Little Wonders Nursery

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders and staff work collaboratively to identify children's needs at the earliest opportunity through clear observation and assessment processes. They ensure regular and open communication with parents and carers. This ensures that all children's needs are met through the implementation of systematic adaptations to routines and the curriculum offered. Leaders passionately work to celebrate children's uniqueness. This means that all children's needs are consistently met at this highly inclusive setting. Staff respond positively and swiftly when changes are required. For example, they implement support plans as needed to ensure that children's learning opportunities are meaningful. This means that children feel safe and secure. Partnerships with parents and external agencies are a strength of the setting. Leaders seek the views and support of external agencies to best support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to allow them to make progress.

Leaders use additional funding carefully to overcome barriers to learning that have been identified. They regularly review spending to ensure it consistently has a positive impact on the individual needs of children. For example, leaders use assessment and tracking, as well as communicating with families, to ensure that resources and support remain highly impactful. They make enhancements to provision that link to children's interests. This helps those children who face barriers to learning engage with high levels of focus. Staff adapt activities according to individualised next steps, so children are successful. This ensures that every child confidently and smoothly progresses on to the next stage of their education.

Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard

Leaders have implemented a highly inclusive and ambitious curriculum for all children in order to meet their needs. Staff consistently teach the curriculum to a high standard. They receive careful coaching and training to ensure that their understanding of the curriculum meets the individual needs of their children. Staff skilfully share their knowledge of curriculum aims and the ways in which consistent adaptations ensure that their offering is age- and stage-appropriate. This means that teaching is consistently of a high quality and supports children's outcomes across all areas of learning.

Staff are highly responsive and effective in every interaction. They take full advantage of every teaching moment that arises in the room. Leaders and staff place a high focus on children's personal, social and emotional development to ensure children feel safe and secure. Children build excellent relationships with their key persons, who work tirelessly to ensure that their individual needs are catered to. Staff hold highly engaging conversations, which develops children's emerging communication and language. They give children time to practise and embed new language and skills through purposefully planned activities. For example, the youngest children learn animal names and the older children count resources out as they share with their peers.

Staff's in-depth knowledge of each child's unique needs and stages of development allows them to plan short, sharp and impactful sessions that spark the children's curiosity. For example, in learning that prioritises children's understanding of their bodies, children engage in naming each body part and sharing their understanding of how they use it in everyday life.

Achievement: Strong standard

Throughout the nursery, children benefit from a focus on their personal, social and emotional development. Children build secure relationships with staff and their peers. They learn to share and take turns. This builds children's emotional resilience and empathy. Children benefit from high behavioural expectations, and listen to and follow instructions appropriate to their age and stage. For example, children use their manners, saying 'please' or 'thank you'.

Children access a range of activities that support their development in all areas of learning and that spark their natural curiosity. For example, babies scoop rice, filling containers and pouring with natural intrigue. Children from a young age show confidence in making independent choices about their learning and are eager to explore the provision on offer. For example, some children create their own portraits in the creative area while others listen to stories.

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those facing barriers to learning, make excellent progress from their starting points. Children consistently receive the support they need to meet personalised milestones. This means that all children are very well prepared for the next stage of their learning journey.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Leaders embed a highly respectful and wholesome environment where all children thrive and achieve. Children consistently reach their full potential with staff who are finely attuned to their uniqueness and individual needs. Leaders provide flexible sessions, which is praised by families. This supports all children, particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to settle into the setting's life at the pace that best suits their needs. Leaders swiftly identify non-attendance. They support families and children to establish a solid foundation for regular attendance as they move on to school.

Leaders and staff are positive role models, and are kind and caring. They establish rooms that are calm and welcoming to children. As a result, children behave excellently, settle smoothly into routines and have positive attitudes to learning. Staff consistently consider children's ages and stages when maintaining expectations of behaviour. On occasion, where children are still settling and become upset, staff swiftly offer comfort. For example, they offer children cuddles and reassurance. This positively supports children's motivation levels and attitudes, which reflect a clear sense of belonging. When children encounter problems, they tackle them both independently and together as a team. This reflects their increasing confidence in managing their own feelings. Children have positive attitudes to learning and are keen to celebrate their achievements. For example, they sing along while saying hello to their friends during circle time.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Leaders and staff prioritise children's welfare and wellbeing. They hold children at the heart of all they do. Leaders and staff complete training in line with new statutory guidance. For example, they reflect on their knowledge and understanding of safer sleep practices. They also closely align their practice with that of the children's families in order to support a home-from-home feeling. This enables staff to support key stages of development, such as weaning, feeding and early self-care, effectively. Care practices are calm and respectful. Children receive the support they need to learn how to feed themselves. For example, they scoop food and drink with increasing independence. Leaders and staff have a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the setting's children. They are highly responsive to the varying needs and changing circumstances of individual children and families. Children know the routines well, which motivates them to develop long-lasting healthy habits. This fosters a solid foundation for self-care, physical health and emotional wellbeing.

Staff promote children's physical development by providing them with daily opportunities to climb, balance and explore the outdoor area. Staff encourage children to think about keeping themselves and others safe while remaining active. Children develop clear attachments with their key person. Babies seek comfort from familiar adults, while older children competently and confidently share their ideas with staff. For example, while listening to a story, children raise their hands to share what their favourite fruit is. Parents and carers express full confidence in their children's key persons, noting that they understand their child's preferences and needs. Staff consistently ensure that every child feels safe, valued and supported, reinforcing children's sense of belonging.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders are passionate and ambitious. They systematically reflect on the setting's practice in order to drive continuous improvement to enable children to flourish in their care. Leaders have a clear and accurate understanding of the setting's strengths. They use regular opportunities to monitor children's progress to identify priorities to continually improve the quality of education that their children receive. Leaders are quick to identify any adaptations that may be required, and use this information to enhance experiences for all children.

Leaders choose purposeful professional development linked to the setting's needs and requests from staff. Regular and purposeful supervision sessions ensure staff are supported with personalised goals and a drive to perform in their roles. This, in turn, inspires excellence for children. Staff report feeling consistently well supported, with manageable workloads and high levels of wellbeing.

Leaders cultivate close collaboration among staff, families and external professionals. This enables staff and children to thrive. For example, leaders have played a pivotal role in coordinating targeted interventions for children who need additional support, resulting in extremely positive outcomes. Leaders and staff keep parents and carers well informed. They effectively support them to continue their children's successful learning and development at home. For example, the setting releases weekly videos to support parents and carers with a range of matters.

Leaders make positive links within their local area and make a positive contribution among the community. For example, they support local fundraisers and hold charity events at the local community centre. Children benefit from regular trips into the community to secure them with a deep understanding of where they live and grow. Leaders' willingness to strive for the very best for their children is reflected in their consistent reflective approach to leadership. This focused attitude results in them securing excellent outcomes for all children who attend this setting.