Mindful Me Nursery

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders quickly recognise when children or their families need extra help to fully benefit from what the setting has to offer. They work tirelessly to remove barriers for children and their parents where personal struggles are identified. Parents report how they have built trusting relationships with leaders and staff and feel comfortable leaving their children. This in turn enables children's regular attendance and supports their overall achievement.

Staff take into consideration the needs of all children when planning activities. For example, babies who cannot yet stand are not at a disadvantage because staff bring creative activities to their level on the floor. Staff tailor their approach for children who face barriers and implement individual learning and support plans that specifically target children's areas of need.

Staff use additional funding that children are entitled to wisely. They buy resources that help children reach their learning goals and to offer children experiences through outings that they may not ordinarily have access to.

Staff who support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well trained and highly effective in what they do, for example in delivering focused small groups that target specific areas of children's development where gaps are emerging. Leaders evidence how all children, regardless of any vulnerability, are making excellent progress and are well prepared for their future educational journeys.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Staff implement a clear and appropriate curriculum. For babies, staff focus on the areas of development that they need to secure before other learning can build. Children's communication and language development is a particular focus, and babies are showing secure development in this area. Leaders regularly review the curriculum design in line with children's ages and stages of development, and adaptations are made. For example, in preparation for their transition to the next room, staff teach older babies to wear an apron for their messy play, which helps their personal development. Children learn new physical skills, such as yoga, from visitors that leaders invite into the setting.

Children who need targeted support receive this. Staff deliver evidence-based programmes through small-group times. They focus on supporting skills such as sharing and turn-taking, and there is a constant emphasis on promoting children's speech development. Through small-group activities, staff also teach mathematical concepts, for instance size and number.

Staff's adapted teaching for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is making a notable difference on their development. Some children benefit from one-to-one time with staff to regulate their emotions as part of their learning.

Less confident staff benefit from the coaching and mentoring that leaders provide. This is having a positive impact on their practice and is developing their abilities. Continued input is needed from leaders to ensure consistent high-quality interactions between some staff and the children they are caring for.

Achievement: Strong standard

Children make swift and secure progress, especially in areas that will help them most when they move on to school. This is particularly notable for children who arrive at the setting with barriers to their learning and development or those who have previously faced difficulties in their early childhood. For example, children who once struggled to manage their emotions and behaviours now show great kindness and empathy and get along very well with their peers.

Younger children show their secure communication and language development. Babies quickly copy new words and sounds that they hear around them. Children who are learning how to have a conversation with another person start to use expression and tone in their voices, depending on the emotion they are conveying. Babies use actions to communicate. They wave when someone new enters or leaves the room. From a young age, children build firm foundations for their future learning and development.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Staff use effective methods to support children's developing positive behaviours. Children know what is expected of them and are clear about the routines of the day. For instance, when staff bang a gong, children know they have 5 minutes left to play, and then they start to tidy away. For children who need extra support to understand these expectations, staff adapt their practice and use visual prompts in addition to banging the gong. Children thrive when given praise. Staff offer this regularly, which encourages children's continued good behaviour.

Staff are attentive to children's needs. For instance, they do not rush when children need a cuddle. This practice helps children form secure relationships with staff. It shows children ways that they can get along well with their peers and make others feel valued and important.

Sometimes, children lose their focus on learning when the environment around them is distracting. Staff do not always consider this when trying to engage children in activities. Linked to this, sometimes, staff distract children from their learning by taking them away to complete other tasks. During these times, children's attitudes to their learning are less positive.

Leaders explain to parents that their children may lose some of their funded early years entitlement if they do not attend regularly and on time. This helps to promote children's good attendance.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Leaders have made sure there is a constant and consistent approach to promoting children's welfare and wellbeing. The support that staff give children to understand and manage their emotions is highly impactful. Some children need this support more than others, and the work that staff have done specifically around this aspect of children's learning and development is well developed. For example, children soon calm as they sit with a familiar member of staff and explore the items in a mindfulness box. They listen to staff read stories about characters who are feeling a similar way to them. This helps children to understand and normalise their emotions. Staff use resources that make different sounds to help children convey how they are feeling through their different senses. These methods are well thought out by leaders, and staff's implementation of them is effective.

Leaders have responded to what they know about local health concerns. Staff use their knowledge from recent training to promote children's good oral health. They do this through discussions about healthy food while children eat and by providing toothbrushes and toothpaste for children to brush their teeth where consent has been obtained from parents. Children are forming healthy habits from a young age.

Staff plan opportunities for children to participate in play, which supports their understanding of how to manage risk. During forest school sessions, staff teach children to wear safety goggles when they use tools. During outdoor play, children recall that plants need water like they do to grow and stay healthy.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders have targeted plans in place for all children who face barriers in their learning. This may be because of children's special educational needs and/or disabilities, or other lived experiences. For example, they ensure an easy transition for some children who have previously experienced turbulence or trauma. These support plans include input from external agencies when needed.

Leaders understand the needs of the community in which they operate. They know that some families need extra support to understand how they can be involved in their child's care and learning. Although leaders have strategies in place, such as parents' evenings and play sessions, these are not wholly effective in engaging all parents.

Staff and leaders undertake relevant training to help them in the role, for example around how they can best support children's emotional wellbeing. Staff use their learning from training to ensure that children make secure progress.

Staff report how they enjoy their work and show commitment and dedication. They feel supported by leaders and listened to. Leaders provide staff with access to priority health schemes and mental health support. This helps to maintain a healthy and happy staff team.