Shining Stars Nursery

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders understand and support children known to social care well. They recognise how challenging circumstances can affect children, and they provide additional support, including emotional support, whenever children need it to help to ensure that their needs are met.

Leaders work closely with staff to help them understand and implement a graduated approach. They guide staff to assess and identify children who may need extra help with their learning and create plans promptly to target specific areas of need. Staff work effectively with external professionals and apply their advice to strengthen practice. For example, after receiving guidance, staff refine their delivery of small-group sessions to help children develop attention skills.

Leaders work alongside staff to identify and plan children's next steps and use additional funding appropriately. For instance, they use funding to purchase visual aids for children with limited language skills. Leaders review and evaluate the impact of this spending to ensure that it benefits the children it is intended for.

Staff use accurate assessments for all children, particularly to identify and support those with communication and language needs. This enables them to address gaps in learning and implement strategies quickly to help children to make good progress.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have refined their curriculum and teaching. Staff now use children's next steps alongside their interests, and this is evident in practice. Mathematics has been prioritised, with staff teaching number and concepts clearly and in sequence.

Staff and parents work together to share information about children's learning and progress. Older children enjoy taking mini tasks home in their homework bags. This helps parents to continue children's learning at home.

Children access a range of activities to explore different materials. Staff offer babies sensory play, treasure baskets and play dough, but they do not always plan these experiences with children's ages and stages in mind. For example, babies are given play trays that they naturally explore in different ways, yet staff discourage this, which reduces their engagement and willingness to explore.

Staff introduce children to a 'story of the week', which they read, revisit and link to related activities to bring the story to life. For example, two-year-old children recall familiar parts of 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' storybook as they handle different fruits, discussing what the caterpillar ate and how many. This builds children's vocabulary, strengthens their understanding of story structure and nurtures a love of books.

Staff working with children with special educational needs and/or disabilities build on what children already know. They adapt activities so children can take part successfully. Children enjoy the tasks and proudly say 'did it' when they succeed.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children make consistent progress in their communication and language development. Those who start with very little knowledge of English learn to speak it quickly, which prepares them well for the next stage of learning and for school.

Children communicate confidently. One-year-old children join in during singing sessions. When staff pause, they independently sing familiar parts and eagerly request favourites. Older children take turns confidently during a 'what's in the box?' activity. They communicate clearly and sing fluently along to well-known songs and rhymes.

Children develop practical skills that support their growing independence. For example, they help themselves to tissues to wipe their noses, use the toilet independently, wash their hands before eating and, in some cases, serve their own lunches. These skills support a smooth transition to school.

Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to achieve their full potential. They make thoughtful adaptations to ensure that activities are accessible, which helps children gain confidence and participate successfully in group times.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Staff have built trusting relationships with children and implement consistent routines that children understand and follow. When children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, find routines more challenging, staff adapt and offer alternative activities and interactions to meet individual needs. This happens less consistently with two-year-old children. Staff show less confidence in adapting their practice, and sometimes children struggle to remain focused.

Staff promote positive behaviour effectively and act as strong role models. They speak to children with kindness and respect. For example, during nappy changing routines, staff ask children for permission before changing them, and children respond willingly. Staff also use agreed language, such as 'kind hands', to support children during minor and age-appropriate behavioural incidents. This helps children to develop an understanding of behavioural expectations.

Leaders recognise the importance of regular attendance and actively promote it with families. They work hard to ensure that the setting remains inclusive and accessible. They offer flexible session times to meet families' needs and provide a collection and drop-off service for families who might otherwise struggle to access the provision. Parents understand the procedures for reporting absences. This means that leaders are aware of the reasons for non-attendance, and this helps to keep children safe.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Staff nurture children with kindness and warmth. They understand their roles and continually prioritise children's emotional wellbeing. They work closely with parents from the start to understand routines and preferences, helping children settle quickly. Parents provide familiar items, such as blankets, so children feel safe, secure and settled.

Leaders ensure that children play outdoors daily and enjoy local trips, such as visits to parks. Indoors, they provide activities that support movement and physical development, including climbing, music and movement, and yoga. These experiences promote children's health and wellbeing. Leaders could further strengthen their approach by giving parents more guidance on healthy lunch boxes.

Staff support children to understand and express their emotions from an early age. They label feelings and use stories to introduce language to describe emotions, such as 'happy' and 'sad'. This helps children to develop age-appropriate emotional awareness and regulation.

Staff working with older children teach them about online safety. For example, they read stories to children about keeping safe online and speak to parents, providing safety tips and helping to set up age restrictions on tablets, if required. This helps to keep children safe and helps to ensure that parents recognise the associated dangers that using the internet can bring to children.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders understand the setting's strengths and areas for development accurately. They use a clear action plan to drive quality forward. For example, they recently redeveloped the curriculum and now train and support staff to implement these improvements. Leaders provide a wide range of professional development opportunities tailored to individual staff needs and aligned with the setting's priorities. Staff express that they feel well supported, and many remain long-standing members of the team.

Leaders address issues promptly and take swift, effective action when concerns arise. They reflect on incidents, such as in relation to safer eating, and strengthen policies to further improve children's safety. They now prioritise safer eating practices and ensure that staff supervise children closely when eating to reduce choking risks.

Leaders excel in supporting parents. They know families well and consistently go above and beyond to meet individual needs. For example, they accompany parents with limited English skills to appointments and help them complete school applications when requested. This support helps remove barriers that some families face. Parents express high levels of appreciation for the help they receive.