Nurserytime

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders and staff are passionate about inclusion. They support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who are disadvantaged and those with barriers to their learning extremely well. Staff swiftly identify where children would benefit from further support. They work closely with parents and carers to fully understand children's needs at home too. Staff plan interventions that will help support children to make the best possible progress. For example, they provide tailored support to help children to tolerate other children playing alongside them. They monitor children's progress carefully, and adapt their targets and support as necessary. Staff make timely referrals to other professionals to ensure children get the help they need. This tailored approach supports children to make rapid progress. Staff use any additional funding to support individual children's needs. For example, they identify resources that will encourage children who lack confidence to join in with group times. Staff are incredibly proud of the progress children make from their starting points. Parents express their amazement at how much their children have come on.

Children who are known to children's social care are incredibly well supported. Staff work diligently to maintain frequent and open communication with all professionals who may be involved. They consider children's individual needs as they plan adaptations to help children thrive. This includes adjustments to key routines.

Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard

Leaders plan a curriculum that supports children's achievement across all areas of learning. There is a clear focus on communication and language, and personal and social development. Staff consistently talk to the children, read books and sing. From a young age, children develop the skills of reading as they turn pages in a board book and verbalise what is happening.

Staff know children well and have clear plans for what they want children to learn next. They make effective use of opportunities to extend this. For example, staff working with two-year-old children communicate using single words to extend children's language further. Staff follow children's interests. They adapt their planning in the moment to follow children's interests in pens and drawing. This supports children's engagement and concentration.

Staff working with older children plan their environment carefully to support children's independence and interests. Children confidently choose and use resources independently. For example, children who face barriers to their learning are highly engaged as they use scissors to cut and create their own crafts. Staff understand the stages children go through as they develop their writing skills. For instance, they provide opportunities for younger children to make big marks on large sheets of paper. By the time, children move into the pre-school room, many children hold their pencil correctly to draw. This supports them as they develop skills such as writing their name.

Achievement: Strong standard

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) make superb progress. Children make rapid progress in their communication and language. Children, including those with SEND, communicate confidently. For example, they explain with delight "my mummy will be so proud of me." Children develop a love of books. Older children thoroughly enjoy the story of the 'Highway Rat'. They join in confidently with the refrain in the book and talk about what happens in the story.

Children demonstrate impressive levels of engagement. This is evident as they use scissors with control to cut strips and shapes to create a picture. Children with SEND demonstrate incredible resilience as they attempt to cut the corners off a piece of paper. By the time, children move into the pre-school room, many children hold their pencil correctly to draw. This supports them as they develop skills, such as writing their name. Children develop an awareness of the passing of time. Older children explain that they know it is afternoon as they have had their lunch.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Leaders have clear behavioural expectations which staff and children understand. Staff remind children of the expectations of the nursery in a positive way. They take time to explain why it is important. For example, when children stand or kneel on a chair, staff help them to sit down, explaining that they might fall. Staff and leaders work together consistently well when behaviour issues do occur to understand the reason behind a behaviour. They work with parents and carers extremely well to develop a shared and consistent approach to managing children's behaviour.

Children develop impressive attitudes to learning because staff notice what children are interested in and adapt their activities accordingly. When two-year old children start using pens, staff clear a space and cover tables with paper to support their interests. Babies focus on books for impressive periods of time, given their age and stage of development. Staff are excellent role models and this supports children to develop superb relationships with children and staff. Staff talk about and model sharing and taking turns. This helps all children, including those with barriers to their learning, to work alongside each other, demonstrating impressive social skills for their age.

Children enjoy attending and attend regularly. Leaders check in on families and children when children are absent to understand reasons for absence, and plan together for children's prompt return.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Leaders place children's wellbeing at the heart of the nursery. They strive to maintain a nurturing and inclusive family environment where children thrive. Staff find out a range of information when children first start. For example, they find out about likes, dislikes and routines. The quality of this information and settling in procedures is demonstrated when children new to the nursery fall asleep in staff arms. Staff gather impressive details about the stages babies are at with their weaning. For example, the cooks also have a detailed conversation with parents and carers once children start. This helps them to understand children's precise stage of weaning and the food they have tried, which enables them to meet children's dietary needs effectively.

Staff have given careful thought to the skills children need to develop independence at mealtimes. Staff working with two-year-old children use play opportunities, such as playdough, to teach children how to use cutlery. They provide hand-over-hand support to help children practise these skills. Three-and four-year-old children are incredibly independent as a result of this well-planned support.

Staff support children remarkably well to develop healthy lifestyles. Children mange their own personal hygiene with increasing control. They enjoy a range of healthy meals and snacks and understand which foods are good for them.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders are very passionate about the nursery and the learning and development of the children. They have an excellent understanding of their strengths and have clear action plans to improve the nursery further. Leaders are currently working with new staff to develop their skills and knowledge so that teaching has a transformational impact over time. Parents comment on the improvements they have seen in the nursery since it opened. They feel that their children have blossomed and that staff go above and beyond for their children.

Leaders provide staff with a wealth of focused professional development, which is precisely targeted to support the needs of individual children. For example, they have provided tailored support to help staff working with older children to deal with behaviour patterns. This timely support has given staff the confidence to address and manage any issues swiftly. Staff comment on the high-quality support they receive from leaders and feel that it is a friendly and supportive place to work. Staff have time to complete training at work. This supports their wellbeing and workload.

Staff have a superb relationship with parents and carers. From the beginning, they share and gather detailed information. They use a range of strategies to share information with parents about children's learning and development. This ensures parents have a very clear understanding of where children are in their learning and how they can help them at home. Staff communicate consistently well with schools that children will attend, particularly for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged. The plans that are in place for these children are incredibly well thought out and support children superbly for the transition when the time comes.