Lime Tree Barrow Ltd

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders and staff welcome all children into the setting, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing. They work very closely with parents and other professionals to ensure children's individual care and learning needs are consistently met. Leaders and staff rapidly identify where children may need additional support through accurate ongoing assessments. They pay high regard to children's individual needs and learning styles and swiftly implement targeted support. For example, children's regular participation in focused social and communication groups is successful in promoting their speech and developing their social confidence. Adaptations throughout the nursery are skilfully made to ensure all children are included and benefit from the learning experiences on offer.

Leaders carefully monitor the progress that children make. They regularly reflect on what they offer and review the impact that this has on children's outcomes. Leaders implement well-considered strategies to ensure that all staff develop the skills they need to support children effectively in the setting. Leaders and staff ensure that any early years pupil premium funding is used effectively to enhance children's individual learning needs.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Staff complete regular assessments to help them to identify what children know and can do. Overall, they have a secure understanding of what they want children to learn next and how they are going to help children to progress. Leaders have an accurate understanding of the quality of the curriculum and teaching in the nursery. They recognise that some staff's practice and delivery of the curriculum is stronger than others and are working closely with them to improve this further.

Staff work hard to ensure that children feel safe and enjoy their time at nursery. They provide activities and tailor their interactions to help children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to develop and practise the skills they need for their next stage in learning. Staff support children to be competent communicators. Babies are introduced to simple words and encouraged to repeat them. Staff help them to name and make the sounds of animals as they play. They talk with children about size and shape during activities and everyday routines. Staff engage pre-school children in meaningful back-and-forth conversations and ask them well-thought-out questions. Staff help children to develop appropriate physical skills. For example, they prepare the environment and equipment to support babies to confidently and independently stand on their feet.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing achieve appropriately from their starting points overall. They are developing the skills they need for their next stage in learning and eventual move to school. Children learn to use tools correctly and safely. Young children practise using scissors to repeatedly snip paper. Pre-school children skilfully cut cardboard and tape to create their own junk models. Children demonstrate positive personal, social and emotional skills. They learn to share, cooperate with others and understand their feelings and emotions. Children develop an interest in books and enjoy listening to stories. They use the new vocabulary that they hear and understand simple instructions. Children are interested and motivated to join in with activities and develop a positive attitude to learning.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders have high expectations for children's behaviour and participation at nursery. They work closely with staff and parents to ensure that children attend regularly. Children play and learn in a positive and vibrant environment. Staff are kind and caring and are positive role models. Relationships between children and staff are warm and positive. Younger children play happily alongside each other, and older children are beginning to build firm friendships. They engage in animated conversations and show a shared sense of fun as they take part in activities. Pre-school children take it in turns to place one brick on top of another to build a tower, laughing when it falls to the ground before agreeing to try again. Staff offer gentle and timely reminders for children to share equipment and to make sure that everyone has an opportunity to have a go.

Overall, staff successfully help children to understand boundaries and what is expected at certain times of the day. Younger children are beginning to respond positively to staff's requests to follow the daily routines, such as mealtimes and tidy-up time. Staff are quick to acknowledge children's achievements and offer praise to support children's self-esteem and reinforce positive behaviours.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Leaders and staff understand the importance of ensuring that all children feel safe, secure and comfortable in the setting. Staff regularly communicate with parents to ensure that they have accurate and up-to-date knowledge of their key children's individual needs, routines and any other relevant information. Staff effectively and sensitively create consistent routines and safe spaces that help children learn to cope with their emotions. This strong sense of emotional security enables children to engage positively with peers, maintain harmonious relationships and thrive in their learning environment.

Staff pay careful consideration to children's individual needs when it is time for them to move from one room to the next. They work closely with parents to ensure that children receive consistent care and support and experience a smooth and positive transition. Children, including babies, quickly build bonds with their new key person and happily adjust to the new environment. Staff ensure that children can rest and sleep safely and comfortably, and nappy-changing routines are carried out with care and sensitivity. Children of all ages benefit from daily opportunities to play and be physically active outdoors. They learn about their own personal safety through the well-structured daily routines. Children, including the youngest, learn how to climb the stairs safely and why it is important to wash their hands. Meals are varied and nutritious and meet children's individual dietary needs.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders and staff work together as a professional and cohesive team. They demonstrate a shared commitment to providing a high-quality provision for children and their families. Leaders have an accurate understanding of the setting's strengths and evolving needs. Leaders have identified the areas that they wish to develop further and have a clear improvement plan in place. They pay high regard to staff wellbeing and workload and recognise and value staff's individual skills and levels of experience. They work hard to ensure that staff receive targeted coaching and support to help them to continually build on their knowledge and expertise. Carefully planned meetings and training events feature regularly and are well attended by staff.

Leaders work closely with other professionals and agencies to support children, particularly children with special educational needs and/or disabilities who attend the setting. Partnerships with parents are extremely positive. Detailed information is shared regularly with parents about their children's care and learning needs to ensure that these are consistently met. Parents receive detailed handovers on arrival and collection of their children and are invited to attend parents' evenings. Staff successfully liaise with other settings, such as schools, to help support children when it is time for them to move on to their next stage of learning.