Sandhurst Station Nursery

Inclusion: Expected standard

Overall, leaders have established an inclusive culture where every child is valued and supported to participate fully in nursery life. Staff know children well and use their understanding of each child's individual needs, interests and family circumstances to identify barriers to learning at an early stage. They work closely with parents and a range of external professionals to ensure that children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), or are known to children's social care, receive appropriate and timely support. For example, additional funding is used effectively to include well-resourced sensory activities. Staff make thoughtful adaptations to teaching, routines and resources so that children are included alongside their peers and can access the full curriculum successfully. This enables children to build positive relationships, develop confidence and make progress from their individual starting points.

The curriculum reflects the unique experiences of the military community, helping children feel represented while broadening their understanding of the wider world. Staff typically celebrate children's languages, cultures and backgrounds through meaningful experiences and ensure that diversity is woven naturally throughout daily practice. Children learn to respect one another, develop empathy and understand that everyone is unique. Leaders monitor children's progress carefully and use assessment information effectively to identify where additional support is needed. As a result, children, including those with SEND or facing barriers to learning, benefit from an ambitious and inclusive curriculum that helps them to achieve well and develop a sense of belonging and prepares them successfully for their next stage of learning.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Overall, leaders have worked hard to develop an ambitious curriculum that reflects the needs, interests and experiences of the children who attend. They continue to support staff to embed the curriculum effectively through ongoing coaching, professional discussions and guidance, helping staff to develop confidence and consistency. As a result, staff have a secure understanding of the curriculum intent and are increasingly confident in delivering learning that builds progressively on the experiences of children and what they already know and can do.

Overall, staff interact positively with children, modelling language, introducing new vocabulary and asking questions that encourage children to think, communicate and solve problems. For example, younger children eagerly catch bubbles and attempt to copy staff modelling words such as 'pop' and 'bubbles'. During stories, staff ask older children to predict what might happen next. Children benefit from a balance of adult-led and child-initiated experiences, where staff skilfully extend learning through children's play and emerging interests. Mathematical language, measuring, counting, communication and opportunities to develop early literacy are woven naturally throughout daily routines and activities.

Staff adapt teaching appropriately to ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities can access the curriculum successfully alongside their peers. Children are motivated to explore, investigate and revisit their learning because staff provide experiences that capture their curiosity and encourage sustained engagement. As a result, children develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes they need for their next stage of learning, while enjoying meaningful experiences that reflect their individual needs, backgrounds and aspirations.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children make progress from their individual starting points. Older children become increasingly confident communicators, expressing their ideas, asking questions and engaging in meaningful conversations with adults and their friends. Younger children develop physical skills as they climb, balance, crawl, dig, pour and manipulate a range of tools and resources with increasing coordination and control. Children apply early mathematical knowledge as they compare sizes, explore shape and capacity and solve practical problems during their play.

Children show curiosity and sustained engagement as they investigate, create and revisit experiences that deepen their understanding over time. They develop growing independence through everyday routines, confidently making choices, managing aspects of their self-care and taking increasing responsibility for tasks such as pouring drinks and helping to tidy resources.

Children play cooperatively, negotiate with others and demonstrate empathy, kindness and respect, enabling them to build positive relationships and manage their behaviour successfully. Those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, or who face barriers to learning, achieve well. They participate fully alongside their peers and develop the knowledge and skills identified in their personalised targets.

Children develop a secure understanding of healthy lifestyles, the natural world and their local community through meaningful experiences that reflect their interests and backgrounds. Overall, children leave the nursery as confident, resilient and enthusiastic learners who are prepared for their transition to school and future learning.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Children typically demonstrate positive attitudes towards their learning and engage confidently in the wide range of experiences available to them. They settle quickly into familiar routines, move purposefully between activities and understand what is expected of them throughout the day.

Children behave well and respond positively to consistent expectations, showing increasing self-control and an understanding of appropriate behaviour. They develop warm, respectful relationships with adults and their peers, enabling them to feel safe, valued and confident to explore their environment. Children play cooperatively, share resources, take turns and show genuine kindness and empathy towards one another, such as offering toys to their friends and including others in their play. They persevere with activities that interest them, demonstrating curiosity, resilience and sustained engagement as they investigate, create and solve problems.

Children develop increasing independence through everyday routines, confidently making choices, managing aspects of their personal care and taking responsibility for tasks such as washing their hands and helping to tidy away resources. They become familiar with healthy routines and understand the importance of good manners during mealtimes and social interactions.

Leaders work flexibly with parents to promote children's regular attendance, helping to ensure that children benefit from continuity and consistent routines. Children approach new experiences with confidence and enthusiasm. As a result, they develop the personal, social and emotional skills needed to build positive relationships, regulate their behaviour appropriately and establish secure foundations for their future learning and development.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Overall, children feel safe, secure and emotionally well supported in this welcoming nursery. They form warm, trusting relationships with familiar adults who know them well and understand their individual needs, helping them to settle quickly and engage fully in nursery life.

Children develop healthy lifestyles through daily opportunities to be physically active and learn about the importance of making healthy food choices. They benefit from well-established routines that promote their personal care and develop increasing confidence in meeting their own needs.

Children enjoy spending time outdoors, where they strengthen their physical skills as they climb, balance, crawl through tunnels and negotiate space safely while learning to assess appropriate levels of challenge. They develop an appreciation of the natural world as they care for plants, explore water and sand and investigate their environment with curiosity and enthusiasm. However, staff do not always carry out dynamic, in-the-moment risk assessments during daily routines. Although children remain safe, changes in the environment and the emerging needs of the children are not consistently responded to.

Children's emotional wellbeing is supported effectively as they learn to recognise and express their feelings, build resilience and seek reassurance when needed. They demonstrate kindness, develop friendships and empathy and show consideration for others. For example, they wait patiently for their turn and encourage their friends to join activities.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are fully included and supported to participate alongside their friends, enabling them to flourish. As a result, children are happy, secure and confident learners whose welfare and wellbeing are promoted effectively, providing secure foundations for their continued learning and development.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Following recent changes to leadership and governance, leaders have worked hard to bring about positive improvements across the nursery. They have strengthened key aspects of practice, including the curriculum and oversight of provision, while maintaining an honest and accurate evaluation of the areas that require further development to enhance children's experiences. They have successfully addressed the actions from the previous inspection and have developed an ambitious curriculum that is continuing to be embedded through effective coaching, professional discussions and regular monitoring.

Leaders maintain effective oversight of children's learning and welfare, working closely with staff, parents and external agencies to ensure that children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those facing barriers to learning, receive the support they need. Leaders and staff have secure links with the military community, recognising the unique needs of army families. Parents value the regular communication and the welcoming, community-focused ethos of the nursery.

Staff feel well supported. They receive regular supervision, training opportunities and an open culture that promotes their wellbeing and professional confidence. However, leaders do not yet refine professional development opportunities with enough precision to ensure these are sharply focused on strengthening staff expertise and securing the highest quality interactions and practice across the nursery.

Generally, leaders have established daily routines and risk assessment procedures that help to provide a safe environment for children. However, leaders do not yet ensure that these arrangements are consistently dynamic. This means leaders cannot ensure that as situations arise throughout the day, staff respond promptly to changing circumstances and adapt practice to support the children's wellbeing. Despite this, leaders demonstrate the capacity and commitment to drive continuous improvement while maintaining positive outcomes for children.