Littleworld Day Nursery

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders embed an highly inclusive culture. Well-trained and experienced staff value every child and swiftly identify their individual needs. They work extremely effectively with other agencies to ensure that all children receive the support they need on time. This includes partnership working health visitors and speech and language therapists. This helps to ensure a joined-up and consistent approach to planning for children's learning.

Staff implement effective strategies to ensure that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and who speak English as an additional language, make significant progress from their starting points. For example, staff wear visual timetables with clear symbols which children instantly recognise and respond to.

Staff monitor children's progress through regular observations and assessments to ensure children continue to develop. Leaders use early years pupil premium funding very effectively. They have enhanced the sensory room to provide additional resources for individual and small-group activities to support children's emotional development. Leaders work consistently well with children's social care colleagues. This helps to ensure that all children feel safe and secure and are well always very well supported. Targeted professional development with partner agencies enables staff to provide the right support and environment to enable all children to thrive in this nursery.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

In the baby room, staff promote babies' communication and language extremely well. Even the youngest children use Makaton to sign and benefit from strong interactions with staff. However, there is a minor inconsistency in the two-year-old age group where staff do not always give children the opportunity to communicate effectively. Staff have not considered the impact of the use of dummies on children's communication and language development. This does not ensure this area of learning is as consistent as it could be.

Leaders have a thorough knowledge and understanding of the curriculum. They have made recent changes to enhance their planning and learning intentions. Leaders are driven and strive to provide the best possible opportunities for the children in their care. They work with staff to drive forward improvements and listen to their views and opinions which are considered when designing the curriculum delivery. There is a strong focus on developing children's personal, social and emotional development through small group work with key persons. Staff prioritise physical development and children have many opportunities to enhance their gross motor skills.

The curriculum is sequenced as the children move through the nursery, building on children's prior learning. Staff use their observations and assessments of the children to inform their planning. This helps them to tailor their teaching to meet the needs of children based on their starting points, needs and stages of development. Staff have clear expectations regarding what they want children to know and do before they move to the next age group.

Achievement: Expected standard

All children make steady progress from their starting points. Generally, children make consistent progress in their communication and language development. They show positive attitudes towards their learning. For example, younger children enjoy sharing their 'pizzas' with staff in the role-play area. Older children focus as they build a bridge in the construction area for 'The Gruffalo' and concentrate as they place jigsaw pieces in the inset puzzles. They excitedly share their achievements with the staff. Children are well prepared for the next stage in their learning as they have gained the confidence and independence skills they need to enable them to thrive in their development.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders and staff have high expectations for all children's behaviour, which they consistently reinforce. Children behave well. Relationships between children and staff are secure and they interact effectively together. Children form trusted attachments with staff, which helps them to feel safe. Staff regularly use praise to recognise and value children's achievements. Routines and transitions are clear. Staff conduct headcounts in the pre-school room following transitions and include children in this activity. Children demonstrate they are familiar with the routine through their active engagement.

Staff recognise children's individual ages and stages of development. They use visual timetables and Makaton to effectively help all children. This supports children to understand the routines. Staff are positive role models and encourage turn taking through games and activities, which helps to enhance children's personal and social development.

Leaders place a strong focus on children's attendance and punctuality. They explain this expectation to parents and carers at registration. Leaders work effectively with parents and other agencies to understand and provide support to overcome any challenges to children's attendance. This also helps to support children to develop positive attitudes to learning.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Leaders and staff know children very well. They gain key information about children's needs from parents and carers when they start. Key persons build positive relationships with children. They are available to offer cuddles and reassurance when they wake from sleep. Consequently, children feel very safe and secure in their surroundings.

Staff provide an environment that is carefully adapted to meet the needs of all children, including those who face barriers to their learning and wellbeing. Children have many opportunities for outdoor play, and this helps to increase their physical skills.

Leaders have implemented changes following the introduction of the nutrition guidance. This helps to ensure that meals are broad and balanced. Staff support children to take responsibility for their own personal safety. For example, at mealtimes, they encourage children to sit appropriately to prevent any accidents.

Staff sensitively wipe children's noses and encourage even the youngest children to clean their faces and hands after mealtimes. Older children know the importance of washing their hands after using the toilet and before meals. The embedded routines help children to consistently develop long-lasting healthy habits as they progress through the nursery.

Staff work very well with children to develop a secure sense of emotional wellbeing. For example, they recognise when there could be an over-stimulus in a room and take action to provide small-group activities if children become overwhelmed.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders demonstrate consistently high standards to create and sustain high-quality provision for all children, including those that face barriers to their learning. They have an excellent vision for the nursery and constantly reflect on their practice. Since the last inspection, leaders and staff have reviewed and enhanced their school readiness programme for pre-school children. This helps to ensure that older children are well prepared for the next stage in their education. Leaders use improved supervision sessions to identify staff's strengths and areas for development. They provide access to a variety of individual and group training opportunities to further develop staff's knowledge and skills.

There is a a positive culture of mental health support and signposting to online services. Consequently, staff report they have a manageable workload, their wellbeing is supported and they feel valued in their work. Effective systems for monitoring and assessment help staff to ensure they provide the appropriate level of support for children to make steady progress. Staff identify gaps in children's learning quickly and initiate interventions. Regular discussions and meetings with those responsible for governance hold leaders to account. This helps to ensure effective support for disadvantaged children and those who face other barriers to their wellbeing is at the heart of the nursery provision.