Shining Stars Nursery

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders and staff promote an inclusive culture that enables all children to make sustained progress. They know children well and quickly identify emerging needs. This is done through regular observations, ongoing assessments and assessments to monitor communication and language.

Leaders work closely with parents and professionals to review progress and adapt support where needed. Staff demonstrate a secure understanding of the graduated approach. This ensures they respond swiftly to the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those known or previously known to children's social care. As a result, barriers to learning are reduced, children typically make sustained progress and they are well prepared for their next stage of learning.

Staff act promptly on concerns, working closely with parents to share information, agree next steps and secure additional support where needed. This enables early intervention and reduces barriers to learning. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive timely, personalised support. Staff adapt teaching through visual prompts, targeted interventions and individual strategies. This typically enables children with speech and language delays to communicate confidently and participate fully. Early years pupil premium funding is used effectively to provide additional resources and targeted experiences, ensuring disadvantaged children have reasonable access to learning opportunities. For example, a broad curriculum, including visits to parks, swimming and the local community, promotes inclusion and supports children's wider development.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Staff deliver an engaging curriculum that effectively balances child-led play with purposeful adult interactions. They know children well and build successfully on their interests to promote learning across all areas of the curriculum. For example, staff supported children in climbing and balancing outdoors, helping them develop coordination, confidence and an understanding of appropriate risk. They also skilfully extended children's thinking during conversations. When a child spoke about France being in the World Cup, staff used this interest to broaden vocabulary, encourage discussion and develop children's understanding of the wider world. Previous learning is regularly revisited, enabling children to remember what they have learned and build securely on existing knowledge.

Staff use generally effective questioning and introduce a broad range of vocabulary during interactions, supporting children's communication and language development. Mathematical concepts are woven naturally into daily routines and play through counting, comparing and problem-solving, helping children apply their learning in meaningful contexts. As a result, children remain engaged, develop confidence in expressing their ideas and make good progress across the areas of learning.

Leaders provide clear direction and support staff well. Children generally build warm relationships with staff and feel safe and secure. Leaders recognise where practice needs to improve. Staff do not consistently challenge younger children through meaningful conversations or introduce new vocabulary. Staff also miss opportunities to deepen children's understanding of emotions. Leaders should strengthen staff practice in these areas to improve outcomes for children.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children make good progress from their individual starting points and develop the knowledge and skills they need across the areas of learning. They are prepared well for the next stages of their education. They demonstrate increasing confidence in their communication and language skills. For example, they respond enthusiastically to practitioners' skilful interactions. They confidently engage in meaningful conversations, sharing their ideas and experiences while practitioners extend their vocabulary and encourage sustained discussion.

Children's personal, social and emotional development is effectively promoted through warm relationships and positive interactions. Children's achievements are consistently celebrated. For instance, a child scoring a goal is enthusiastically recognised, with peers joining in to cheer and congratulate one another. These experiences build children's confidence, resilience and self-esteem while encouraging positive relationships.

Children beam with pride as they share their accomplishments, such as showing stickers they have earned to their friends, demonstrating a willingness to persevere, to challenge themselves, and to celebrate the success of others.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders have established a positive and nurturing culture. Clear routines and consistent expectations help children feel safe, secure and ready to learn. Staff model respectful behaviour and reinforce expectations through calm, positive interactions. Children understand what staff expect and confidently follow daily routines.

Children generally demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. Staff support children to collaborate, share and play cooperatively with their peers. During mealtimes, one child handed out plates while others waited patiently. Staff encouraged good manners by prompting children to say 'please' when requesting more food. These everyday opportunities promote independence, responsibility and mutual respect. They also strengthen children's positive social skills. Warm, trusting relationships create a calm environment where children confidently seek reassurance from familiar adults. Staff adapt their interactions to children's ages, developmental stages and individual needs. Behaviour is typically positive. However, leaders should strengthen opportunities for younger children to recognise, understand and express their emotions. This will further develop self-regulation skills and support consistently positive behaviour across all age groups. Leaders promote good attendance and punctuality, enabling children to benefit fully from the experiences available.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders ensure that children's welfare and wellbeing are central to everyday practice. Staff know children well and provide responsive care that reflects their individual needs, backgrounds and stages of development. Secure relationships enable children to feel safe, valued and confident to explore their environment. This is particularly evident for children who require additional emotional support. For example, practitioners provide consistent reassurance and a familiar routine for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, allowing them to build trusting relationships, develop confidence, and gradually engage alongside their peers.

Children benefit from effective care routines that support their health and wellbeing. During snack time, children independently washed their hands before choosing from a selection of healthy foods. They are encouraged to pour their own drinks and choose what they wish to eat, promoting independence and supporting their physical development. Staff respond sensitively to children's individual care needs, ensuring routines such as eating, hygiene and personal care are adapted appropriately where required.

Children are happy, settled and secure. They confidently follow familiar routines and build positive relationships with staff. Staff do not consistently extend opportunities for young children and those who require additional support to fully develop resilience, self-regulation and emotional wellbeing.

Leadership and governance: Needs attention

Leaders respond positively to feedback and have identified appropriate priorities for improvement. Leaders must ensure that the leadership team holds the qualifications required by the early years foundation stage to maintain statutory compliance and strengthen leadership capacity. In particular, the named manager must hold a recognised level 3 early years qualification, as required by the statutory framework, to fulfil the role of manager. Although this requirement is not currently met, there is no discernible impact on the quality of education.

Leaders have established effective induction and settling-in procedures that support children in forming secure attachments and transitioning confidently into the setting. Parents are actively involved throughout this process, enabling staff to gather detailed information about children's individual needs, interests and routines. This ensures that care and learning are tailored from the outset, promoting children's wellbeing and helping them settle quickly.

Leaders demonstrate a secure understanding of the setting's strengths and are committed to continuous improvement. They have created an open and supportive culture where staff wellbeing is valued. Staff describe leaders as approachable, responsive and supportive of their professional development. This contributes positively to staff confidence and morale. Leaders prioritise training and continuous professional development, ensuring staff maintain up-to-date knowledge and continue to improve outcomes for children.

Leaders place children's individual needs at the centre of decision-making. This is done by ensuring that they are well prepared for their next stage of learning. Effective partnership working with families and professionals ensures children, particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, receive timely interventions that promote positive outcomes. Parents speak highly of the provision, describing staff as caring, approachable and supportive. They value the regular communication they receive and report that their children are happy, well cared for and enjoy attending the setting.