Sherwood Green Nursery Gateway

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders have high expectations for every child and are deeply committed to inclusion. They celebrate the rich diversity of their community and ensure all children can access the full curriculum, whatever their starting points. Staff benefit from ongoing training that enables them to tailor and adapt learning so children experience opportunities that are meaningful, accessible and ambitious from the moment they start.

Assessment is thorough and begins immediately. Parents share detailed information from the outset, and this two-way exchange continues throughout children's time at nursery. Staff know children well and quickly notice where developmental delays or gaps may be emerging. When this happens, leaders act promptly. They raise timely referrals to professionals such as health visitors, early help teams or speech and language therapists. Their well-established professional partnerships, combined with a shared drive to secure the best targeted support, ensure children receive the right help without delay. Individualised plans guide children's next steps, and parents are fully involved so learning continues at home. This coordinated approach helps children to build confidence, narrow gaps and make rapid progress, regardless of any barriers to their learning. Where families need additional help, leaders respond without hesitation. They work closely with external agencies so children receive early, well-matched support and move on to school with continuity of care and education firmly in place.

Additional funding is used thoughtfully and transparently. Children benefit from one-to-one support, additional sessions, targeted resources or staff training that directly enhances their experiences. As a result, all children, regardless of any barriers to their learning, make excellent progress.

Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard

Leaders are highly inclusive when designing the curriculum. They think carefully about the experiences, interests and needs of the children who attend and ensure that learning celebrates each child's individuality. Leaders use their knowledge of families and the local community to identify gaps in children's experiences and enrich the curriculum accordingly. For example, they consider which children have limited access to outdoor space at home and provide additional opportunities for physical development, outdoor exploration and learning in the fresh air.

Leaders regularly review the quality of learning across the setting and ensure that the curriculum is carefully sequenced as children move through each room. Planning is informed by a wide range of information, including staff observations, assessments, parental views and children's interests. This helps leaders to create a curriculum that is ambitious, relevant and responsive to children's changing needs while maintaining high expectations for all.

Staff deliver the curriculum with skill and enthusiasm. They know their children well and adapt learning experiences to build on what children already know and can do. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported effectively to access all aspects of learning. For example, during activities focused on recognising and understanding emotions, staff use visual prompts and careful modelling to help children identify and express their feelings with confidence.

Children develop a strong understanding of the natural world through first-hand experiences. They plant and care for flowers, observe life cycles as they raise caterpillars and release butterflies, and take part in visits within the local community. Cross-generational activities with the attached community centre further broaden their understanding of the wider world.

Communication, language and mathematics are woven throughout daily routines and play. Staff model language well, introduce new vocabulary through stories and conversations, and develop mathematical understanding through songs, water play and practical exploration, helping children to build strong foundations for future learning.

Achievement: Strong standard

Children make rapid and sustained progress, regardless of any barriers to their learning. They are well prepared for their next steps, whether this means moving rooms within the setting or transitioning to school. As they get ready for school, children spend time looking through handmade books filled with photos of their new buildings and uniforms. This helps them to process their feelings, understand the change ahead and approach their transition with growing confidence.

Children communicate with clarity and purpose. They use their rapidly expanding vocabulary and confidently experiment with new words such as 'cocoon' and 'energy' as they recall prior learning. They listen attentively to familiar adults, maintain focus during favourite stories and follow instructions with ease. Mathematical understanding is evident as children explore concepts such as weight, using language such as 'lighter' and 'heavier' during hands-on activities.

Children move confidently and safely, showing strong physical development, coordination and control. Babies explore the garden with curiosity, engaging deeply in activities that reflect their interests. Children manage their personal needs effectively, with most becoming toilet trained before moving to the pre-school room. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive tailored toilet-training support, helping them to build independence and achieve very well from their starting points.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Leaders have high expectations for behaviour and ensure these are understood by all staff and children. Staff are very well supported by leaders to apply behaviour expectations consistently across the nursery. They model positive behaviour throughout the day and clearly explain expectations to children. Staff recognise that behaviour is a form of communication, particularly for children who are not yet able to express themselves through words, responding to behaviours sensitively and offering tailored support. As a result, all children behave with confidence, self-control and respect, showing that they understand exactly what is expected of them.

