LUV Nursery

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders promote inclusive practice in the nursery. Staff assess children's development and are quick to identify potential gaps in children's learning or development. When children need extra support, key staff work with parents to carry out further assessments to obtain precise information. They then use this information to devise individual, detailed plans that have individual targets. Leaders support children's key persons to fully understand why and how things should be done. They complete regular reviews and keep parents fully informed about their child's progress.

Leaders and staff liaise closely with parents of children who receive additional funding to close gaps in learning and reduce barriers to learning. They monitor how funding is used and the impact it has on children. For example, some additional funding has been used to provide a sensory area with engaging resources. Children who are known to struggle to manage their emotions or who struggle with their attention skills become noticeably calmer and ready to learn when they have had some time in this area. This helps children to develop a positive approach to learning.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have established a curriculum that has a clear focus on children's individual development needs. Staff carefully assess children's progress and find out from parents what the children know and can do. Children have next steps in their learning identified. The opportunities they are presented with during their play mostly take account of these. Staff adapt the activities to focus on what children are interested in.

Children of all ages thoroughly enjoy time learning outdoors. Staff use the outdoor environment creatively to help children develop skills and knowledge for the next stage in their learning. Children move with confidence and learn about how exercise contributes to their health. Their learning about healthy lifestyle choices is extended when they make freshly squeezed juice.

Staff prioritise helping children to develop their communication skills. They use a wide range of planned vocabulary, such as positional language, when speaking to the children. This helps them to make progress relevant to their age and stage of development. Leaders are supporting staff to develop their expertise and raise the quality of teaching to consistently higher levels.

Achievement: Strong standard

Children are curious about their environment and keenly explore the interesting learning experiences available to them. Children of all ages persevere at whatever activity they have chosen to play with. Babies notice the marks they make with paint on paper, and toddlers make deliberate patterns in dough and powders. Pre-school children draw self-portraits and include letters from their name on the artwork. All children make positive progress in their learning and development, despite some minor inconsistencies in teaching.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities respond very well to their individual play plans. Children's speech and communication skills develop incredibly well. They concentrate well when engaging in discussions, and, as they move through the nursery, they engage in more complex conversations and recall events with precision.

Children play alongside each other and begin to understand about kindness, sharing and being respectful. By the time they are in pre-school, children develop social skills that will benefit them hugely when they start school.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders and staff mostly have clear expectations for children's behaviour. They help children to understand the expectations of behaviour by typically reinforcing simple rules and acting as positive role models. They treat each other and children with great respect. Children who might struggle to understand about sharing, kindness or taking turns are helped through carefully designed activities. However, there are times that routines are not fully embedded, which leads to some inconsistencies in children's experiences and their learning. For example, some children wait a long time for their lunch and have limited interactions from staff, while other children benefit from an organised and social lunchtime.

Each child has a key person who finds out all about them before they start attending or before they move to a new room. Staff use this information to plan activities that are familiar and interesting to help children to settle as quickly as possible and develop trustful relationships with their key person.

Leaders have a proactive approach to promoting attendance for children and families who struggle. They work with parents to find out why attendance is not regular and create solutions to help children to achieve high levels of attendance. They explain to parents how attending nursery regularly and on time benefits children when they start school.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Leaders and staff use the outdoor area to support children's physical and emotional development. They know that children relax when they are outdoors. Leaders developed the garden to meet the specific needs of children who find comfort in the outdoors. Children develop their strength and coordination as they climb on equipment, play ball games and pour water into containers.

Leaders and staff prioritise children's need to be prepared for school. They make sure that, as children move through the nursery, familiar environments such as home corners are available to provide children with a sense of security. This helps children to settle into their new environment. Staff create many opportunities for children to be independent and take responsibility. Babies freely choose toys that interest them, while toddlers help to tidy the environment, copying staff as they model what to do. Pre-school children are keen to help and show responsible attitudes as they hang up their coats and place their belongings in the correct place. Children show great pride in their achievements, and staff offer an abundance of praise for their efforts, explaining why they are so proud of the child. Older children burst with pride when they help at lunchtime and take on the role with great responsibility. They make sure there are enough cups for everyone to pour their own water from the water fountain.

Children's meals are nutritious and balanced. The chef prepares fresh food to meet the dietary needs of the children. Staff understand that mealtimes can pose a risk. They closely supervise children when they eat. When children are sleeping, they are fully supervised, and staff check their breathing frequently.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders are committed to providing the highest standards in care and early education. They are aiming to establish a cycle of continuous improvement. They provide a range of opportunities to enhance staff's skills. Leaders monitor staff's practice precisely and understand the impact of the curriculum on children's development. They give feedback to staff to help improve their teaching. There have been some recent changes in the staff team and how the nursery operates. As yet not all staff have fully benefited from the coaching that leaders offer. Leaders have clear plans to support all staff to address issues, such as enhancing routines at key parts of the day. More time is needed to embed these plans and realise sustained improvements.

Leaders identify strengths that staff have to offer activities such as yoga and dance to enhance nursery practice. Staff learn from each other's expertise and experience. For example, staff share messages from training with the team. This has been beneficial for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, who have individualised support from nursery staff and from the most relevant professionals who can meet their needs. Staff's professional development, wellbeing and motivation are all well provided for. Leaders see the potential in their staff team. They support staff to access training and development opportunities, and their successes are celebrated by the leaders.

Leaders have established clear communication with parents. They make sure that parents receive the outcome of any assessments, such as the progress check at age 2, and regular information about their child's development. Parents are very well supported to help children learn at home.