Jolly Tots Day Nursery

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders identify children's needs accurately through regular observation and discussion. They ensure that staff respond promptly to emerging needs, including supporting children who speak English as an additional language, through visual prompts, gestures and familiar words. Leaders draw on previous experience of working with external professionals, including speech and language therapists, and seek further support, when required. Leaders demonstrate an awareness of how early years pupil premium funding should be used to support disadvantaged children, ensuring that support is targeted to reduce barriers to learning. They provide relevant training, such as Makaton and inclusive practice, which strengthens staff's confidence and ability to identify and support children's individual needs effectively. As a result, staff implement appropriate strategies, helping to reduce barriers to learning and support children's progress.

Staff create an inclusive environment where all children feel valued and supported. They adapt routines and activities so that children at different stages of development can participate fully. For example, staff use visual cues during group times to help children understand routines and engage alongside their peers. This helps children to communicate more confidently and feel included in daily experiences. Staff monitor children's development and review support strategies. Leaders work in partnership with parents and carers to share information about children's care and development. However, opportunities to involve parents more actively in their children's learning are not fully maximised. As a result, parents are not consistently supported to contribute to, and extend, their children's learning beyond the setting.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders design a curriculum that typically reflects the needs of babies and young children, with an emphasis on communication and language, and physical, personal, social and emotional development. They ensure that children access a range of experiences that also introduce early mathematical ideas, such as counting, comparing size and exploring quantity through play. Staff generally implement the curriculum through responsive interactions and purposeful play. They model language, introduce new vocabulary and support children's exploration. For example, during block play, staff encourage children to compare sizes and count objects, helping them to develop early mathematical understanding alongside communication skills.

Leaders provide ongoing training to strengthen staff's knowledge of child development and teaching approaches. Staff use this knowledge to adapt activities and respond to children's interests. Staff use observations and ongoing assessment to identify what children know and can do and generally adapt activities to support children's next steps in learning. The nurturing outdoor environment is used effectively to promote physical development and exploration. Staff adapt teaching approaches, including the use of visual prompts, Makaton and differentiated support, to help children with special educational needs and/or disabilities or emerging barriers to learning access the curriculum. Leaders recognise that teaching is not yet consistently precise in building on what children already know. Leaders understand the need to enhance reflective practice to identify specific areas for improvement and target professional development more precisely. Support for staff to develop a clearer sequence of learning and ensure children gain knowledge and skills progressively over time is underway.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children enjoy their time at the setting and engage confidently in a range of activities. They explore their environment with curiosity and show interest in sensory play, outdoor experiences and creative activities. Children develop early communication skills as they listen to familiar words, respond to simple instructions and begin to express their needs. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities or emerging barriers to learning are supported to access activities and begin to develop key skills, particularly in communication and interaction.

Children build secure relationships, which supports their confidence and emotional security. They begin to develop independence, for example by choosing resources and attempting simple tasks. Children make steady progress from their starting points, particularly in communication and language and personal development. During story time, they join in with repeated phrases and actions, developing listening skills and early language. Some children begin to explore early mathematical ideas, such as recognising quantity during play. This inclusive support helps to reduce gaps in learning so that all children make progress from their individual starting points.

Where information is shared with parents and carers, this has a positive impact on children's achievement. Further strengthening this shared approach would help children to achieve even more consistently.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders establish clear routines that help children feel secure and understand expectations. Staff follow these routines effectively, supporting children to settle quickly and transition smoothly between activities. As a result, children demonstrate a sense of familiarity and confidence as they move through their day. Leaders promote the importance of regular attendance and punctuality, helping to ensure children benefit fully from the daily routines and learning opportunities on offer.

Staff promote positive behaviour through calm and consistent guidance. They remind children of simple expectations and support them to follow these during play and group activities. For example, staff encourage children to tidy away resources before moving on, helping them to develop responsibility and cooperation. Staff interactions are warm and supportive, contributing to a calm and orderly environment. Children show positive attitudes to learning. They engage in activities with interest and begin to play alongside others. Staff support children to share and take turns, helping them to develop early social skills and build positive relationships with their peers.

Staff support children to understand expectations through explanations and modelling. At times, this could be enhanced further to help children gain an even clearer understanding of why expectations are important. A continued focus on refining practice will help to strengthen consistency in how these interactions support children's growing independence in managing their behaviour.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders ensure that children's welfare and wellbeing are prioritised. They create a nurturing, calm and welcoming environment where children feel safe and secure. Staff build warm, trusting relationships with children and respond sensitively to their individual needs, helping them to feel confident and settled throughout the day. As a result, children form secure attachments and show a sense of belonging within the setting.

Staff promote healthy lifestyles through well-established daily routines. Children benefit from nutritious meals, regular opportunities for outdoor play and appropriate rest periods. For example, children take part in daily toothbrushing routines that support their understanding of hygiene and the importance of maintaining healthy habits from an early age. These routines contribute positively to children's physical development and overall wellbeing. Leaders generally work well with parents and carers to support children's care and wellbeing. They share some relevant information about routines, preferences and individual needs. This approach supports children in feeling secure and understood. Staff support children to understand and manage their personal safety through routines and guidance, such as encouraging safe use of equipment, promoting hygiene practices and reinforcing simple rules during play and daily activities. This helps children to begin to recognise how to keep themselves safe.

Staff support children's emotional development through reassurance, encouragement and positive interactions. This promotes children's independence, enabling them to develop increasing confidence, self-help skills and a growing sense of achievement in their daily experiences. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities or emerging barriers to learning are supported through adapted care routines and responsive interactions, helping them to feel secure, regulate their emotions and access daily experiences alongside their peers.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders demonstrate an understanding of the setting's strengths and priorities for improvement. They have taken effective action to improve staff knowledge, strengthen training and maintain stability during a period of transition. This ensures that children continue to experience consistency in their care and learning and that the setting continues to move forward positively.

Leaders support staff through training, supervision and regular discussions. Staff feel supported and are widening their knowledge of child development and teaching. Leaders also engage with external support to improve practice and bring additional expertise into the setting. This contributes to a positive culture where staff are motivated and increasingly confident in their roles. Leaders monitor the quality of provision through observations and discussions. They identify areas for development and generally take appropriate action. There is scope to sharpen this approach further so that areas for improvement are identified with greater precision and used to inform more focused professional development. This will help to strengthen consistency in practice and ensure that improvements are securely embedded over time. Leaders make decisions with children's needs at the centre, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or emerging barriers to learning. They ensure that appropriate strategies, training and external support are in place so that all children can access learning and make progress.

Leaders maintain positive relationships with parents and carers and communicate about children's care and development. Further developing how learning is shared and encouraging greater parental involvement will help to extend children's learning more consistently beyond the setting. Leaders also promote clear expectations around attendance and punctuality, recognising their importance in supporting children's continuity of care, learning and development.