Julia Durbin Day Nursery

Inclusion: Strong standard

Staff are acutely aware of the barriers some children face in their education. They have been successful in ensuring that all children are making swift progress in their development. Staff quickly identify when children's learning does not make expected progress. They undertake audits of the environment to monitor noise levels and consider how well it contributes towards children's learning. The curriculum is fully inclusive and systematically builds on children's learning. Leaders' work with families and other professionals enables them to develop their well-timed and extensive plans of support for children. These plans give staff specific direction on how to support children and their impact is evident as children make huge gains in their development.

Staff appreciate children's personal social and emotional development needs fostering to prepare them for all their further learning. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and who experience disadvantage, positively flourish in the expert care at the nursery. Support for children who speak English as an additional language is especially effective. The multiple ways staff foster children's communication means that children quickly find differing ways to communicate.

Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard

The high-quality curriculum is fully inclusive and expertly adapted to stimulate children's development. The focus on developing children's communication and language begins in the baby rooms. Staff repeat babies' babbling back to them. In the toddler rooms, staff introduce single words. As children get older, staff focus on putting single words together. In the pre-school room, they have developed the confidence, range of vocabulary and strong desire to engage in meaningful conversation with staff. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, young children and those who speak English as an additional language, learn sign language as staff teach different ways of communicating.

Leaders and staff make consistent and extensive plans to ensure that all children receive tailored experiences that enable them to make rapid progress. Staff know children extremely well and focus on the things that interest them to deliver experiences that ignite children's passion for learning. Outdoors, younger children explore different weathers, jumping in puddles and becoming fascinated with frost and ice. Older children take this interest further. They learn about hurricanes and staff teach them about what might happen to the people who experience adverse weather around the world. This broadens their understanding and careful, well managed use of technology further brings this learning to life. Mathematical learning is threaded through activities that children enjoy.

Achievement: Strong standard

Children are exceptionally well prepared for moving rooms within the nursery. Staff's deep knowledge of what support children need means that this is managed extremely well for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who experience barriers to their learning. Children's voracious appetite for learning means that they absorb information at a pace. Children's independence is fostered from the beginning. By the time they reach the pre-school, children are so adept at taking responsibility, staff assign them special roles. There are drinks monitors, safety spies who help keep the nursery free from trip hazards and helpers who clear away at lunchtime.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

The respectful, kind and caring environment at the nursery stimulates children to become considerate and well-adjusted individuals. Before any care routine, staff tell children what will happen. Staff model a calm, and sensitive approach that encourages children to feel safe and secure. Staff recognise some behaviours are age expected, such as biting. Their rapid intervention and effective methods of diverting this impulse helps to address the matter quickly. Children's behaviour is consistently positive. Staff recognise that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities might need extra support, comfort and reassurance and this is readily given to them.

By working closely with families, staff encourage children's regular attendance and this contributes towards children's positive attitudes towards their learning. Staff ensure they follow babies' own routines. They beneficially provide families with guidance and support around safe care practices, to help them ensure children are safely supported when they sleep and eat.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

There are ample opportunities for children to connect their movements to their emotions and feelings, for example during yoga sessions. Staff teach children to name different emotions and feelings For example, they read stories and children recognise different facial expressions and the emotions they relate to. Staff talk to children about things children are scared of, such as spiders, and give them suggestions for how they can overcome their anxieties. When staff plan activities to support children's understanding of healthy eating and physical exercise, they do not always ensure that the activities match their intended purpose for what children will learn. Therefore, although children enjoy these, they do not deepen their awareness of leading healthy lifestyles.

Children form very close relationships with the staff who care for them. Staff give children confidence, and they enjoy activities that encourage manageable risks, such as climbing and balancing on equipment. When completing these activities and when being given responsibilities, children show immense pride. This helps to promote their high self-esteem. Children follow care routines that successfully promote their growth and development. Sleep times are managed well and mealtimes are social, safe occasions.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders are astutely reflective and receptive to change. They make comprehensive evaluations of all aspects of the nursery and identify any areas where improvement can be made. Staff retention at the nursery is a real strength. The provider invests in staff professional development, with all staff having clear routes to enhance their knowledge and skills and being motivated to take on additional responsibilities. The provider equally promotes staff's wellbeing and staff thoroughly enjoy their work. Their commitment to their roles is impressive and contributes towards the high quality of the nursery. All decisions taken are in the best of interest of children and the provision for children who experience disadvantage or have special educational needs and/or disabilities is commendable. Relationships with families are highly productive and parents are truly valued as partners in children's care and education.

This inspection was prioritised following the provider notifying Ofsted of a significant event, where medication had not been administered to a child correctly. During the inspection, leaders demonstrated the extensive action taken to reduce the likelihood of another such incident occurring.