Little Lodge Nursery

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders and staff place a strong focus on inclusion and ensure all children and families feel welcomed, valued and supported. Staff know children and their families exceptionally well and use this knowledge to identify children's individual needs and any barriers to learning they face from an early stage. Staff carry out regular assessments and work closely with parents and external professionals to provide tailored support that helps children to make the best possible progress from their starting points.

Leaders ensure children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive carefully planned and consistent support. Staff work closely with the nursery's special educational needs coordinator and external professionals to ensure strategies and support are embedded into daily practice. Leaders use additional funding purposefully to reduce barriers to learning, including adapting the environment to create calmer 'listening spaces'. Staff make thoughtful adaptations to teaching and routines. They use visual prompts, sign language, small-group activities and simplified language to help children understand, communicate and take part confidently alongside their peers. As a result, all children access the curriculum successfully and participate fully in nursery life.

Staff provide sensitive and consistent support for children facing challenges with their emotional wellbeing and behaviour. They use tailored strategies and calming activities to help children recognise and manage emotions successfully. Leaders work closely with families and external agencies to ensure children receive the right support at the right time. Consequently, children develop confidence, feel secure and thrive within this inclusive and supportive setting.

Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard

Staff plan an ambitious curriculum that reflects children's interests, stages of development and individual needs. They understand clearly what they want children to learn. For example, staff support children to become confident communicators, curious learners, responsible citizens and to develop a good understanding of the world around them. Staff provide a rich and stimulating range of engaging experiences that help children build the skills they need for future learning.

Staff use books well and revisit them regularly to help children build vocabulary and understanding over time. They introduce new language naturally during play and routines. Staff encourage children to talk about their ideas, recall previous learning and solve problems independently. For example, children fill and empty water containers, mix colours together to make purple and explore textures, such as foam and paint. Young children use tweezers and pipettes to strengthen fine-motor skills and they match animals and objects to familiar stories. Children confidently recall story characters and use mathematical words, such as 'full'. They confidently talk about the seasons, emotions and their own experiences.

Children develop strength in their minds and bodies as they take part in outdoor yoga sessions. During forest school sessions, children learn how to keep themselves safe around the fire pit and when using tools. They learn to care for living things as they explore plants, insects and birds within the natural environment. As a result, children are curious and motivated learners, who remain engaged for sustained periods and confidently apply skills during their play.

Staff skilfully adapt activities and teaching to support children's learning and development. They use practical experiences, small-group activities and clear modelling to help children build knowledge and skills over time. Staff interact warmly with children and use praise and encouragement to help children remain motivated and engaged in learning. Children develop confidence, communicate increasingly well and make excellent progress from their starting points.

Achievement: Strong standard

Children make excellent progress from their starting points and achieve well across all areas of learning. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities participate confidently alongside their peers. Children are confident communicators. They enjoy singing action songs and rhymes and join in meaningful conversations during play and routines. Older children confidently recall familiar stories and use mathematical language during play.

Children develop secure physical skills as they climb, use tools, practise yoga and explore the exciting and well-resourced outdoor areas. They build strength, coordination and control as they ride wheeled toys, use tools at forest school and investigate natural materials outdoors. As a result, children move confidently and manage risks appropriately. Babies eagerly explore sensory materials, water and paint, showing curiosity as they investigate textures and movements.

Children remain highly engaged in learning. They display curiosity, confidence and resilience as they explore, investigate and solve problems independently. Children develop the knowledge, skills and positive attitudes they need for future learning and the next stage in their education.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Children benefit from a calm, organised and nurturing environment, where routines are embedded consistently across the nursery. This helps children feel safe, secure and understand what will happen next. Staff use thoughtful and consistent approaches to behaviour and routines. They support children through gentle reminders, visual prompts, songs and familiar routines. For example, children help to tidy away resources, wash their hands independently and manage daily routines confidently. As a result, children develop responsibility, independence and a strong understanding of expectations.

Children build warm and trusting relationships with staff. They are happy, settled and emotionally secure within the nursery. Children are eager to play, highly motivated to learn and confidently move between activities indoors and outdoors. Staff support children sensitively to recognise and manage emotions. For example, children use emotion cards and discussions to help talk about how they feel. Staff use tailored strategies and calming activities successfully to support children who need additional help to regulate their emotions. Consequently, children feel included, valued and well supported.

Staff encourage children to share, take turns and cooperate during play and routines. For example, children wait patiently for their turn during group activities and story times. Children listen attentively, follow instructions well and remain engaged in activities for sustained periods. Leaders place a strong focus on promoting regular attendance and work closely with families to ensure children attend consistently and benefit fully from the rich learning experiences and routines provided across the nursery. Overall, children behave extremely well and display positive attitudes towards learning. They develop confidence, resilience and the social skills they need for future learning.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Leaders place a strong focus on children's welfare and wellbeing across the nursery. Staff create a warm, caring and nurturing environment, where children feel safe, secure and emotionally valued. Key persons know children and their families exceptionally well and respond sensitively to their individual care and emotional needs throughout the day. Babies receive gentle personal care and comforting cuddles from familiar adults, helping them feel settled, secure and reassured. Children form close relationships with staff and confidently seek comfort, encouragement and reassurance when needed. This helps children develop a strong sense of belonging within the nursery.

Children follow well-established daily routines, such as handwashing, mealtimes, sleep times and outdoor play. Staff manage these routines calmly and consistently, helping children understand what will happen next and feel confident within the environment. Children who sleep are cared for safely and benefit from close supervision and regular checks. Staff create calm environments for sleep and respond sensitively to children's care needs before rest times.

Staff promote children's physical and emotional wellbeing successfully throughout the day. Children benefit from regular outdoor play, yoga sessions and forest school experiences that provide enriching opportunities to be physically active and develop confidence in their movements. Staff follow effective hygiene routines during personal care and mealtimes and encourage children to develop increasing independence in self-care. As a result, children feel safe, cared for and emotionally secure, which helps them engage confidently in play and learning.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders have a clear vision for the nursery and strive to deliver high-quality care and education for all children. The leadership team is well established and work closely together to maintain consistent practice across the nursery. Leaders understand the strengths of the setting well and continue to drive positive improvements that benefit children, families and staff. They ensure the environment is well maintained, organised and well resourced with high-quality resources that support children's learning and development effectively.

Leaders implement robust governance procedures. Leaders maintain oversight of mandatory training, including safeguarding and paediatric first-aid courses. They ensure robust health and safety procedures are fully embedded across the nursery, including effective risk assessments, hygiene routines and regular environmental checks.

Leaders focus highly on staff wellbeing and professional development. Staff say they feel valued, listened to and well supported by leaders. Staff morale is high. They work well together as a team and leaders encourage them to share ideas and access training to further develop their knowledge and skills. Leaders lead by example and provide ongoing guidance and coaching to staff. Regular supervision meetings, staff meetings and appraisals help leaders monitor staff wellbeing, workload and practice effectively.

Partnerships with parents and the wider community are strong. Parents speak highly of the nursery and value the regular communication, support and guidance they receive. Children benefit from a wealth of opportunities to visit the local community, including the library, a care home and other places of interest. These experiences help broaden children's understanding of the world around them.