Sheen's Nursery

Inclusion: Strong standard

Children's individual needs are quickly and consistently identified, ensuring timely and targeted support. Staff seek guidance from experienced, knowledgeable leaders whenever a need or gap is observed. Barriers to learning and wellbeing are actively reduced through strategic support, including one-to-one support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Reasonable adjustments and inclusive practices are embedded across the environment, for example using visual cues to support children during transitions. Leaders regularly review progress and the impact of support. Strong communication between all staff maintains consistency of care for children. This ensures all children can access and enjoy the ambitious and inclusive curriculum, achieving to their full potential.

Staff are well trained to confidently deliver the graduated approach. They know every child very well and have a good understanding of what they need to learn next. This results in learning that is well matched to children's individual needs and next steps.

Leaders engage closely with families, professionals and external agencies. All children benefit from a range of extra-curricular experiences, such as library bus visits, drama and yoga classes, that develop children's confidence in new experiences. Leaders ensure effective use of early years pupil premium funding to support disadvantaged children. They closely monitor the progress of vulnerable children, working with families and agencies to safeguard and support every child.

Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard

Leaders have an accurate understanding of the quality of the curriculum and teaching. They have regular discussions with staff and children, and seek support from other professionals, to inform decisions and drive improvement. They plan an ambitious curriculum that is carefully sequenced.

Children's personal, social and emotional development is a significant strength. Children feel genuinely cared for and loved. Staff know and understand every child extremely well. They use their assessments to tailor teaching to individual starting points. They make thoughtful adaptations for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, including visual timetables, sensory resources and strategies such as rainbow breathing.

Physical development is a priority, with clear sequencing and progression across the rooms. For example, staff work with babies to ensure they are confident and safe to use the stairs before they progress on to the toddler room.

Communication and language teaching is well sequenced through programmes tailored for the ages and stages in each room. Staff build on vocabulary and other communication and language skills through techniques such as modelling, repetition and skilfully asking open-ended questions. Mathematics vocabulary is explicitly modelled for children, and they confidently use this in their play. For example, children in pre-school build a castle with the magnetic tiles. One child notices the flag looks like a number 7, which leads to further exploration of making shapes and numbers.

Achievement: Strong standard

Children make strong and steady progress across the curriculum, particularly with their communication and language, from the well-sequenced teaching in each room and high-quality interactions from the skilled staff.

Children who are disadvantaged, have special educational needs and/or disabilities, or face other barriers to learning and wellbeing, make considerable progress from their starting points. Children receive consistently strong support from staff who all know the children's next steps and understand the individual needs of each child in the room. They all benefit from teaching that is closely tailored to their needs and highly effective in developing their skills. Children's learning is well sequenced so that they gain skills that will help them in their next stage of learning. Children in pre-school are prepared for school in every way, and transitions are smooth and well organised. This results in children who are independent, confident and excited for what comes next.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Leaders have established a highly positive environment where expectations for behaviour are clear, consistent and understood by all. Staff provide children with reassurance and clear boundaries, supporting them to develop self-regulation and social skills. Warm, trusting relationships between practitioners and children are a significant strength, so children feel confident to ask for help or support when needed. Children are very well supported to collaborate and get along with each other, learning turn-taking, empathy and problem-solving through carefully modelled interactions. Babies are supported to take turns with musical instruments. Toddlers take turns putting cars on the ramps outside. In pre-school, 2 children carefully carry a tray of creative resources to the table so everyone can use it. Children are confident to resolve minor conflicts independently. A child playing with dough says to a friend, 'I'm not finished here yet, but you can use this piece if you like?' Targeted support is in place for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to develop social skills and collaborative play. Leaders promote punctuality and attendance, working closely with families to support children's routines and readiness to learn. A culture of kindness, care and respect is embedded throughout the setting, reflected consistently in daily practice and in children's interactions with staff and peers.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Leaders have established an inclusive environment with high expectations for all children's welfare and wellbeing. Care practices are highly effective in meeting individual needs, ensuring that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities or other barriers to learning and wellbeing receive timely and tailored support. Leaders plan carefully and sensitively so that every child is supported to build on their individual next steps. Daily routines, including sleeping, weaning and feeding, are carefully adapted to meet each child's needs. Secure, responsive relationships help children feel safe. Babies' preferences are understood and met by gentle, patient staff. Staff greet older children with smiles and cuddles, creating a warm and nurturing environment where every child belongs and is able to thrive.

Children take part in meaningful experiences, including frequent outings into the local area. They practise using roads safely and learn how to be part of their local community, such as by contributing to food banks. They enjoy weekly activities such as drama and yoga, which develops their confidence and physical skills. Healthy choices are encouraged at snack time, and children eat a range of nutritious meals. These experiences help children build independence, make positive lifestyle choices, and understand how to stay safe and healthy in different environments.

There are consistent high expectations for all children's behaviour, supported through positive reinforcement and lots of praise. Staff provide lots of reassurance and guidance during conflicts, helping children work through problems. As a result, children calm quickly and learn strategies to manage their feelings. This support helps them develop confidence, resilience and empathy.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leadership and management are key to the consistently strong practice across the nursery and the positive outcomes for children. Leaders have a secure and accurate understanding of the setting's strengths and areas for development and take timely, purposeful action to drive continuous improvement. When reflecting on provision, leaders actively value the contributions of staff, children and parents, using these views alongside assessment information to inform improvements. Their ambition to improve is significant and clearly embedded across the nursery, with practice regularly reviewed and adapted. Decisions are consistently made in the best interests of children, with a strong focus on improving outcomes for disadvantaged children, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those known (or previously known) to children's social care, and those facing other barriers to learning and/or wellbeing. Leaders ensure staffing arrangements are carefully considered. They forge highly effective partnerships with families and external professionals. Families speak positively about the nursery, describing how valued they feel and the high levels of trust they place in the leadership team and staff.

Professional development is a significant priority, and a culture of shared learning is embedded across the team. Staff are encouraged to reflect on practice, learn from one another and continuously develop their skills. Leaders also give careful consideration to staff wellbeing and workload, creating a supportive working environment built on mutual respect. This results in a motivated and ambitious staff team that is committed to achieving the very best outcomes for children.