My Ohana Nursery Cheltenham

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders and practitioners embed highly inclusive practice across the setting. They swiftly identify children who need additional support through ongoing observation, assessment and positive relationships with families. Staff receive training in the graduated approach, which helps them recognise emerging needs at an early stage and adapt support appropriately. Leaders carefully tailor support, review it regularly and adjust it as children's needs change to ensure that support remains effective.

Practitioners adapt the environment and daily routines thoughtfully to support children's development. For example, in the baby room, staff provide sensory materials and moving toys that reflect children's interests and encourage exploration. This helps babies remain engaged and develop confidence and independence during everyday routines. In the toddler room, practitioners skilfully support children who need additional help with communication and physical development through visual cues, predictable routines and guidance from external professionals. These approaches help to nurture children's confidence and help them to understand expectations and participate alongside their peers.

Children who receive additional funding benefit from targeted support linked closely to their needs. Practitioners skilfully adapt routines by using story props to maintain attention and providing small sensory items during group activities. Leaders also ensure that children known or previously known to children's social care receive additional opportunities to develop confidence and wellbeing. For example, they attend physical activities such as football sessions on the days they attend the setting. Partnerships are highly effective. Leaders monitor progress closely and work with parents, carers and professionals to reduce barriers to learning.

Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard

Leaders have designed a coherent curriculum that supports children's emotional security, communication and independence extremely well. Leaders maintain close oversight of the quality of staff practice through regular time spent in the rooms and shared observations with staff.

Practitioners implement the curriculum purposefully across the setting. During group time, staff introduce toddlers to positional language and songs that involve numbers and counting. They draw children's attention to sounds in words to support early phonological awareness. For example, children learn to identify that 'Friday' begins with the letter 'F'. Staff provide a range of opportunities for children to develop their early understanding of mathematics and literacy through songs, discussions and everyday routines.

Language development is prioritised across activities. In pre-school, children exchange coins for fruit at rolling snack, applying mathematical knowledge in meaningful contexts. Practitioners extend thinking through discussion and questioning. During storytelling, children use props to retell familiar stories and explain how they recognise characters.

Staff carry out accurate assessments of what children know and can do and adapt activities extremely well to their starting points.

Achievement: Strong standard

Children make secure progress from their individual starting points. Progress is evident in children's increasing independence, confidence and communication skills across the setting. For example, babies independently access their water cups, toddlers confidently follow visual routines, and pre-school children manage mealtime routines with minimal adult support.

Children who require additional support make meaningful progress over time. They develop physical confidence, engagement and participation, enabling them to learn alongside their peers. Children who receive additional funding develop greater focus and engagement through targeted physical activities and carefully adapted routines. For example, they are given extra opportunities to practise physical skills and use supportive resources during group activities and meals.

Children are extremely well prepared for their next stage of learning. They develop very positive communication, self-care and social skills, supported by planned transition activities, such as visits to local schools and role-play experiences.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Leaders have established clear and age-appropriate expectations for behaviour that are consistently applied by all staff. Practitioners build warm and highly respectful relationships with children, helping them to understand routines and respond positively to guidance. For example, practitioners use tidy-up songs to support smooth transitions. Children independently prepare for mealtimes and group activities.

Positive behaviour is reinforced through recognition and responsibility. Children proudly wear wristbands that celebrate behaviours, such as sharing or helping others, and take on roles such as helper of the day. These strategies consistently support children's understanding of expectations and promote their confidence and self-esteem. Children's behaviour is exemplary. Children learn to cooperate and get along with one another during daily routines and play.

Leaders promote the importance of attendance and punctuality. Staff monitor children's attendance and follow up absences with families where needed to ensure children's safety and continuity of learning.

Practitioners skilfully support children to develop awareness of risk. For example, when outdoor equipment is wet, staff encourage children to assess whether the slide is safe, provide a towel and support problem-solving. Children respond cooperatively, demonstrating growing awareness of safety and responsibility. Practitioners adapt expectations sensitively for younger children and those who need additional support. For example, children who need help to maintain attention during group times are supported with fidget resources and are seated close to practitioners so they can remain engaged in routines and activities.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Practitioners provide attentive care that meets children's individual needs. Secure attachments between children and key persons are evident, particularly in the baby room. Calm routines and responsive interactions support children's emotional wellbeing extremely well. For example, practitioners use songs and familiar routines to help babies prepare for transitions, helping them feel secure and settled.

Practitioners support children to develop independence in personal care routines. Pre-school children wash their hands independently, put away coats after outdoor play and manage mealtime routines confidently. They collect their own cutlery and serve vegetables during lunch. Practitioners sensitively adapt support for younger children and those who need additional help, such as supporting babies to feed themselves and ensuring resources are accessible at children's level.

Children develop an understanding of health, safety and emotional wellbeing. Practitioners use calm spaces effectively, including a sensory room, to support children who need time to regulate their emotions. The room includes adjustable lighting and sensory resources that help children relax and regain focus. Practitioners use a range of strategies to support children to recognise and manage emotions through reassurance, discussion and positive interaction. This helps to ensure children feel safe and confident in the setting.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders are highly reflective of the setting's strengths and priorities. They are committed to making decisions in the best interests of children. Staff are deployed thoughtfully to support continuity and stability, particularly for children who require additional support. Flexible arrangements are introduced where needed to support children's wellbeing and engagement effectively.

Staff wellbeing is considered carefully. Leaders provide regular supervision meetings and opportunities for informal discussion. Professional development is matched thoughtfully to staff's strengths and the setting's priorities, including children's communication and language development.

Leaders work extremely well with parents, the local authority and external professionals. They have also responded appropriately to safeguarding concerns in the past, working with relevant agencies to ensure concerns are addressed promptly.

Leaders strive for continuous improvement. For example, they plan rigorously on ways to enhance opportunities for staff to share their professional reflections. They scrutinise assessment tools to continually strengthen the processes for identifying and meeting individual children's needs.