Little Flowers Day Nursery

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders and practitioners promote inclusion and have high expectations for all children. They are passionate about providing every child with the very best early education. Leaders and practitioners monitor the curriculum to ensure it meets the needs of all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face other barriers to their learning. Through rigorous assessment and effective communication with parents, gaps in children's learning are swiftly identified and effective strategies are put in place to support children in their learning. Practitioners work closely with parents and professionals to carefully plan appropriate learning activities for children at the setting and to help them at home. For example, using dolls and puppets helps children to learn and understand their emotions. Regular and purposeful monitoring takes place to ensure that support remains focused. Professionals and parents comment on how consistent approaches are having a significant impact on the progress children are making in their learning and development.

Leaders ensure that all children receive the funding they are entitled to, consulting with parents and practitioners on what is best for the child. Funding is used to enhance children's experiences and access additional resources and opportunities.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders and practitioners plan an exciting curriculum that reflects children's interests. The curriculum builds sequentially on what children already know and can do and what they need to learn next. Practitioners complete baseline assessments of children's prior knowledge and use regular assessments in collaboration with parents to monitor children's learning. Teaching is adapted appropriately to ensure that those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and other barriers to learning are able to fully participate in the curriculum offer.

Children develop a love of language, stories and books. Their day is full of conversation and narration. Practitioners weave core stories throughout the learning environment, which fosters children's imagination and creativity. For example, young children repeat animal sounds while reading a book with practitioners, while others burst into song, singing their favourite nursery rhymes. Pre-school children explore catalogues and are developing their literacy skills as they write their shopping lists. Consequently, children are confident communicators.

Leaders and practitioners focus on children's physical development, and children show a positive attitude to being active outdoors. For example, practitioners challenge children to stretch and reach balls that are taped to the wall, to help them develop their core strength. When outside, older children take part in vigorous activities and are supported to feel the impact of this on their bodies, such as an increased heartbeat. Furthermore, practitioners routinely enhance children's early mathematical skills as they play. For example, younger children learn to count their building blocks when making towers. Older children learn about forces such as 'push' and 'pull' as they play with their cars.

Achievement: Strong standard

Children make excellent progress from their individual starting points across all areas of learning. For example, children's speech and language is developing extremely well. They are using a wide range of vocabulary and engage in meaningful conversations with those around them. Practitioners work closely with families to establish these starting points accurately and respond to them effectively. The targeted support offered to children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is responsive and effective.

Children are independent in their personal care and care for others. They confidently manage routines throughout the day and make choices about their learning. As a result, all children leave the setting with the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to help them succeed in the future.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders and practitioners provide an emotionally positive environment. Practitioners create effective, friendly and professional relationships with children and their families. As a result, children gain trust in the adults and settle in quickly. Practitioners purposefully plan group activities to help children to learn to share and cooperate with their peers. They teach children to be kind and considerate of others and to follow simple rules, such as using 'kind hands' and kind words. Additionally, children are supported to learn the routines of the setting, such as putting on their outdoor clothing and washing their hands after using the bathroom.

Leaders and practitioners set age-appropriate high expectations for children's behaviour. Practitioners role model expected behaviours, such as using polite manners, and they consistently praise positive behaviour. Children enjoy laying the table and serving their friends the water. This helps children to develop their social skills.

The setting's positive relationships with parents ensure that families feel welcomed and valued. This inclusive approach supports children's regular attendance to form healthy habits for the future.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders and practitioners provide a safe and stimulating environment where children flourish. Children enjoy home-cooked healthy meals, and lunchtime is a real social occasion full of chatter. Practitioners support children to learn about the impact some foods can have on their teeth and to understand how their bodies work.

Children are taught to practise their own self-care routines. For example, they know they need to wash their hands after using the bathroom and show a real 'can-do' attitude when changing into their outdoor clothes. Children are becoming increasingly independent.

Leaders establish policies and procedures that support children's wellbeing. However, when preparing for sleep, some practitioners walk over children's bedding. This does not ensure that all routines support good hygiene practice.

Children are supported to recognise, express and manage their emotions through adult guidance, stories and discussion. Practitioners know children well and respond promptly to changes in behaviour or emotional needs, ensuring children feel understood and valued.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders are committed to improving the learning experiences for all children. They are visible leaders who are actively involved in the day-to-day organisation of the setting. They have an accurate view of the nursery's strengths and areas for improvement. For example, they have identified that in some rooms, changes in children's routines are not as smooth as they could be. This can lead to low-level disruption in children's learning experiences. This was evident during some of the children's lunchtime routines. Leaders have plans to bring about change to further improve such routines for children.

Leaders thoughtfully consider staff wellbeing and workloads. Staff speak positively about their work at the setting and the support they receive. Leaders provide training to develop staff's skills. However, leaders do not always ensure that bank staff receive all the information they need to know and understand about children's dietary needs. Leaders work well with external professionals so children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, receive timely help. Parents are extremely complimentary of the support and excellent communication they receive from the setting to help them extend their children's learning at home.