Kiddie Capers, The Garden Rooms

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders and staff know children well which helps them to identify what extra support children need to thrive. There is an inclusive culture that prioritises early and accurate assessment of children's needs. Staff identify children who need referring to outside professionals and some children receive specialist support. However, leaders and staff do not consistently refer children as swiftly as they should to ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities have barriers removed. Children are typically well supported in the nursery by staff who make adaptations to resources and activities to enable learning.

Leaders support children and families from disadvantaged backgrounds well. Staff take time to understand children's homelife so they can more precisely support children's learning and development. Families are signposted to charities and services during times of difficulty and children are offered healthy foods at nursery when families are affected by 'cost of living' price increases. Staff use extra funding well to support children from disadvantaged backgrounds. They make regular observations of children to find out where extra support is needed to enhance children's learning and development. This has had a positive effect on children's confidence and personal development.

Leaders and staff monitor children's progress through observations and regular discussions with parents. This enables them to more precisely cater for children interests and needs. This approach is appropriately implemented to give children time to benefit from adaptations before further amendments are introduced to support children to access activities.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Children are typically developing well in this nursery. Children's interests are followed and extended to give them a variety of experiences inside and outside in the large forest area. Staff enthusiastically support children to engage with well-resourced activities. Children's next steps are carefully planned for through emerging themes and interests that staff resource and implement well. Staff use small group times to help children to develop communication and language skills. This supports some children to learn new communication skills. However, small group activities do not consistently enable children to practise their listening and attention skills. As a result, children do not always make the best progress they could, in particular those children who have communication and language difficulties.

Leaders and staff implement a broad curriculum with particular focus on learning outside through engagement with nature. Staff interact well with children to support their learning, language and vocabulary. Children are learning across all areas of the curriculum and staff weave mathematical activities through children's play and via direct teaching methods. Consequently, children use mathematical language and show that they understand mathematical concepts.

Children's physical, social and communication skills are well developed as they move around the nursery. They enjoy accessing the activities in the large woodland area. They learn scientific and mathematical skills as they arrange drainpipes on stands, scoop water from large tires and pour into the drainpipes. Staff use assessment and interactions to make sure that children are getting the support they need to learn. This includes children with special educatioanl needs and/or disabilities, and other barriers to their learning.

Children's independence is encouraged through planned activities and routines. Children gleefully dress themselves in waterproofs ready to play outside. Children show that they understand how to keep themselves warm and dry and don't need prompting by adults to dress before they go outside. This supports all children's independence and self-care skills but is particularly beneficial to those heading to school in September.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children demonstrate increasing confidence with their communication and language skills. Older children show that they are ready for the next stage of education, such as starting school. Children happily chat to each other about the heavy rain and how wet the toys are as they put their waterproofs on to go outside. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and other barriers to their learning are typically well supported to access activities and reach their milestones. For example, children who struggle to share are warmly supported by staff to understand the expectations of the nursery. Children who have not yet mastered putting on their waterproofs independently are swiftly supported with cuffs and zips.

Younger children extend their vocabulary by joining in songs and rhymes. Staff model sounds, rhymes and actions to support children's language and physical skills. Leaders and staff carefully design the literacy curriculum, with a broad range of books linked to children's interests and appropriate to their age and stage. Staff purposefully keep books available in the environment for a few weeks to encourage children to revisit and retell the stories to each other. This has a positive effect on their language and literacy skills.

Children typically make expected progress across all areas of learning and staff regularly observe and monitor children to ensure that they understand what children need to learn next.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders have a clear idea of their expectations for behaviour in the nursery. This is communicated well throughout the day via small groups, discussions and ongoing staff interactions. Children's behaviour and attitudes are positive throughout the day. When children need support to share toys or manage their feelings, staff swiftly intervene and support them to understand the expectations of the nursery. Children build warm and positive relationships with staff and each other. They confidently express their needs and communicate with their friends as they play. For example, children talk about the mixtures they are creating as they stir mud and leaves in the mud-kitchen area.

Children's independence and social skills are promoted as they serve themselves for lunch. Children of all ages are able to serve themselves and pass the serving spoon onto their friends. This is particularly impressive for the youngest children who can mostly do this independently. Children beam as they chat and eat lunch together. Staff support children who have barriers to their learning to understand the expectations of the nursery.

Leaders support families to understand the importance of attendance and punctuality through a variety of ways that ensures that children's attendance is prioritised. This is carried out in a warm and encouraging way.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders mostly establish practices that appropriately support children's hygiene and care needs. However, toileting practices do not consistently ensure that children's privacy is maintained. Leaders and staff create a warm and welcoming space where children show that they feel valued. Children's views are sought about their nursery experiences including what stories to read and what resources to buy. For example, children decide what plants will be grown and what equipment will be purchased for the woodland area. This has a positive effect on children's wellbeing and emotional development.

Children happily engage with all activities and routines throughout the day, practising their independence and language skills. They confidently move freely between the indoor space and the outdoor space. Children show high levels of confidence including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and other barriers to their learning. Staff support their key children to have a sense of belonging and adapt this depending on what needs the children have. For example, staff adapt the settling-in sessions depending on how well the child is adjusting. This ensures that children feel secure and at home in the setting before they start their scheduled routine. Children show that they are developing a secure understanding of how to keep themselves safe and how to manage their emotions. Staff ask children questions before routines to get children's own ideas of how to minimise risks.

Leaders understand the importance of teaching children about healthy choices around food, exercise and rest. Staff have included cosy areas in the indoor areas and the outside areas to support children's emotional regulation. Children are beginning to use these areas to regulate their emotions and recognise when they need rest. Children are encouraged to help themselves and share serving utensils at every meal and snack time. Staff provide healthy foods at these times and talk to children about healthy choices. This supports children's understanding of how to look after themselves and develops their social skills.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders have clear oversight of the setting and are closely involved with day-to-day decisions which are typically made in the best interests of all children. This includes those known (or previously known) to children's social care, and those children with barriers to their learning. They regularly evaluate the strengths of the nursery and define areas for further improvement. This helps them to continuously improve and where possible they invite parents to contribute to this process. For example, they ask parents to identify 2 things they like about the nursery and one thing they would like to change. Leaders then incorporate this into their improvement plans.

Leaders work in partnership with parents and carers keeping them updated about children's development and inviting them in to share events such as Christmas singing and end of year celebrations. Parents report that they feel part of the community and enjoy the regular updates from staff at pick-up time and via a mobile phone app.

Leaders have a robust system in place to induct and train staff so that they have a good understanding of their roles and responsibilities. Leaders also place a high importance on staff wellbeing and have reward and benefit systems in place to support staff. Staff morale is high and they report that they are happy in the nursery and able to approach all leaders for extra help when needed.