Kindred Durrington

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders have created a culture where children's individual needs are swiftly identified and well understood by staff. Staff know children and their community context very well and thoughtfully adapt their practice so that every child, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged, can participate fully in all aspects of the provision. High expectations and skilful adjustments mean that children with complex needs learn and play alongside their peers. For example, additional support enables them to enjoy lunchtime as a shared social experience.

Leaders' deep understanding of their community, with its high proportion of military families, ensures that all potential barriers are anticipated and reduced. Staff respond sensitively during periods of parental deployment, using age-appropriate strategies, such as visual countdowns, to help children manage separation. Their actions make a demonstrable difference, such as with their prompt engagement of wider agencies to secure the right support well before children transition to school.

Leaders equip staff to confidently implement increased support for children and provide suitable training. Leaders work closely with families to ensure that support is continually adapted. Funding is consistently used to enhance opportunities, and its impact is thoroughly reviewed. Children known to social care benefit from leaders' unwavering commitment to ensuring that they access the full breadth of experiences, including specialist sessions that enrich their learning and wellbeing.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have clear oversight of the curriculum and ensure that staff plan effectively for children's learning, based on their regular assessment of what they can do and what they need to learn next. Leaders' coaching and access to training since the last inspection have developed staff's practice, resulting in teaching that is typically well matched to children's age and stage of development. Communication and language are prioritised throughout the setting. Children speak confidently with staff and each other, such as discussing their afternoon plans over lunch. Babies benefit from warm, responsive interactions that support their personal and social development. They smile broadly as they hear their names in welcome songs, which helps them to feel recognised and secure.

The curriculum is well sequenced. Staff purposefully embed mathematical learning at every stage from using number rhymes with babies to counting track pieces with toddlers and ordering race positions with pre-schoolers. Physical development is also prioritised, with babies supported to test their balance on steps and older children engaging in structured fitness sessions. Staff adapt teaching well for children who face additional barriers. They use their knowledge to tailor experiences for these children, such as providing additional staff support to ensure that children can participate in groups. At times, staff rely on simple statements when interacting with children. Developing staff's confidence in asking open-ended questions would further strengthen children's thinking and communication.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children make steady and secure progress from their starting points. Communication develops well across the setting. Babies point to express their needs, while older children use clear language and good manners to communicate with peers, such as asking for the gravy at lunchtime. Children grow in confidence and independence, moving from early self-care skills, such as using cutlery or putting on their coats, to managing tasks, such as pouring their own gravy or cutting fruit at snack time.

Children persevere with new challenges and take pride in their achievements. They concentrate intently when peeling the wrapper from a crayon and beam with satisfaction when they correctly order number cards. They learn to solve problems and experiment with different approaches, for example, when balancing blocks in new arrangements. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities or who are disadvantaged make clear progress from their starting points. Children develop the curiosity, independence and resilience that prepare them well for their next stage of learning, including the transition to school.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders have established a warm, positive environment where expectations for behaviour are clear. Staff build trusting relationships with children and understand their individual needs well. Children collaborate confidently, such as when working together to carry a long cardboard tube, and they respond positively to the setting's routines. When behaviour needs to change, staff address this swiftly and calmly, explaining the reasons behind expectations. For example, they remind children to sit properly on their chairs, so they do not fall. This helps children learn to manage their own behaviour as they gain increasing independence.

Routines that promote independence are deliberately taught from the earliest stages. Babies learn to serve their own food with gentle guidance, while older children are encouraged to identify when and how they need support. Staff model and reinforce good manners consistently, from babies signing 'please' and 'thank you' to pre-school children communicating their needs politely.

Leaders promote attendance effectively and work sensitively with military families to balance the importance of regular routines with the need to prioritise family time when parents are home. At times, some children move quickly between activities without sustaining focus. More consistent direction from staff to support children's engagement would help them develop deeper concentration and maintain positive learning habits.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders have created a warm, nurturing environment where children's welfare and wellbeing are prioritised. Staff know children very well and respond sensitively to their individual needs. Babies settle quickly because staff gather detailed information from families before they start, enabling routines for sleeping, feeding and comfort to mirror those at home. This consistency helps children form secure attachments and develop a strong sense of belonging, which supports them during the regular periods of change that they may experience in their military families.

Care practices are thoughtful and well established. Children sleep safely, with staff monitoring them attentively. Mealtimes are calm, sociable occasions where children chat happily with staff and peers. Healthy choices are promoted. Babies learn to wipe their hands and wear bibs, progressing to washing their own hands and eating more independently as they move through the setting. Older babies are encouraged to use cutlery, embedding this skill early. Children take responsibility for their environment by scraping their plates, washing them in water and helping to wipe tables. Staff support children in understanding personal safety and managing risks, such as handing over pens before running outdoors. Staff also help children recognise and manage their emotions through calm, reassuring interactions.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Since the last inspection, leaders have acted swiftly to improve the quality of education. Their focus on developing teaching practice and access to regular training has led to increasingly purposeful interactions across the nursery. Leaders monitor the curriculum closely and have a clear grasp of the setting's strengths and areas for further development.

Leaders have a clear understanding of the setting's context and make thoughtful decisions that reflect the needs of their predominantly military community. They ensure that the provision is flexible and responsive, offering opportunities such as stay-and-play sessions when parents are home and adapting attendance patterns to support families during deployment. These help children experience continuity of care and strengthens relationships with parents. Leaders' decisions consistently prioritise the best interests of all children, including those who are disadvantaged or those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Staff report feeling well supported and value the variety of training they have access to. Leaders manage workload effectively and provide regular professional development that clearly improves practice. Parents describe the setting as responsive and communicative. They value leaders' flexibility and their understanding of the unique pressures they face.