Heywood House Children's Nursery

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders and staff are perceptive and notice children's individual needs. Their careful attention to observing and monitoring children's development helps them to identify any aspects where gaps may be emerging. They act quickly and with clear focus to work with parents and carers to get children the help they need as soon as is possible. When help is not immediately available, leaders and staff draw on their knowledge and experience to devise learning plans for children in collaboration with their parents. The internally and externally devised plans are embedded in staff's practice, and they have a high level of impact on the children. Parents say that the personalised learning plans are highly effective, and they credit them with having a significant positive impact on their children's progress. This has been particularly successful in preparing children for their move to school.

Leaders and staff are actively working to reduce barriers to children's learning and attendance at the nursery. They have introduced a swap shop for parents to share outgrown clothes to reduce the expense of raising growing children. This is working well and is enabling regular attendance because all children can have access to suitable clothing and supplies of nappies.

Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard

Leaders and staff have developed a nursery curriculum that has clear learning intentions for each of the different nursery rooms. In each room, children learn how to be sociable, independent and confident communicators. Staff carefully adapt what they are doing to meet different needs or if children's interests take them in an unexpected direction. Activities are always purposeful and delivered with a constant high level of skill by staff. Staff support babies and younger children in their early language acquisition by responding to their babbles, showing them that their voice is an effective communication tool. Toddlers use familiar words, and staff extend what they have said to introduce the concept of stringing words together. By the time children reach pre-school, they use full sentences and new words they have learned in context.

Staff weave mathematical learning into many activities. They develop children's familiarity with number names, shape and size, and the concept of counting objects. For example, during an activity, staff divided one piece of dough, so all children could have a piece each. Staff counted and reinforced 'how many?' when they put each piece down. Children heard number names, experienced one-to-one correspondence and found out about 'one more'.

Achievement: Strong standard

All children make clear and sustained progress during their time attending the nursery. They develop high levels of confidence in their own ability. Older children use their own ideas to develop their imaginative play alongside others. Children understand rules and kindness. Babies are learning to manage their emotions, for example, while they wait for their turn on the slide. Older children comment on how they need to wait and take turns as they use the oven in the mud kitchen to 'cook' their pizzas.

Children develop strength and coordination in their hands and arms. Older children move large objects in the outdoor area while younger children use spoons to scoop cereal into containers. Older children are observant and draw pictures with details, such as rosy cheeks on a picture of a face. Toddlers learn how to use both hands together to achieve a task of building an animal pen using spring clothes pegs and lollipop sticks.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Leaders and staff set high standards for children to work towards and positively model good manners and care for others. Staff securely understand how leaders expect them to teach children about behaviour standards, and this is consistently applied in each room, using the appropriate language and gestures for the age of the children. Older children demonstrate their understanding of this as they play together in role-play scenarios, such as in a cafe. Individual adaptations are made for children who need them to enable them to join in with daily routines. For example, if children have difficulty joining in group activities, they may sit close to the group but not in it, or have a special place or toy to help them to prepare to join an activity.

Each room has an established routine for the children's day that follows a similar pattern across the nursery. This helps children become confident and familiar with what to expect next during the day. Babies and younger children begin to anticipate what is going to happen next after lunch, before they go to bed. Children are curious. Staff encourage this by introducing experiences, such as visiting building sites. Staff help children to try out new challenges, and this develops children's confidence in their own ability. All children persevere with their chosen activity, showing high levels of concentration. Children delight in their play, and parents and carers make sure their children attend regularly to support their development.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Leaders and staff positively support children's emotional development. They quickly identify when children are becoming upset or are struggling to manage in the nursery environment and respond effectively. There is an established quiet space in the garden for staff to use with children on a one-to-one basis where they can sit and talk, experience the scents of herbs or play while they prepare to return to their nursery room.

Children learn good hygiene habits, in particular around mealtimes and snack times. Older children wash their hands without any hesitation before they eat. Leaders and staff encourage parents and carers to support toilet training at home, so children can manage independently when they move on to school. Babies' and children's privacy and dignity are maintained when nappy changing happens or when they are using the toilet. Staff are visible when nappy changing is being completed to provide an added level of safety to the process. Staff pay close attention to children and make sure they are comfortable, for example wet clothes from playing or toilet accidents are changed quickly.

Children have nutritious, well-balanced meals and snacks at the nursery. These are prepared daily. They often include the fruit and vegetables children have grown and harvested themselves. This is developing their understanding of where food comes from and what a healthy diet is. They learn about making healthy food choices, and older children understand the impact of sugar on teeth. Staff talk to children about treats being special and why they are not for every day.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders' and managers' oversight of the nursery provides them with clear information that they use to plan how they want the nursery to develop. They know the area the nursery serves well and make sure that any trends, such as an increase in domestic abuse, are known about and understood by all staff. They have an ethos of promoting healthy lifestyles that is highly visible in the curriculum and in children's routines and activities during the day. They make sure staff understand their values and implement the curriculum intentions in each room effectively.

Staff are routinely monitored and observed by managers and their peers and receive productive feedback. Leaders consider that staff's development is an investment in the future of the nursery. They have adopted an online training package that staff can access at any time to boost or update their knowledge. When staff need specific training, such as working with babies, or there is an identified gap in practice, leaders and managers seek out training to meet their need. Apprentices and staff studying for higher level qualifications have study time made available.

Leaders and managers have established positive and productive relationships with parents, carers and other settings. The communication channels are open and honest. This helps to provide children with comprehensive support at times of big transitions, such as the move to school. Staff manage transitions carefully for all children. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities have a detailed 'handover' of information. If needed, additional support from nursery staff is provided, for example supported transition visits so that school staff are more aware of what is typical for the child and the strategies that support the child.