Nutkins Preschool

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders and staff provide a very inclusive and supportive service for children and their families. They conscientiously get to know each child's background and adapt their provision to ensure children are supported in just the right way.

Children and families receive an exceptionally high level of support. Staff deal with sensitive situations with compassion and consideration. For children who are in receipt of additional funding, staff consider their needs and use this funding to gain the maximum benefit for children. For instance, pupil premium is expertly utilised to provide children with resources or additional time to attend the nursery beyond their entitlements. Children in receipt of funding achieve excellent outcomes.

Leaders and staff are highly knowledgeable and uphold inclusive values. Staff are well trained to follow a graduated approach to review children's learning and assess the progress they make. They have the experience and skills to identify and swiftly close emerging gaps in children's learning and development. This enables all children to overcome any barriers to learning and make the best possible progress.

Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard

Leaders have created a curriculum that centres around the individual child, their age and stage of development. Adults are highly skilled at creating an environment that sparks children's natural curiosity and provides a wealth of well-planned experiences. This keeps children highly engaged and focused.

Leaders are clear about how they ensure children achieve what they are capable of and what skills they need to learn to be ready for the next stage. This precision means that learning is not left to chance, and all interactions between staff and children are well thought out and purposeful.

Adults' teaching skills are exemplary. They skilfully follow children's lead in play, quietly sitting alongside them and modelling the correct process where necessary. Staff are supportive in allowing children to achieve their goals independently. For example, they only intervene if necessary, in order not to interrupt children's focus or concentration.

Staff skilfully model language and extend children's vocabulary throughout routines and play. They weave mathematical ideas such as counting, making comparisons and problem-solving naturally into interactions. Children benefit from rich opportunities to communicate, explore and think aloud. This supports children to develop strong early language and reasoning skills.

Staff prioritise children's physical, personal, social and emotional development. Children are extremely well supported to develop important independence skills. For example, children put on and take off their wetsuits and wellington boots without adult help during outdoor play.

Achievement: Strong standard

All children, including those who may experience barriers to their learning, progress well through the nursery and are well prepared for their next stage of learning. Children's communication and language develop incredibly well. Furthermore, children who speak English as an additional language quickly learn that they can effectively communicate with others to express their wants and needs in both languages.

Children learn to recognise their own achievements and strengths, which powers their motivation and self-esteem. They show perseverance in tasks and stay focused on the intended activity for extended periods of time, building new skills as they learn.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Leaders have established a calm and positive environment. Praise is plentiful at this setting, which effectively helps children demonstrate a 'can-do' attitude to everything they set their mind to, with impressive results.

Relationships between staff and children are warm and responsive. Staff understand each child's needs and stage of development, adjusting their approach so expectations remain realistic, nurturing and inclusive. Staff model emotional language, enabling children to recognise their feelings and manage impulses. Children consistently demonstrate increasing social awareness and regulate their emotions.

Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. Children consistently engage in play while demonstrating good manners and respect for one another and their surroundings. On the rare occasions when individual children struggle to manage their behaviour, staff sensitively address any issues promptly and constructively. Children are supported well by staff to understand the behaviour that is expected of them.

Leaders promote and support children's regular attendance at the setting. They offer flexibility, advice and support for families to promote punctuality. This enables children to make the most of their learning each day and promotes positive habits for the future.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Staff are consistently warm, responsive and attentive, establishing a caring key-person approach that is thoughtfully tailored to each child. From the beginning, staff get to know their key children and families incredibly quickly. They gain a comprehensive and detailed knowledge of children's unique backgrounds, personalities and learning styles. This approach is highly effective in promoting children's wellbeing.

Staff are consistently warm and attuned to the emotional and developmental needs of the children throughout the day. Children develop close relationships with staff. They receive cuddles and reassurance, which helps them to settle well. Consequently, children are exceptionally content, focused and engaged in the stimulating activities prepared by the highly competent staff.

Children develop secure routines that promote their physical health and overall wellbeing very successfully. Staff embed positive hygiene practices and promote healthy lifestyles with activities such as yoga. Well-established routines contribute to children's safety and welfare and help children quickly begin to make their own healthy choices and decisions. For example, during snack time, children learn how to hold a knife safely with supervision from staff. They gain the skills to safely cut their healthy apples and butter their crackers.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders are inspirational and passionate about the work they do. They reflect well on practice to ensure the nursery continues to provide high-quality practice, care and learning.

Leaders are committed to supporting staff progression and lead by example. The wellbeing of staff is prioritised, which means that they can be at their best for the children they care for. Staff enthusiastically reflect on their own continuous professional development, recognising the significant progress they have made over time. Leaders ensure that professional development opportunities are thoughtfully tailored to meet the specific needs of both staff and children. This helps ensure that the quality of care and education at the nursery is excellent.

Leaders and staff liaise closely with the on-site school's teachers. Transitions to schools are meticulously planned to ensure children feel confident and suitably prepared for the next stage of their education. For example, children and nursery staff visit the school, allowing children to build relationships ahead of time. Furthermore, school children visit the nursery to talk about their experiences, answer questions and reassure nursery children.

Parents feel very grateful to have found a place that supports them and their children so well. Parents are well informed of children's progress and encouraged to continue children's successful learning at home. Staff offer families support and advice to help navigate parenthood and routines at home. This collaborative approach ensures children get the support they need quickly.