Kiddies Playhouse

Inclusion: Strong standard

Children benefit from a highly inclusive nursery. Leaders and staff are committed to ensuring that every child is valued, supported and able to participate fully in nursery life. Leaders know children and families exceptionally well. They have established effective systems to identify children's individual needs at the earliest opportunity. Home visits, starting-point assessments, screening tools and ongoing observations help staff to understand children's individual strengths and barriers to learning from the start.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, children who speak English as an additional language and those eligible for early years pupil premium receive carefully tailored support that enables them to access the curriculum alongside their peers. Staff adapt activities, resources and teaching approaches using Makaton, 'now and next' boards and targeted workstation sessions. Leaders use early years pupil premium funding to provide additional adult support and personalised resources. A dedicated room for children with complex needs provides a calm environment where children receive individualised support tailored to their needs.

Leaders work closely with families and a wide range of external professionals, including speech and language therapists, educational psychologists and local authority specialists. This helps them to secure timely support and positive outcomes for children. Parents and carers value the care, guidance and advocacy they receive, particularly during assessment, referral and education, health and care plan processes. Carefully planned transitions, specialised training and external partnerships help to ensure inclusive practice remains at the heart of the nursery's work.

Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard

Leaders have designed a curriculum that reflects the needs, interests and experiences of the children who attend the nursery. They use assessment information and regular checkpoints effectively to identify priorities, including communication and language, independence and personal development. Leaders understand their community well. They have developed a curriculum that broadens children's experiences and prepares them for future learning. Staff use visits from community professionals, the emergency services, animal encounters and an ice-cream van to enrich children's understanding of occupations and the wider world beyond their immediate experiences.

Staff have a clear understanding of the skills and knowledge children need to acquire. They use observations and assessment information effectively to identify children's next steps and adapt learning experiences to meet children's individual needs. Staff build learning over time by revisiting stories, introducing planned vocabulary and using children's interests to deepen learning. Purposeful daily routines promote children's independence, self-care and school readiness.

Teaching is responsive and supported by skilful questioning and meaningful interactions that extend children's learning. Mathematics is embedded through everyday experiences, including counting, comparing, weighing, construction and water play. Leaders have accurately identified opportunities to further strengthen staff expertise in early mathematics through a mathematics champion programme, building on the secure practice already established across the nursery.

Achievement: Strong standard

Children make excellent progress from their starting points. They develop the knowledge and skills they need for their next stage of learning. Babies develop confidence in communicating their needs, joining in familiar routines and interacting with others. Older children communicate their ideas and interests with increasing confidence and use a growing vocabulary during their play and learning.

Children develop positive social skills and learn to cooperate, take turns and build relationships with their peers. They become highly independent in daily routines, including managing personal care, serving themselves at mealtimes and preparing for transitions within the nursery and on to school.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, children who speak English as an additional language and those eligible for early years pupil premium participate fully in nursery life and make excellent progress from their individual starting points. Although there is some inconsistency in children's engagement during an adult-led activity, this does not reflect on children's overall achievements. Children develop the communication, personal and social skills needed for future success and are well prepared for their next stage of learning.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders establish clear routines and expectations that help children feel safe, secure and ready to learn. Staff support children to understand these routines through visual prompts, familiar songs and consistent approaches across the nursery. Children respond positively and move confidently between activities and daily routines.

Children develop warm and trusting relationships with staff who know them well. Babies seek reassurance from familiar adults and confidently join in group experiences. Older children cooperate with their peers, take turns and share resources. Staff support children to develop independence through everyday experiences, including mealtimes, personal care routines and preparing for transitions.

Children generally engage well in learning and show enthusiasm for activities that reflect their interests. For example, children eagerly participate in songs, stories and role-play activities linked to their learning. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and other groups of children receive effective support to access routines and learning alongside their peers.

Leaders promote children's regular attendance as part of supporting their engagement and readiness to learn, working closely with families when concerns arise. During some adult-led learning experiences, staff do not consistently reinforce their expectations for children's behaviour or use timely interactions to sustain children's engagement. This causes some children to lose focus and not understand the expectations. As a result, children's sustained attention and participation are not consistently promoted across all adult-led experiences.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Leaders place children's welfare and wellbeing at the heart of the nursery's work. They work closely with families from the outset through home visits, settling-in sessions and regular communication. Leaders develop a detailed understanding of children's lives. They are highly responsive when circumstances change, adapting support, routines and care to meet children's individual circumstances. This helps children to feel secure, valued and confident in nursery.

Staff develop warm and nurturing relationships with children and respond thoughtfully to their emotional needs. Children form secure attachments with familiar adults. They demonstrate confidence as they move through daily routines and transitions. For example, staff carefully support children who initially struggle to separate from their parents and carers to develop confidence and independence. Other children receive personalised emotional support following significant changes within their families. These responsive approaches enable children to feel understood and supported.

Children benefit from an inclusive approach to wellbeing. Staff work closely with families and external professionals to secure timely support for children who are vulnerable or require additional help. Leaders promote healthy lifestyles effectively through nutritious meals, physical activity, outdoor learning and oral health initiatives. Children confidently self-serve meals, manage personal hygiene and make healthy choices for themselves. As a result, children develop resilience, positive wellbeing and the confidence to participate fully in nursery life.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders have established a clear and ambitious vision that reflects the needs of the children, families and community they serve. They know their children well and use assessment information, observations and regular checkpoints effectively to evaluate provision and shape priorities. Leaders have a deep understanding of their community and use this knowledge to ensure that the nursery's provision reflects children's needs and experiences.

Leaders have an accurate understanding of the strengths and areas for development within the nursery. Leaders have recognised the need to further embed consistency in how staff support children's behaviour and engagement during some adult-led experiences, so that high expectations are maintained across all aspects of provision.

Leaders have developed effective systems to identify and support children who may require additional help. They work closely with families and external professionals to secure timely support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, children who speak English as an additional language and those who are vulnerable. This helps to reduce barriers to children's learning and wellbeing and supports children to make progress. Leaders invest in staff development and provide professional learning opportunities that strengthen practice across the nursery. Staff contribute to a culture of continuous improvement and feel valued and supported in their roles.

Leaders build excellent partnerships with parents and carers and the wider community. Families value the communication, care and support they receive, particularly when children require additional help or transition to their next stage of learning. As a result, leaders have established a welcoming and supportive nursery where children and families feel valued and well supported.