Little Forest Nursery

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders at the nursery are proactive. They display a sensitive approach to identifying children's needs and securing timely support. This ensures that children receive help at the earliest opportunity. The nursery demonstrates a commitment to inclusive practice. Staff work closely with families and professionals to provide holistic support that goes above and beyond expectations. Effective partnership working and careful planning ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive the right interventions at the right time. This enables all children to make excellent progress and experience successful transitions, particularly during key stages, such as moving into older pre-school provision and preparing for school.

The nursery's practice reflects a clear commitment to early identification, close partnerships with parents and carers and effective multi-agency collaboration. Through targeted support, consistent strategies and a well-trained, knowledgeable staff team, children develop increasing confidence, independence and positive relationships with others. For example, leaders provide additional staffing to support children's engagement in learning opportunities. Staff carefully adapt provision to meet children's individual needs. There are predictable routines and clear expectations, which prepare children for changes in activities or environments. Familiar adults also use regulation boxes and visual supports to ensure that every child can fully participate in their learning and play.

The targeted use of early years pupil premium funding has been particularly effective in supporting children's social development and emotional wellbeing. For example, staff provide football activities and structured group games to build on children's interests while promoting teamwork, confidence and friendship skills. Alongside this, staff continue to work closely with families to support their children's toileting development and monitor their emerging needs. This ensures children achieve positive outcomes and are well prepared for future transitions and continued success.

Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard

The nursery demonstrates a highly effective approach to curriculum design and teaching. Children's individual needs, interests and wellbeing are central to all learning experiences. Staff use careful observation and assessment to identify children's fascinations and learning priorities. Staff regularly share information, which supports continuity of care and learning. This ensures that teaching is responsive and tailored to each child. Staff plan learning opportunities to build on children's strengths, while also supporting areas requiring further development. For example, children play games that work on recognising emotions and developing emotional vocabulary.

The outdoor allotment space is used to provide meaningful opportunities for children to develop an understanding of sustainability, healthy living and caring for others. Staff plan activities and nature-based experiences to promote children's physical development while reinforcing communication, social interaction and mathematical concepts. Inclusion is embedded throughout teaching and curriculum provision. Staff use visual supports, Makaton and sign language so that all children can access learning and feel valued. For children who speak English as an additional language, staff share books, songs and greetings in children's home languages, which helps children to celebrate their languages alongside English. Excellent partnerships with families and external agencies further enhance all children's progress, wellbeing and successful outcomes.

Achievement: Strong standard

Children make impressive progress from their starting points and become confident, independent and engaged learners. They develop excellent personal, social and emotional skills through participating in small-group activities such as circle times. They sing songs, listen attentively and interact positively with others. Children make significant progress in communication and language. They confidently express their ideas, thoughts and feelings during meaningful conversations with staff who build on their interests. At lunchtime, children talk about vegetables grown in the allotment, such as the courgettes. They also comment on flowers and insects and link this to early literacy knowledge when talking about the sounds they can hear at the start of words. All children's ideas are valued, including imaginative comments such as there being 'one million ants' and discussions about infinity being endless.

Outdoors, children develop their physical skills through gardening activities, treasure hunts, water and sand play, riding bicycles and tricycles, and using climbing equipment. These opportunities mean that children improve their coordination, balance and control. Children demonstrate curiosity, creativity and sustained engagement. Children are well prepared for the next stage in their learning, both in the nursery and when transitioning to school. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who are disadvantaged and those learning English as an additional language, are successfully included. This enables them to feel secure, valued and well prepared for the next stage of their learning.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Leaders establish an extremely positive and nurturing environment. Their expectations for children's behaviour are consistently understood and embedded throughout the nursery. Children feel safe, respected and valued. Staff act as positive role models, demonstrating kindness, patience and respect in all interactions. Children are encouraged to express themselves. When minor incidents occur, such as when models are accidentally broken, staff provide sensitive support for children to help them to communicate their feelings and needs appropriately. Children respond positively, demonstrating resilience and problem-solving skills that will support future learning and challenges.

Effective relationships between staff and children underpin the culture of the nursery. This creates an atmosphere of trust that supports children's confidence, emotional security and willingness to engage in learning.