Children demonstrate very positive attitudes to learning and engage with enthusiasm. They confidently explain their ideas and show curiosity as they splat paint with wooden hammers and mix colours. They talk about what they notice and name the colours they have made. Outdoors, children show resilience, independence and confidence as they play in the ice-cream shop, taking turns and sharing equipment happily. Two-year-olds wait patiently for their turn to pour a drink at snack time, showing growing self-control and awareness of others.

Routines are well established and help children feel secure as they move through the day. Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities sensitively during transitions, ensuring they understand what is happening next and what they need to do. For example, some children begin their day in the sensory room to support their emotional development.

Leaders work closely with families to promote regular attendance, tailoring patterns where needed and communicating clearly why consistent attendance is essential for children to access the full curriculum and for their emotional development.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Leaders consistently prioritise children's welfare and wellbeing, ensuring that policies, procedures and practices are rigorously reviewed. They create a safe, responsive and reassuring place for children who have faced difficulties, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those known to social care.

Daily check-ins and conversations about feelings promote resilience and emotional literacy. Yoga sessions help children to develop self-regulation skills. Children benefit from regular time outdoors. This includes forest school experiences, where they have meaningful opportunities to assess risks for themselves and to practise problem-solving in real situations. Children also have plentiful opportunities in the well-designed gardens to raise their heart rates and build core strength through climbing, balancing and dancing. Children sleep peacefully outdoors, enjoying the fresh air while being closely supervised for their safety.

The key-person system is highly effective. Staff know the setting's children and their families well and respond sensitively to changing circumstances. Warm, nurturing relationships help children feel safe, emotionally secure and ready to learn. Care routines are respectful and thoughtfully planned. Ambitious toilet training approaches support children to recognise bodily cues, and staff give gentle warnings before nappy changes, demonstrating clear respect for children's dignity. Children with SEND receive tailored support to manage hygiene routines, wash hands independently and pour drinks.

Mealtimes are calm and purposeful, supporting children's understanding of healthy eating, safer eating practices and where food comes from. Staff help children to sit safely, including those with SEND. They weave learning into routines and model positive behaviour. Children enjoy nutritious meals prepared on site and often eat outdoors, where mealtimes become calm, social experiences that strengthen children's independence, confidence and understanding of healthy choices. Children learn about healthy attitudes to screen time and internet safety through carefully selected stories and thoughtful interactions from staff.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders are ambitious and reflective. They rigorously evaluate the quality of the setting and use this information to drive purposeful improvement. Inclusion is central to their vision and evident in all aspects of practice. Parents, children and staff are actively involved in evaluation, ensuring developments reflect the needs and experiences of the whole community. For example, improvements to the outdoor area have strengthened children's physical development. Leaders continually refine systems and practice so children benefit from consistently high-quality provision. Every member of staff contributes to ongoing improvement.

Staff wellbeing is a clear priority. Leaders have reduced unnecessary paperwork so staff can focus on high-quality interactions and teaching. They invest in professional development that helps staff feel confident and valued. Staff speak positively about their roles, reflected in a stable, committed team. Leaders are highly visible in rooms, modelling practice, coaching staff and providing immediate feedback. Where further support is needed, they source targeted training to strengthen expertise and ensure consistency.

Leaders are also committed to the wider community and have built strong partnerships. Their link with the community centre enables families to access support quickly. Children benefit from cross-generational experiences, such as shared celebrations with older community members, broadening their understanding of the world. Parents are invited into the setting for workshops and events, including Father's Day celebrations, and they can access courses through community partners to support family wellbeing.

Parents consistently report that they feel fully involved in nursery life. They value strong relationships with staff and leaders and the open-door ethos. Feedback is actively sought, acted upon and used to shape ongoing improvements. Parents speak warmly about the setting and the positive impact on their children. This shared trust and pride underpins the inclusive and nurturing culture of the nursery.