Little Hummingbird Nursery

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders know their children well and identify barriers to learning at an early stage. They gather detailed starting points, work closely with parents and carers and seek advice from outside professionals where appropriate to help children receive the support they need. Staff generally adapt experiences and routines to meet children's individual needs, helping most children with additional needs or barriers to learning make progress from their starting points.

Children benefit from resources such as the sensory room, where they can regulate their emotions, engage in focused activities and return to learning when they are ready. Leaders review children's progress and generally put appropriate support in place to help reduce barriers to learning.

However, targeted support is not always planned or reviewed precisely enough to ensure children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those facing other barriers to learning, consistently receive the individual strategies needed to build on their progress and narrow gaps in their learning.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have a clear vision for the curriculum and have broadened children's experiences through forest school, baby sensory sessions, cooking and local visits. Staff generally know what they want children to learn and use children's interests well when planning experiences. Children become familiar with favourite stories, such as a book about a hungry caterpillar before extending their learning by tasting the foods, creating their own caterpillars and confidently retelling the story. Children choose books independently, listen attentively and develop a growing love of reading.

Staff are positive role models for language and generally extend children's vocabulary through conversations and play. Children confidently describe the 'big bubbles' they have made, while older children create repeating patterns using counters. Babies enjoy exploring sand, ice, shaving foam and different textures that encourage early language and curiosity. They have a well-resourced space where they can select quality resources that interest them. Staff foster children's imagination well and guide their play through quality interactions. For example, they pretend to travel on a bus together and collect sticks, leaves and fir cones during Forest School to create their own artwork.

Staff know children well and respond warmly to their individual needs, adapting their interactions and support so that all children feel included, valued and able to succeed.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children make progress from their starting points and become increasingly confident in themselves and their abilities. They feel valued within this caring, homely nursery and are proud of what they achieve, celebrating their successes and enjoying praise from the adults around them.

Children communicate confidently, listen attentively to stories and follow instructions well throughout the day. They develop secure friendships and strong attachments with familiar adults, helping them move confidently between rooms and approach the next stage of learning with excitement.

By the time children leave for school, they are independent, confident and keen to learn. Most children, including those with barriers to learning, make progress from their starting points. However, more targeted interventions and personalised strategies would help children with special educational needs to build on their achievements even further and continue to narrow gaps in their learning.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Children behave positively and generally understand what is expected of them. They are reminded to use kind hands, share resources, take turns and use good manners throughout the day. Children collaborate well with their peers, whether they are matching dominoes on the floor or celebrating teamwork during group activities. They seek each other out and play together.

Children follow instructions well, move confidently through familiar routines and enjoy positive relationships with the adults who care for them. They develop secure attachments from the moment they join the nursery through carefully planned settling-in sessions and positive relationships with familiar adults. They confidently seek out staff for support, reassurance and shared play, benefiting from a small, homely environment where all practitioners know them well.

Staff generally take time to stop, explain behaviour and reinforce expectations. Leaders have established effective partnerships with families and robust procedures to promote good attendance and punctuality, recognising the importance of children attending regularly. However, behaviour management strategies are not yet embedded consistently enough across the whole nursery, which means staff do not always feel confident in using the most effective approaches to support all children, particularly those who need additional support to regulate their behaviour and remain engaged in learning.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Children's welfare and wellbeing are prioritised throughout the nursery, particularly within the baby room where staff provide warm, attentive and nurturing care. Babies develop secure attachments from the very beginning and staff know their individual routines, preferences and developmental needs well. Sleep, weaning and feeding routines are implemented with secure procedures that ensure children are comfortable, safe and well cared for.

Generally, children with barriers to learning benefit from familiar routines, sensitive support and calm spaces, including the sensory room, helping them regulate their emotions and engage positively in learning.

Most children develop healthy habits through sociable mealtimes, exploring different foods, staying hydrated and managing their own self-care routines. Children also benefit from regular outdoor play where staff provide opportunities to develop their physical skills through obstacle courses, push bikes and cars. However, further enhancements to the outdoor environment would maximise children's opportunities for physical development and extend learning even further.

Staff respond sensitively to children's emotional needs and help them recognise and manage their feelings. Warm relationships, secure routines and consistent care help children feel safe, valued and confident throughout their day.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders have a clear vision for the nursery and understand its strengths and the areas they want to continue developing. They are reflective and continually seek ways to improve children's experiences, carefully considering how the curriculum, environment and resources can be enhanced.

Staff speak positively about the support they receive and benefit from regular supervisions, appraisals, inset days and wellbeing initiatives that help them develop professionally and feel valued. Leaders have created an open culture where staff work well together, communicate effectively and share responsibility for providing consistent care for children.

Leaders place partnerships with parents at the heart of the nursery. Parents speak highly of the warm, homely environment and how confidently children settle, develop independence and transition smoothly through the nursery and on to school.

Robust systems are in place to safeguard children, including secure recruitment procedures and effective risk assessments. Leaders are present in the setting and monitor safety and risk effectively to ensure children remain safe. Overall, leaders have a clear vision for the future of the nursery. However, leaders have not yet provided sufficiently targeted training to further develop staff's knowledge and skills in behaviour management. As a result, staff do not always use consistent strategies to support children's behaviour and engagement in learning.