Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery Walton-on-Thames

Inclusion: Strong standard

Children's individual needs are swiftly identified and addressed very effectively. Leaders take proactive steps to ensure that any emerging needs are identified. They work with external partners, families, staff and children to close any gaps in learning. This early identification and action ensures rapid, sustained progress in children's learning. For example, leaders work with the local authority to take into account any suggestions for support and immediately implement these, such as acquiring specific resources to support individual children. Leaders regularly review and evaluate the impact of strategies on children's progress. They realise when these will benefit others and implement them across the setting to further support children's learning.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported through clear, targeted strategies that are consistently implemented by the dedicated staff team. This enables them to make sustained progress from their starting points. For example, some children have made such progress that they have met all their developmental milestones with the speech and language team and no longer need external support. Children facing barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing are supported through meticulously planned interventions and secure relationships between families and staff, which enable every child to feel confident and ready to learn. Children's progress is monitored closely and practices are adapted to ensure all children continue to progress in their learning.

Leaders would use additional funding specifically to close gaps in learning or wellbeing for each child that the funding is allocated to. For example, when external partners bring in resources that children with SEND benefit from, leaders would quickly ensure that they purchase these resources to enable this continued support as soon as possible.

Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard

Children benefit from a meticulously designed and carefully led curriculum that builds on their prior knowledge and skills. This enables them to deepen their understanding over time. Leaders have a clear and ambitious intent for what they want children to learn. They recognise how to gradually build on children's learning, which has been consistently embedded among the staff team. Children are supported by staff who plan meaningful learning experiences that capture children's interests and extend their thinking. For example, babies experience exploratory sensory play based on their interests, and older children enjoy identifying letters in flour. Children engage in rich, purposeful interactions and activities with staff.

Leaders ensure that teaching is responsive and adaptive. Staff use ongoing assessment to shape learning in the moment and over time. Children access an inclusive curriculum and staff make skilful adaptations to their teaching to meet the needs of all children. Children are provided with opportunities to revisit and apply their learning in different contexts, supporting them to embed key knowledge and skills. Children practise their physical skills during 'run club' as they work towards a goal of running 2 kilometres in the summer sports day, building up the ability to run further each day. Children develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed for the next stage of their education, supporting them to embed key knowledge and skills.

Achievement: Strong standard

Children develop the essential knowledge and skills needed for their age and stage of development across all areas of learning, making secure and sustained progress from their starting points. Babies confidently repeat key words such as banana. Children apply what they know in different contexts, showing increasing confidence, independence and resilience in their learning. Children consistently use their manners, such as saying 'please' and 'thank you' throughout the day. They communicate with their peers through back-and-forth conversations, demonstrating excellent communication and language skills.

Children are extremely well prepared for their next stage in learning. Children engage in a 'school readiness' programme at the setting. They learn important skills, such as how to balance a tray in preparation for holding their lunch, or getting changed independently into gym clothes for their run club. Children demonstrate readiness for their next stage of education as they develop important skills so they are able to manage routines, communicate their ideas and engage positively, extending upon each other's ideas.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Children develop positive relationships with staff, who are warm and attentive, which helps them to feel secure and supported. For example, staff warmly comfort babies when they are upset and sing to them, which helps them to settle. Children also build secure relationships with their peers and learn to take turns. They cooperate, build on each other's ideas and show willingness and excitement to learn.

Leaders have introduced clear behaviour management strategies and expectations. Staff typically remind children of these expectations throughout the day. However, all staff do not yet clearly and consistently implement these strategies and expectations. This means that children do not always know what is expected of them. For example, staff members set different boundaries, such as how to manage turn-taking. When boundaries are clear and familiar, children respond positively and are supported by staff to regulate their emotions.

Leaders have a clear vision for routines, which are generally implemented well. However, there are some routines that are not yet consistently embedded or appropriately sequenced and adapted to every child's age and stage. For example, babies become unsettled during the transition to mealtimes. Staff comfort them while they wait for their food. However, they do not make adjustments quickly enough to ensure that the routine is effectively supporting their needs as quickly as possible in those moments.

Children show positive attitudes to learning. They engage in activities and experiences, particularly when these match their interests. For example, children are highly engaged in activities with natural resources. They create faces showing different emotions with the resources. They discuss the different expressions and what that means to them.

Leaders understand how to promote the importance of regular attendance and punctuality and work with families when needed to support consistent participation. Children benefit from an inclusive approach where staff seek to understand individual needs and support every child.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Children's welfare and wellbeing are of the utmost priority. This is promoted through clear and effective leadership and cascaded throughout the entire setting. Children are extremely well cared for by attentive staff who understand the individual needs of children. They consistently respond appropriately and swiftly, helping children to feel safe and secure. Children's physical and emotional wellbeing are supported through nurturing interactions and a calm environment. This enables them to gain the skills they need to begin to regulate their feelings.

Children learn how to keep themselves safe and healthy. Staff discuss this in meaningful ways that have a lasting effect on children, such as discussing healthy eating and oral health. Children take home 'oral health bags' and excitedly discuss the items in their bag, such as toothpaste.

Leaders and staff have established close partnership working with families and other professionals to ensure that support for every child is responsive to their individual needs. Children benefit from an inclusive approach where their individuality is recognised and valued.

Leaders are vigilant in rigorously reviewing policies, practices and procedures to ensure that they are strategically adapted and effectively amended to secure excellence in children's welfare and wellbeing. This means that any areas that need work are identified early and actions are put into place to overcome them or improve outcomes for children.

Leaders have embedded a culture where staff teach children about how to keep themselves safe and take age-appropriate risks. For example, toddlers hop, jump and run on the obstacle course. Babies climb the small climbing frame steps with support as they learn to navigate the space around them.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders have created an ambitious strategic plan to ensure that children fully benefit from attending the setting. They have a clear vision for high-quality education and care with clear objectives and goals. Leaders ensure these are embedded across the staff team and, subsequently, the teaching of the curriculum is consistent. Leaders take timely action to address any areas for development and act upon them. They have identified that they are currently working towards the leaders' expectations for behaviour management to be consistently embedded among the team, and that they want to work towards tweaking the routines of the day so that every aspect of the day, including transitions and mealtimes, run consistently and smoothly.

Leaders are very well supported by effective governance arrangements that provide appropriate challenge and support for this reflective culture, ensuring leaders continue to strive for better outcomes for every child. Leaders take proactive decisions to ensure the staffing teams' strengths complement each other, drawing on their own experiences and interests. This ensures that each team is well-rounded and everyone can support children in different ways. Leaders take thoughtful steps to manage staff wellbeing and workload, helping to sustain a positive team. Leaders are extremely reflective and have created a culture of continuous improvement, where staff actively seek to gain knowledge and skills. All staff engage in ongoing professional learning that is always purposeful and links to improving outcomes for children in the setting. This enables staff to develop their knowledge and expertise over time.

Leaders ensure that children gain rich experiences through robust partnerships with parents and the wider community. Children and their families are actively involved in the life of the setting. Their views are valued and inform practice through parents' evenings, regular feedback and a continuous flow of communication. Most recently, leaders have run a 'school readiness' webinar to help parents support their child in preparation for going to school.

Leaders identify gaps in experiences and endeavour to expose children to these experiences. For example, leaders have recently introduced a new soft-play room. This widens children's experiences and supports their larger physical skills. Children explore the local community. For example, children visit the library and enjoy the local park, which supports their understanding of the world.