Little Moonbeams Day Nursery

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders have established a deeply embedded culture of inclusion where every child is known, valued and supported to thrive. They have an exceptional understanding of children's individual starting points and are relentless in removing barriers to learning. Expectations are consistently high for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those known to children's social care.

Robust assessment and precise progress tracking enable leaders and staff to identify children's individual needs quickly. This allows them to implement sharply focused support and adapt practice swiftly. Inclusion is a shared responsibility across the team, ensuring that agreed strategies are applied consistently and reviewed regularly. As a result, children make strong progress from their starting points, and gaps in learning diminish rapidly.

Partnerships with parents and external professionals are highly effective. Relationships are built on trust, enabling families to access timely support and specialist services. Leaders implement professional advice consistently, including communication strategies recommended by speech and language therapists, which significantly enhance children's language, confidence and independence.

Children known to children's social care receive highly personalised support. Leaders work proactively with partner agencies and carefully consider children's emotional needs, ensuring consistent key-person arrangements that promote secure attachments and emotional security.

Leaders use additional funding strategically, investing in resources, staff development and specialist support based on evidence of what has the greatest impact. Every adaptation is carefully considered to ensure children can participate fully and succeed. Consequently, children flourish in an environment where they feel safe, valued and fully included. They become increasingly resilient, independent and exceptionally well prepared for the next stage in their education.

Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard

The curriculum is ambitious, well sequenced and effectively taught. Staff use ongoing assessment to identify children's next steps from their individual starting points. They share these effectively with colleagues and parents. Consequently, children build on what they already know and make consistent progress.

Staff skilfully weave mathematical language into everyday activities. During fruit-cutting activities, children explore size, shape and length using words such as 'big', 'small', 'long' and 'short'. When a child identifies a plum as a cucumber, staff sensitively offer descriptive clues and encourage the child to think again. Children safely use knives to cut fruit, developing their independence and coordination.

Thoughtfully planned experiences successfully spark children's curiosity and imagination. For example, babies enthusiastically paint with coloured ice on large sheets of paper. Staff gently encourage them to make marks and introduce the names of different colours as they explore. This engaging sensory activity supports babies' creativity, early communication, physical development and understanding of the world.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive effective, targeted support. Individual plans and clear targets are shared with parents, staff and external professionals. Staff consistently implement specialists' recommendations and adapt activities and resources so that all children can participate. Consequently, children with SEND make good progress, with some making significant gains.

Achievement: Strong standard

Children achieve well from their individual starting points. They build securely on previous learning and make consistent progress towards their identified next steps. Their achievements are regularly reviewed, enabling any emerging gaps in learning to be identified and addressed promptly.

Children make good progress through the curriculum, particularly in communication and language. They develop their vocabulary, confidence and ability to interact positively with others. Children with speech and language needs benefit from targeted support, individual plans and tailored interventions. Consequently, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress, and gaps in their learning narrow significantly.

Disadvantaged children, those with additional needs, children who speak English as an additional language and those previously known to children's social care achieve well. They participate fully in the curriculum and build securely on what they know and can do.

Children confidently have a go during activities and everyday routines. They persevere when solving problems and practise new skills until they succeed. Consequently, children develop independence, resilience and positive attitudes that prepare them well for their next stage of learning.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Children behave well and show that they feel safe and secure. The well-established key-person system enables staff to quickly develop a detailed understanding of children's backgrounds, personalities and individual needs. Settling-in arrangements are highly tailored, helping children to establish routines confidently.

Staff are positive role models. They listen carefully to children, value their contributions and consistently model respectful interactions. Children learn to recognise and manage their emotions, share and take turns. Visual communication boards, including portable versions on staff lanyards, effectively support children who need additional help. Well-planned adaptations enable children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to regulate their behaviour and participate fully.

Staff successfully promote independence. The children confidently use china bowls and glasses during mealtimes, pour their own drinks, wipe their faces and use mirrors to check they are clean. These opportunities, alongside consistent support with toileting, help children rapidly develop the confidence and independence to manage everyday tasks for themselves.

Mealtimes are safe and well organised. Children's dietary needs, allergies and preferences are clearly understood and carefully followed. Designated staff prepare and serve food for children with specific dietary requirements, using separate utensils and preparation areas to minimise the risk of cross-contamination.

Leaders monitor attendance rigorously and promptly contact families following unexplained absences. They work closely with parents to promote regular attendance and understand children's changing circumstances. Children facing disadvantage receive targeted support that significantly reduces gaps. Staff understand their safeguarding responsibilities.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Children's welfare and wellbeing are prioritised through highly secure relationships and consistent routines. Children confidently seek comfort from trusted adults when unsettled. Staff are deeply attuned to children's individual cues and use calm voices and carefully selected visual aids to help them communicate their needs, recognise emotions and recover quickly.

Settling-in arrangements are highly personalised and sensitively adapted for as long as each child needs. Staff make effective use of information from 'All About Me' forms, including key words and phrases, to provide continuity and reassurance. Consequently, children develop secure relationships and a strong sense of belonging and settle confidently.

Care routines are highly responsive to children's individual sleeping, feeding and developmental needs. Staff work closely with parents to provide consistent support with toilet training. Carefully considered visual prompts empower children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language to develop independence. Staff rigorously follow safer sleep practices and undertake regular checks. Consequently, children rest safely according to their individual needs.

Staff skilfully embed learning about handwashing, safe eating, physical activity and oral health into daily routines. Children develop a meaningful understanding of how healthy choices support their wellbeing, including how milk contributes to strong bones and teeth. Leaders proactively help families access local dentists. Two-year progress checks are meaningfully discussed with parents, supporting effective information-sharing with health visitors.

Staff respond swiftly and appropriately when children have accidents. Parents receive clear, timely information and understand any action they need to take. Following head bumps, staff contact parents promptly and provide appropriate guidance. This highly consistent approach places children's welfare at the heart of practice.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders are highly reflective and drive impressive improvements. Their ambitious vision is communicated with clarity and fully embraced by staff. Improvement planning is incisive and rigorously monitored. Innovative developments, including emotion cards and communication boards, are already having a substantial impact on children's confidence, communication and self-regulation.

Leaders have cultivated a highly inclusive culture. Children's emerging needs are identified swiftly, and leaders work tenaciously with families and professionals to secure support. Carefully targeted early years, safeguarding, medical and special educational needs and/or disabilities training equips staff with the expertise to meet children's individual needs. A meticulous induction programme, purposeful supervision and skilful in-the-moment coaching rapidly strengthen staff practice.

Safer recruitment procedures are rigorous. Candidates complete detailed applications and participate in telephone and face-to-face interviews conducted by 2 people. Leaders thoroughly investigate employment gaps, obtain and verify 2 references and complete all suitability checks. Staff's safeguarding knowledge is tested to ensure understanding is deeply embedded.

Staff wellbeing is a notable strength. Leaders provide highly individualised support, including occupational health referrals, menopause guidance and sensitive assistance following maternity leave. Supervisions meaningfully explore wellbeing, performance and professional aspirations. Staff describe a genuine open-door culture in which they feel heard, valued and empowered. Consequently, morale is extremely high, and the stability of this cohesive team significantly benefits children.