is needed in order to sustain high standards.

Leaders consistently make decisions in the best interests of children. They adapt routines, environments and the provision to meet children's individual needs. Staff build warm and trusting relationships with families. They work closely with them to promote continuity of care for children. Parents and carers speak highly of the setting and praise the nurturing approach, including the wide range of enriching experiences available to their children.

Leaders demonstrate a commitment to continuous improvement. They monitor the curriculum very carefully to ensure that it meets the needs of all children, including those who may require additional support. This helps every child to make the best possible start in their education.