Little Willows Day Nursery

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders have created an inclusive culture, where children are known, valued and celebrated as individuals. Staff pay close attention to children's likes, dislikes and changing circumstances, such as the arrival of a new sibling. They respond proactively to potential barriers to children's learning. For example, leaders work with families to adjust routines, including collection arrangements, so that children feel secure and ready to learn.

Children's needs are identified early and assessed with care. This includes close monitoring of children, who show emerging gaps in their movement or physical development. Staff ensure that their early observations contribute to cohesive oversight of children's individual needs. Leaders track children's progress closely and take timely action when concerns arise. Children access specialist support from external agencies when needed, helping them to make progress.

Leaders use funding thoughtfully to reduce barriers for disadvantaged children. They evaluate its impact carefully in regular reviews. Staff benefit from targeted training that strengthens inclusive practice. Recent training in Makaton is enhancing children's developing communication skills, while story massage techniques are helping children learn to manage their emotions. Leaders work effectively with families and professionals to shape children's support and ensure that those known to children's social care are well supported to thrive.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have a clear vision for the curriculum. They have acted swiftly to strengthen its design and delivery. Leaders prioritise staff development, ensuring that staff build their knowledge and expertise. This is beginning to bring greater consistency to teaching across the setting. Typically, staff are purposeful in developing children's early language and communication skills. They repeat back key words, model new vocabulary and narrate children's play to support understanding. Staff embed children's mathematical learning thoughtfully throughout the curriculum. Children count confidently during hide and seek games. Toddlers develop an early sense of time through the use of 'now' and 'next' boards.

Staff know children well and adapt teaching to suit their needs. In the toddler room, for example, staff combine colour matching activities with the use of hammers and golf tees to strengthen children's colour knowledge and their fine motor control. Staff prioritise children's physical development. They encourage babies to climb and pull themselves up on soft-play blocks, while older children practise navigating space during energetic play. Staff also support children's personal and social development, such as by adapting arrival routines to help them separate confidently from their parents and carers.

Children develop a love of literacy, choosing books independently and sharing them with enthusiasm. However, sometimes older children's talk is limited as staff use closed questioning. This means that the support for children's communication is not yet consistent across the setting.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children make progress from their starting points because they secure the foundational knowledge they need for later learning. Their communication and language typically develops well across the setting. Babies use simple signs, such as 'thank you', while older children confidently share their views when voting for songs. Children's imaginations and creativity flourish. For example, they transform a strip of card into a monster's tail during their play.

Children grow in independence and confidence as they master age-appropriate skills. Toddlers begin fastening their own shoes, and older children manage zips with minimal support. Across the setting, children make choices about their play and routines, developing a sense of autonomy. Disadvantaged children and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities make secure progress because staff know them well and adapt support effectively. Children are well prepared for changes, including the move to school, through stories, role play and opportunities to meet new teachers.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Needs attention

Routines are not consistently well established. Transitions between activities take too long and lead to significant periods of children waiting. During these times, children lose focus, become distracted and are not always well supervised, which increases the risk of accidents. These weaknesses mean that children's attitudes to learning and their sense of security are not supported well at these times, although they are safe.

Children benefit from warm and respectful relationships with staff, who model kindness consistently. As a result, children collaborate well and show care for one another. For example, when playing with cars, staff gently highlight when some children have none and encourage fair sharing, praising children when they respond positively. Children also work together with enthusiasm, such as when tidying long pieces of train track and celebrating each other's efforts. Staff embed positive manners across the setting, from babies signing 'thank you' to older children speaking politely to staff and peers. Leaders monitor children's attendance carefully and encourage punctuality.

Staff respond swiftly and calmly, when there are incidents of poor behaviour. They explain expectations clearly, helping children to understand why rules matter. For example, staff remind children that pencils are for paper so the environment is kept safe and cared for. Staff consider children's age and stage when offering guidance, ensuring that their expectations remain appropriate.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Babies and children benefit from care practices that are closely matched to their individual needs. Staff use detailed information gathered during the settling-in process to ensure that babies' home routines are understood and followed. This helps babies to feel secure and settle quickly. Staff manage sleep routines safely. Babies rest on sleep mats or in the cot room, while attentive staff check on them regularly.

Across the setting, children develop a growing understanding of how to keep themselves safe. Staff offer clear and age-appropriate explanations, such as reminding children of the risks of wrapping paper around their necks. Children respond promptly, showing increasing awareness of personal safety. Staff purposefully support children's emotional wellbeing. Toddlers use simple visual cards to express their feelings and seek reassurance, while older children confidently share their emotions during circle time, using more complex prompts where needed. Staff respond sensitively, helping children to recognise, express and manage their emotions.

Staff are attentive to children's care needs and meet these swiftly. However, while most routines are effective, some, such as moving babies from outdoors to indoors, are not yet well organised. During these times, supervision can lapse, meaning children are not consistently supported. Strengthening these changeovers would ensure children's welfare is upheld at all times.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders demonstrate a clear commitment to improving the quality of education and care. They have made swift and effective changes since the last inspection. Their clear focus on staff development and training has led to sustained improvements in practice across the setting. Leaders now have systems in place to supervise staff regularly with one-to-one meetings and observations of practice, which is further supporting their development.

Leaders have an accurate understanding of the setting's strengths and the areas where weaknesses remain and they have well considered plans in place to address these, although they had not all been in place for long enough for the impact to show. Their decision-making consistently reflects the best interests of all children, including those who are disadvantaged or with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Staff feel well supported and they value the investment leaders make in their professional growth, such as opportunities to gain further qualifications. This contributes to a positive culture, where staff morale is high and workload is managed thoughtfully. Parents and carers speak positively about the setting's family atmosphere and appreciate the regular communication they receive. They particularly value the home learning links that help them support their children's development beyond the setting.