Nurturing Minds Day Nursery Ltd

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders are advocates for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face barriers to their learning. Leaders and staff have a thorough understanding of each child's individual needs and develop supportive relationships with children and their families from the outset. In-depth support is provided through tailored settling-in sessions for all children and their families. This positively contributes towards staff and parents working closely together, helping them to identify children's interests and any additional support needs at the earliest opportunity.

Leaders are focused on ensuring children receive the right support at the right time. They provide staff with effective support and training, which enables them to identify any concerns about children's development. Staff respond to children sensitively and consistently recognise when they need to adapt their practice to ensure all children can participate successfully. For example, staff provide children with additional time when transitioning between different parts of the daily routine.

Staff make regular assessments of children's development and use this information to plan precise next steps that support their continued progress. Staff plan focused interventions and embed personalised routines for children to meet their individual needs. Staff celebrate and recognise even the smallest developmental achievements and share these meaningful milestones with parents. For example, they recognise when a child makes eye contact with them for the first time. Leaders persevere to ensure children secure the support they are entitled to. They work collaboratively with families and external professionals to access additional funding and complete education, health and care plans. Leaders' use of early years pupil premium funding is purposeful and effective. As a result, children make progress with their communication skills and emotional development.

Leaders are proactive in their approach to removing barriers to children's learning. For example, leaders have invested in additional climbing and physical development equipment to strengthen children's gross motor skills and support their overall physical development.

Staff work closely with parents and families to ensure they are fully informed about their child's progress and are actively involved in decisions about the support their child receives. Parents speak highly about the personalised care and support provided.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders implement a sequenced curriculum that identifies the skills and knowledge they would like children to learn. Staff assess children's development regularly and understand their starting points. They use this information to plan activities and targeted support that help children make progress in their learning. Leaders and staff prioritise children's communication, physical, personal, social and emotional development.

Staff provide opportunities for children to develop their physical skills throughout the provision. Children build their core strength as they take turns on a tyre swing. Staff provide modelling dough and a range of tools across all age groups to support children's fine motor development.

Staff promote children's communication and language skills through commenting and narrating children's play. For example, staff use a range of descriptive words as children smell different herbs and spices. However, at times, staff do not extend their interactions throughout the continuous provision to promote children's language skills further.

Children benefit from a wide range of interesting and authentic resources that support their engagement in learning. Staff typically promote children's early literacy skills by repeating familiar stories and rhymes. They encourage children to recall and repeat phrases and join in with the group activities, such as sessions on letters and sounds. However, staff do not always adapt group activities to meet children's differing ages and stages of development. As a result, some children lose focus and become disengaged.

Staff weave mathematical language throughout children's play and daily experiences. For example, staff use positional language as they place objects in different positions in a sensory tray.

Staff adapt the curriculum for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They implement personalised strategies and targeted interventions, such as 'Bucket Time', to support children's concentration and listening skills. Leaders have identified the knowledge and skills they want children to develop to be ready for school.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make progress from their starting points. They engage in a range of activities and experiences across the nursery. Children explore the environment with confidence and show interest in the experiences available to them, including sensory and creative activities.

Children develop positive relationships with their peers and communicate their ideas during play. For example, they work together to decide which natural objects will fit into different-sized metal bowls. Children cooperate with others and begin to share their thoughts and ideas during activities.

Children form secure attachments with their key person and other familiar adults. They seek reassurance when needed and demonstrate that they feel safe and settled. Children begin to recognise and talk about different feelings and emotions, which supports their emotional development.

Children develop their understanding of early mathematical concepts through play and everyday experiences. For example, they compare the size of dinosaurs and use words such as 'big' and 'small' to describe them.

Children develop increasing independence. They complete age-appropriate tasks for themselves, such as making their own sandwiches and scraping their plates after meals. Children gain the knowledge, skills and attitudes they need to support their readiness for the next stage in learning.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Leaders have established a calm environment with well-embedded routines. Staff consistently use praise and positive reinforcement to interact sensitively with children, which supports them to manage their behaviour throughout the day. Children transition smoothly between activities, follow instructions and can anticipate what comes next.

Staff are excellent role models. They model emotional language effectively, which supports children to begin recognising and naming their feelings. Children consistently behave well and respond to clear expectations from staff. They are supported to make appropriate choices as they follow golden rules. Younger children are gently supported to take turns with resources, such as the modelling dough tools, and they respond well to the nurturing support provided by staff. This helps children to develop positive social skills from an early age.

Staff understand children's individual needs well and adapt their practice so that all can access the full routine. For example, alternative activities are provided during mealtimes for children who are still developing their focus and attention. This helps to ensure the routine is inclusive and responsive to children's needs.

Children demonstrate positive attitudes. They take on simple responsibilities that help to build their confidence and wellbeing. For example, they act as a special helper for the day and support their peers as buddies when settling into new rooms. Children behave well across the setting.

Leaders recognise the importance of attendance. They work closely with families to identify and remove barriers to promote consistent attendance. For example, session times are adapted to support the individual needs of families and children.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders and staff prioritise children's welfare and wellbeing. They provide families with advice and guidance on nutrition and the use of screen time. Leaders work collaboratively with families to support older children to begin toilet training when they are developmentally ready.

Children benefit from a well-established key-person system. Key persons know children's individual needs and care routines well, which supports children to form secure attachments. Staff respond to children's personal care needs throughout the day, including nappy changing and sleep routines. Sleep arrangements are appropriate and staff complete regular checks on sleeping children to help ensure they always remain safe.

Staff encourage children to be physically active. Children show enjoyment as they access a range of resources that support physical development, including balance equipment, bikes and group games in the outdoor area.

Staff support older children to develop independence in managing their personal care needs. They encourage children to wash and dry their hands independently. However, hygiene practice is not consistently reinforced. For example, not all children are routinely supported to access tissues when needed, and children's understanding of handwashing and hygiene is not always fully developed.

Leaders ensure that all staff have appropriate safeguarding and child protection knowledge. Staff are confident in identifying and discussing safeguarding concerns and understand the procedures for escalating concerns to ensure appropriate action is taken.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders have established an effective supervision and professional development programme that supports staff to reflect on their practice, identify strengths and areas for development, and continually improve the quality of their teaching. Staff benefit from regular supervision meetings, coaching opportunities, team discussions and training. For example, leaders use coaching approaches to support less-experienced staff and those new to working in childcare to develop their knowledge, skills and confidence.

Staff speak positively about the support they receive and value leaders' visibility within the setting. Leaders regularly work alongside staff and observe practice to provide timely guidance and support. Leaders are committed to supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face barriers to learning. They work effectively with parents, external professionals and other agencies to identify children's needs and secure appropriate support. This helps to ensure that children receive the support they need and that their individual needs are prioritised.

Leaders work closely with families to provide targeted support for their children where required. Parents speak positively about the support, guidance and advice they receive. Leaders provide regular opportunities for families to be involved in their children's learning and the life of the nursery, including stay-and-play sessions and parents' evenings.

Leaders have an appropriate understanding of the strengths of the provision and areas for further development. They evaluate practice regularly and identify priorities for improvement, including staff training and development needs. Following a recent regulatory visit from Ofsted, leaders identified that not all company directors had been notified to Ofsted. Appropriate action has since been taken to address this oversight. This has minimal impact, as not all directors are actively involved in the provision of childcare.