Lammas Green at Twin Oaks

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders gather detailed information from parents before children start at the nursery to understand their interests, routines and any additional support they may require. Staff assess children from the beginning of their settling-in period to identify starting points, recognise emerging needs and plan appropriate support. They regularly review children's progress and adapt strategies to reflect children's changing development and circumstances. As a result, children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those who face barriers to their learning or wellbeing, receive support that helps reduce barriers to accessing their educational entitlement.

Staff implement a range of inclusive strategies across the nursery. For example, they prepare children for transitions by giving a five-minute warning before tidy-up time and singing a familiar 'tidy-up' song. Staff also use visual timetables and hourglass timers to help children understand routines and waiting times. Staff have recently completed in-house Makaton training. The use of Makaton particularly benefits children who communicate non-verbally or require additional communication support. Some staff have embedded Makaton signs consistently into daily routines, while others are still incorporating them into their practice.

Leaders work effectively with parents and external professionals, including social workers, the nursery group's special educational needs coordinator and receiving schools, to coordinate support and promote positive outcomes for children who require additional help.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have established a curriculum that identifies what they want children to learn and do, as they prepare for their next stage of learning. They place children's personal, social and emotional development at the heart of the curriculum, preparing babies for their transition to the pre-school room and older children for school. Staff plan activities around children's individual next steps, interests and previous learning experiences. They adapt activities and resources to meet children's individual needs, enabling all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to participate alongside their peers and access the curriculum. Staff use monthly themes, such as holidays, to build on children's experiences. For example, parents provide family photographs from holidays and outings, which babies explore during morning circle before staff create personalised displays that help children recognise themselves and their family members.

Babies benefit from a range of sensory experiences, including trays filled with sand, blue-coloured rice and frozen oobleck cubes that encourage exploration and curiosity. During singing activities, babies eagerly take turns choosing objects from a song box that match familiar nursery rhymes. Staff do not consistently adapt the pace of songs and actions to give all babies sufficient time to process instructions. As a result, some babies do not fully participate or build on their communication and language skills during these planned-learning experiences. Staff prioritise children's communication and language through familiar stories, nursery rhymes, meaningful conversations and the introduction of new vocabulary. They also promote mathematical learning throughout the day. Older children match numbers to quantities, prepare pretend birthday cakes by adding the correct number of candles and use mathematical language during play. Babies count fish in sensory trays and hear mathematical language, such as 'one more', 'full' and 'all gone', woven naturally into daily routines.

Achievement: Expected standard

All children, including those who face barriers to their learning and/or disadvantages, make suitable progress from their individual starting points. They develop the knowledge, skills and confidence needed for their next stage of learning. Babies become increasingly independent as they learn to wash their hands, feed themselves and communicate their needs with growing confidence. Older children develop positive social skills as they take turns, listen to one another and support younger children who are still settling by guiding them to the bathroom and modelling handwashing routines. They develop a sense of responsibility and confidence through daily-helper roles, such as placing their friends' water bottles on the lunch table. Children celebrate their achievements with pride during the pre-school graduation, where they confidently sing familiar songs to their families and receive certificates recognising their readiness for school. Overall, children become increasingly confident, independent learners who are well prepared for their next stage of education.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Leaders and staff have high expectations of children's behaviour and communicate these consistently throughout the day. Staff model polite language and regularly encourage children to use words, such as 'please' and 'thank you' during everyday conversations. As a result, children interact respectfully with one another and with staff, creating a calm and welcoming environment where all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, confidently join shared play and activities. Staff establish clear routines and ensure that children know what will happen next. They use visual timetables, regular reminders and sand timers to prepare children for transitions throughout the day. These strategies help all children settle into nursery and have a particularly positive impact on children who speak English as an additional language or require additional reassurance.

Leaders have established an effective key-person system that enables staff to know children and their families exceptionally well. Children build warm and trusting relationships with their key persons and actively seek comfort and reassurance from familiar adults. Parents describe these relationships as a particular strength of the nursery, especially for babies who develop secure attachments beyond their home environment. As a result, children feel safe, settled and eager to learn as they confidently engage in a wide range of well-planned activities.

Leaders monitor attendance consistently and communicate the importance of regular attendance to families. Consequently, children benefit from continuous learning experiences and develop the knowledge, skills and routines that prepare them well for their next stage of learning.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders and staff establish effective hygiene and welfare routines and help children understand why these are important. Children wash their hands before and after mealtimes as part of the daily routine. Babies who are standing and walking increasingly wash their hands independently, by rubbing them together to make bubbles and drying them with a towel. Older children develop a sense of responsibility as they guide younger children through the handwashing routine and model good hygiene practices.

Leaders and staff place children's welfare and wellbeing at the centre of everyday practice. Staff adapt activities thoughtfully so that children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those who face barriers to their learning, can participate alongside their peers. They respond sensitively to children's emotional needs and help them to recognise and manage their feelings. For example, when children become upset because they miss their parents or carers, staff acknowledge their emotions, look at the clock with them and explain when they will be collected. Children quickly feel reassured and confidently rejoin their friends.

Leaders provide a healthy and balanced diet and create opportunities for children to learn about healthy lifestyle choices. Older children serve themselves at mealtimes and occasionally discuss with staff why different foods help their bodies grow. Babies and older children extend this learning through role play as staff talk about fruit, vegetables and how to prepare food safely. Children benefit from daily outdoor play. Babies strengthen their balance, coordination and large muscles indoors, outdoors and during regular visits to the local park. Older children have fewer opportunities to develop their large-muscle skills outdoors.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders have established a welcoming environment where children, parents and staff enjoy being part of the nursery community. They build positive relationships with families and actively seek their views, using feedback to help shape and develop the provision. Parents describe warm and trusting relationships with staff and value the progress their children make as they prepare for school. Leaders regularly invite families to nursery events, including pre-school graduation, Christmas celebrations and Mother's Day and Father's Day activities. Parents receive regular updates about their children's daily experiences through the nursery app and face-to-face conversations. Staff also share children's next steps, enabling parents to continue learning at home.

Leaders provide staff with regular opportunities for professional development through online and in-house training. They ensure that staff complete mandatory training alongside training that reflects the individual needs of children attending the nursery. Staff demonstrate secure knowledge of their training and explain how they apply this in their daily practice. Leaders support staff wellbeing by considering workload, providing regular supervision and valuing staff's views and professional contributions.

Leaders implement secure recruitment procedures, robust safeguarding arrangements and regular risk assessments to help ensure children's safety and wellbeing. They evaluate the quality of the provision, by considering feedback from children, parents and staff when identifying priorities for improvement. Leaders have identified the need to strengthen support for children and families who face barriers to engagement, enhance opportunities for physical development in the outdoor area and continue developing partnership working with external professionals to further strengthen inclusive practice.