All staff have a detailed understanding of each child's age, stage of development, individual needs and family circumstances. This enables them to provide tailored support that helps children to understand boundaries, regulate their emotions and meet the expectations of the nursery. Staff use sensitive and consistent approaches to guide children's behaviour. They encourage children to express their feelings, solve problems and develop positive relationships with others.

Children receive effective support to collaborate, share resources and work together during play and daily routines. Staff promote turn-taking, cooperation and respectful communication. This helps children to develop important social skills and build meaningful friendships. Children are extremely independent. They serve themselves at lunchtime and spoon their food from a bowl. Children engage in conversations regarding food preferences. Staff weave in opportunities for turn-taking and conversation naturally during mealtimes, fostering social skills and confidence in communication. During group activities, conversations and collaborative play help children to develop their ability to get along with others.

Leaders also promote the importance of positive attendance and punctuality through partnerships with families and consistent communication. They work closely with parents and carers to address barriers to attendance and support children's smooth arrival into the nursery. As a result, children settle quickly, engage fully in learning opportunities and benefit from the consistency and routine that supports their overall wellbeing, development and progress.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Transitions at nursery are warm, welcoming and highly effective. Children and families feel valued and secure from the moment they arrive. Staff greet children positively and consistently, helping them settle quickly and develop trusting relationships with their key person. Children demonstrate an understanding of daily routines and confidently discuss upcoming activities. They actively participate in building the visual timetable, independently attaching routine cards and taking responsibility for transitions throughout the day. High-quality interactions where staff observe and respond appropriately to children's interests and needs have a positive impact on children's language development, confidence and social skills.

Leaders reflect continuously on the nursery provision. Children wash their hands when they need to in the washing facilities in the outdoor space. They discuss the food grown in the allotment and how to keep safe when gardening. These opportunities encourage children to be independent, make choices and engage in their learning for sustained periods. Countdowns and transition warnings help children to prepare for change, reduce anxiety and help them to regulate their feelings.

Lunchtime routines are particularly effective in promoting children's independence, communication and critical thinking. Children serve lunch for themselves and express their personal preferences. They engage in rich conversations about allotment produce, nature and early sound recognition. This helps to extend children's vocabulary and develop their confidence in expressing ideas. Staff have a thorough understanding of children's sleep routines. They follow consistent procedures to ensure their comfort, safety and wellbeing. For younger children, the calm and darkened sleep area supports children's emotional security and individual needs. Children have their own floor bed and lightweight blanket. Staff remain nearby, and regular checks are made on the children that are sleeping.

Staff place significant value on children's voices. They support them sensitively in resolving conflicts, expressing emotions and developing problem-solving skills. Overall, the nursery is a highly supportive environment where children feel safe, confident and well prepared for the next stage of their learning.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leadership is highly effective, and there is a well-established culture of inclusion, care and continuous improvement across the nursery. Parents and carers consistently describe leaders as approachable, supportive and genuinely committed to securing the best possible outcomes for children and their families. Families report feeling listened to, respected and actively involved in decisions about their children's learning, development and wellbeing. These partnerships with parents ensure a collaborative and personalised approach, particularly for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Parents value the flexibility, understanding and responsiveness shown during times of family difficulties, as well as the careful planning that supports successful transitions. Leaders and staff routinely go above and beyond by coordinating multi-agency support, adapting arrangements to meet individual needs and providing practical and emotional guidance. As a result, relationships are characterised by trust, openness and mutual respect.

Leaders are equally committed to developing a highly skilled and motivated workforce, with staff wellbeing at the heart of their work. A highly effective induction programme ensures that new staff benefit from a manageable workload that supports their wellbeing from the outset. Regular one-to-one meetings provide valuable opportunities for staff to reflect on their practice, discuss their wellbeing, and receive appropriate support when needed. Professional development is carefully planned and includes training, mentoring, coaching and reflective supervision sessions. A focus on communication and language, supporting children with SEND, safeguarding, emotional wellbeing and inclusive practice ensures staff have the knowledge and expertise required to meet the diverse needs of children.

Staff demonstrate a clear understanding of the curriculum and how high-quality interactions improve children's outcomes. This investment in staff development has created a well-established, confident, knowledgeable and reflective team with a shared commitment to excellence. Consequently, children make progress from their starting points, families feel exceptionally well supported, and children are extremely well prepared for their next stage of learning, including the transition to school.