Partou Ware Day Nursery & Pre-School

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders have established a highly inclusive culture where all children thrive and receive superb support. Staff have a deep understanding of children's individual needs and implement highly targeted strategies to enable all children to make secure progress. Staff observe and track children's progress continually, and leaders monitor this with real focus. Those with oversight of children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, or who face other barriers to their learning, passionately share their knowledge and expertise with the wider staff team. This makes a clear difference to the knowledge and skills of staff, who consistently provide highly focused support for children who face barriers to their learning.

Leaders have a seamless flow of conversation with families and external professionals. Timely and robust assessments inform appropriate support for all children, ensuring that they access the education to which they are entitled. Children are at the heart of decisions made, and leaders carefully consider children's attendance patterns to ensure that they make the most of their time at nursery.

Leaders actively promote inclusion, not only for children and their families but also the staff team. Parents and carers are included in decisions about how additional funding is used to swiftly address identified gaps in children's learning and development. For instance, enhancements have been made to the sensory space for older children. Children seek out this space independently, learning to recognise when they need time away from the busier environment to self-regulate. This gives them autonomy in their decision-making and positively impacts their wellbeing.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders and staff typically deliver a sequenced curriculum, adapting their interactions to meet the needs of individual children. Leaders recognise that some staff are less experienced and act as positive role models, along with more established staff. However, on occasion, some staff do not respond to younger children's cues and emerging interests to extend their learning further and build on their levels of engagement.

Staff regularly assess progress to develop children's next steps. Leaders reflect on any changes they need to make to improve the provision. In some rooms, the learning environment is not organised as effectively as possible to enable children to focus and engage deeply in their learning. For instance, in some areas, there are too many resources to choose from, and babies struggle to negotiate spaces as they develop their walking skills.

Staff support communication effectively through modelling language, using visual cues and reinforcing vocabulary in context. They repeat numbers while supporting toddlers with puzzles. Teaching promotes independence, such as through self-serving at mealtimes. Children of all ages keenly engage with staff to share stories. Babies develop physical skills and are closely monitored by staff as they practise. For instance, they negotiate indoor climbing equipment carefully, following staff's instructions. Children develop a sense of pride in their achievements, building friendships and bonds with those around them.

Achievement: Expected standard

All children progress well from their starting points. Children demonstrate increasing independence in managing tasks for themselves as they move through the nursery. Their communication skills develop well, and they successfully communicate with others in a variety of ways. Children with barriers to their learning receive effective support to make progress. For instance, they respond well to objects of reference and understand what part of the routine is happening next. All children develop resilience and the ability to follow instructions and join in with their friends. Children are well prepared for their move on to school. They concentrate and join in with play enthusiastically. They form secure relationships with staff and feel safe and secure in their surroundings.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Staff create a warm and welcoming environment where all children feel safe and secure. Relationships between children and their key person are well established, and all staff who work with children know them well. Children demonstrate a sense of belonging at the nursery. For instance, as they arrive, they excitedly exclaim when they see their friends in the welcome video playing in the lobby, even when those friends left some time ago to go to school.

Children typically behave well and show positive attitudes to learning. Staff support children to manage their emotions, take turns and resolve minor conflicts through calm and thoughtful interactions. Clear routines are established across the nursery, including sociable mealtimes and collaborative tidy-up times. Staff support children who face barriers to their learning to work collaboratively through carefully considered opportunities. For instance, they use quieter spaces to hold small-group sessions, supporting children to build friendships with others.

Children generally understand expectations, such as using 'indoor feet', and respond appropriately to staff's guidance. Staff promote children's emotional literacy and self-regulation effectively. Staff deployment generally ensures that children remain engaged and settled. Leaders support attendance and talk to parents and carers about the importance of their children being punctual and attending regularly and the impact this has on their learning and development.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Children of all ages form secure attachments with their key person and demonstrate that they feel safe and emotionally secure. Settling-in arrangements are flexible and responsive to individual needs. Staff work closely with parents and carers to gather information and tailor children's routines appropriately. Children enjoy healthy meals and develop independence in their self care. Nappy-changing arrangements maintain children's dignity and safety. Staff speak to children about the healthy food they eat and how this affects their bodies.

Staff are responsive to children's individual needs, adapting their interactions to support each child. They follow children's cues when they cannot yet communicate verbally, recognising when they show an interest in something another child is doing. For instance, when children see their friends try on hats, staff help them to join in, showing them their reflection in the mirror. Children smile with delight and pride as they see themselves. Leaders support staff and children's wellbeing, which contributes to a stable and positive environment.

Children typically recognise how to keep themselves safe. Younger children follow staff's instructions, and older children help with tasks such as cleaning up spills around the water tray so they do not slip. Children learn to regulate their feelings and emotions, including those who face barriers to their learning.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders are passionate about their roles, and children are at the heart of the decisions they make. They use their knowledge and experience to ensure that all children are able to access the curriculum. They work tirelessly with other professionals, parents and carers to access help and support to enable children who face barriers to their learning to thrive. Staff wellbeing is a priority, and leaders strive to ensure that all staff succeed in their roles. Professional development opportunities are sourced and implemented well, through a range of methods. Staff share learning with their colleagues to ensure that training has a positive impact for all children.

The established leadership team has sound oversight, and a vision for the future, of the nursery. Leaders recognise the challenges of managing a large and evolving staff team. They understand the need to support newer staff and apprentices to meet expectations to help raise staff practice to a consistently high standard. Overall, leaders are reflective of the provision. However, further evaluation around the learning environment is needed, particularly in areas where younger children learn and play to support their engagement and ability to move freely around the spaces to develop their physical skills even more successfully.

Following the initial inspection visit, additional information was reported. Ofsted returned to the provider to gather additional evidence. Ofsted found that the provider did not always follow the setting's policies and procedures in relation to accidents and injuries, which meant that, at the time, they were not meeting some requirements. The provider has now taken action to put this right.