Nannas Day Nurseries

Inclusion: Strong standard

Practitioners understand children's starting points in development. They monitor children's learning and development to develop a detailed, individual educational programme for each child. Where children have difficulties in their learning and development, practitioners identify their needs early. They reflect on their learning from training to ensure that additional support is tailored to children's specific needs. They work with specialists to make sure that children who need additional support benefit from a coordinated approach to their learning and development. This includes how early years pupil premium funding is used to enhance outcomes for disadvantaged children.

Leaders and practitioners see children holistically. They follow an initiative that demonstrates their commitment to inclusivity, enabling families to share when children may be experiencing challenges in their daily lives. Practitioners adapt their practice immediately to support children or families in the moment, such as offering comfort or adjusting routines. This proactive approach reduces children's barriers to learning and ensures that they feel safe, valued and understood, including those who are known to children's social care.

Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard

Through effective assessment, leaders and practitioners understand children's current skills and knowledge exceptionally well. Children spend regular time with their key persons, sharing well-planned activities that practitioners skilfully adapt. Practitioners ensure that children's learning is sequenced and their progress is not left to chance.

Practitioners promote children's communication and language consistently, including through frequent, varied and exciting encounters with books in their daily environment. This helps to enhance children's love of stories, books and rhymes. In addition, the use of singing and story times help to build children's listening, attention and concentration skills. Practitioners use interactions to role model behaviour, extend children's vocabulary and progress their communication development. They ensure that teaching is closely linked to children's individual needs.

Practitioners support children from a young age to explore mathematical concepts in their play. They skilfully use mathematical language to help children to describe when 3-dimensional shapes are positioned underneath, next to, behind or on top of each other.

Staff go above and beyond to support children's physical, personal, social and emotional development. For example, when children with sensory needs struggle with having their hair cut, practitioners create a hairdresser role-play area, enabling children to overcome this barrier.

Practitioners support children to become school ready by developing their independence and confidence. For example, they encourage children to put on their own coats and participate in performances, such as a Christmas play.

Achievement: Strong standard

Children are inquisitive. They develop the communication and language skills they need to ask questions and express their ideas confidently. They make excellent progress through the curriculum. Children take responsibility for their safety through initiatives, such as becoming a 'danger detective'. They proudly wear a lanyard and high-visibility jacket as they help to identify risks and share safety tips with their peers. Children are proud of their achievements, which are celebrated in the nursery and at home, including when they win the 'star of the day' award.

Children are well prepared for their next stage of their learning and development. Transitions within the nursery are carefully planned. For example, when children are new to the nursery and struggle to settle, they are swiftly comforted by the familiar items they are encouraged to bring in from home.

Children benefit from strong partnerships between the nursery and the many schools they feed into. This helps children to know what to expect and to feel ready for school, when the time comes.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Children's behaviour is exemplary. Practitioners model positive interactions, and children respond with polite manners, demonstrating respect and care for each other. Practitioners support children to listen well. Children are keen to follow instructions, eager to participate, take pride in their achievements and enjoy sharing these with practitioners and friends.

Practitioners support children's independence very well. They consistently create opportunities for children to take responsibility for their health and hygiene through their daily routines, such as tidying away resources before circle time and washing their hands before lunch.

The nursery celebrates diversity and fosters inclusivity, through 'friends of the nursery' discussion topics. For example, they seek suggestions from parents and carers to inform how topics, such as racism, are discussed with their children at the nursery. These opportunities help to inform practice and are positively received by the parents. Leaders offer adaptable session patterns to support families working longer or variable shifts. This helps to promote children's regular attendance.

Staff use 'emotion monsters' to help children to regulate their emotions and better understand their own feelings. These tools also support children to recognise how others might be feeling, encouraging empathy and kindness. This approach has had significant impact, with children confidently talking about their emotions and explaining how different experiences have influenced how they feel. This supports children to thrive socially and emotionally.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

The nursery offers highly effective care for children, taking account of their individual needs. All practitioners regularly review policies and procedures. This gives them ownership and a deep understanding of the expectations for practices, such as intimate care routines. Leaders and practitioners demonstrate sensitivity and flexibility, tailoring care to the unique circumstances of families, including those facing long working hours or varied shift patterns.

Children have secure and positive attachments with their key person. Practitioners support babies' physical and emotional well-being through predictable sleep and meal routines that mirror those at home. This helps children to feel very settled and safe. Children are welcomed warmly each day, with practitioners adapting arrival routines to suit the needs of individual children and families. This reinforces a strong sense of trust and security for children.

Mealtimes are social occasions, where children learn to socialise with each other. The nursery's varied and nutritious menu supports children's health. For example, the nursery purposefully increases children's protein intake and ensures that they benefit from eating 5 fruits or vegetables each day.

Recent improvements to the outdoor space provide ample opportunities for children to be active and develop their physical skills. For instance, babies learn to climb up and over equipment, and older children develop strength and balance as they use pedal toys.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders aspire to deliver the best service they can to children and families. There is a strong culture of stability and continuous improvement. The turnover of staff is notably low, with many practitioners remaining at the setting for several years. This reflects leaders' commitment to valuing, rewarding and supporting their staff. Regular team meetings, supervision sessions, thorough induction, peer observations and training opportunities ensure that practice is consistently reviewed and refined. This drives high standards across the nursery and makes sure that decisions are made that benefit all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Governance is effective with leaders actively seeking feedback from multiple sources to inform decision-making. Surveys, daily conversations with parents and carers and 'friends of the nursery' meetings provide valuable insights that shape provision. Leaders use this feedback to continuously strengthen the quality of care and education, ensuring accountability. For instance, practitioners are taking steps to act on requests from parents to share more photos of their children's learning.

Leaders invest in their teams through supportive discussions around their workload and personal wellbeing. The presence of mental health first aiders encourages practitioners to reflect on their own needs and access support where required. This proactive approach enables staff to be at their best when working with children.