Pure Tree Nursery

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders create an inclusive environment where children and families feel welcomed and valued. Staff know children well and work positively with parents and external professionals to support learning and wellbeing. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language receive appropriate support to participate in activities and routines alongside their peers. For example, staff use visual timetables to support children's understanding and interactions.

Leaders are proactive in accessing additional support and signposting parents appropriately and take steps to ensure children can access the learning environment and activities. Additional funding is used effectively to support eligible children. For example, leaders have developed a sensory room to provide a comfortable and secure space where children can regulate their emotions and behaviour.

Leaders and staff work appropriately with external professionals to identify and reduce barriers to learning and wellbeing. Staff generally understand children's individual needs and next steps and use agreed strategies to support participation in nursery life. For example, staff work closely with professionals and parents to support children with emerging communication and behavioural needs. However, while targeted support is effective, inconsistencies in the quality of teaching across the setting mean that all children do not yet consistently benefit from high-quality interactions throughout the day.

Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention

Leaders have identified weaknesses in the curriculum and in staff's teaching, and they have begun to support staff to bring about improvements. However, actions are at an early stage and have not yet secured consistently effective practice. For example, younger children often move between activities without sustained adult interaction to deepen thinking, communication or engagement. Staff do not routinely introduce ambitious vocabulary or consistently name and describe objects and experiences during play. Planning for older children lacks sufficiently challenging experiences across the day to maintain engagement and focus.

Achievement: Needs attention

Achievement across the nursery is variable. Weaknesses in the curriculum and teaching mean that some children do not consistently build on prior learning. Older children do not always experience sufficiently challenging or well-sequenced learning to support their progress.

Children are generally happy and settled. Older children are developing confidence and independence in managing daily routines and social situations. For example, they help to tidy resources, put on their shoes before going into the garden and line up when required. However, younger children do not consistently develop the skills they need to manage changes in routines and are not always clear about what is expected of them.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language benefit from positive relationships with staff and targeted support that helps them participate alongside their peers. Although children make some progress from their starting points, this is not consistently driven by a well-sequenced curriculum.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Needs attention

Leaders do not ensure that staff consistently implement appropriate expectations for behaviour and daily routines. During transitions between free-flow play and group times, toddlers are not always supported to understand what is happening next. Routines are not consistently adapted to children's stage of development, meaning younger children do not always receive the guidance they need to manage their behaviour and engage successfully.

Children are developing an awareness of their own and others' feelings. For example, when older children argue over a toy, staff encourage them to be kind and talk about how they feel. However, staff do not consistently teach children the skills they need to manage their behaviour, understand why their actions are inappropriate or resolve conflicts positively.

Curriculum planning is generally weak, particularly for older children, contributing to frustration and boredom at times. However, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language receive targeted support through visuals and key words to remain focused and engaged. Leaders promote attendance and punctuality by following up absences. Generally, children's attendance is consistent, and they arrive in good time to enjoy all aspects of their day.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Children feel safe within this welcoming nursery. Staff are warm and caring and generally respond sensitively to children's emotional and physical needs. They promote self-care routines and healthy habits, including talking to children about the importance of oral hygiene. Babies and toddlers benefit from rest routines that reflect their individual needs. Children settle quickly and the majority are comfortable within these routines. However, leaders recognise that further work is needed to help younger children understand what is expected of them when routines change.

Leaders have established appropriate policies and practice that staff understand and typically follow. They gather relevant information about children and their families, which staff use to provide individualised care. For example, staff understand children's dietary and allergy requirements.

Key persons know their children well and respond promptly when comfort or support is needed. When children become overwhelmed, staff remain calm and recognise when they need space, comfort or reassurance. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities or other barriers to learning have access to quiet spaces where they can relax and feel secure.

Leadership and governance: Needs attention

Leaders do not yet ensure that teaching, curriculum implementation and agreed approaches to supporting children's behaviour are consistently effective across the nursery. They recognise these weaknesses and have begun to introduce systems to monitor practice, identify areas for development and provide coaching and support. However, professional development and supervision have not yet had sufficient impact in securing consistent practice or improving the quality of teaching. In particular, supervision does not always identify individual development needs or ensure that professional learning is closely matched to these. As a result, children's experiences and outcomes remain variable across the nursery.

Leaders understand the nursery's key strengths and are committed to improvement. They work positively with parents, staff and external professionals and respond well to professional challenge. They take account of children's individual needs and ensure that children facing barriers to learning, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, receive appropriate support. However, leaders do not consistently identify all areas requiring improvement independently, and agreed policies, procedures and ways of working are not yet consistently understood and implemented by staff.

Leaders promote a positive culture for staff. They are approachable, regularly check staff wellbeing and consider workload when making decisions. Parents speak positively about the caring and supportive staff team. However, the impact of leadership actions and professional development is not yet sufficient to secure consistently strong practice. Leaders need to strengthen their oversight of teaching, curriculum delivery and staff development so that improvements are embedded and children consistently receive the quality of provision they need.