Shining Stars Nursery (Appleby) Ltd

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders have established a typically inclusive culture where staff understand children's unique nature and individual needs. Staff get to know children and identify their emerging needs, assessing where they may require additional support. For instance, where children have health needs, leaders alter staff ratios to offer more support to reduce barriers to their learning. Staff monitor children's progress and understand that some children require learning to be measured in smaller steps. They celebrate all achievements as children make progress from their starting points.

Staff use the knowledge gained from training to support children's learning and help to reduce communication barriers. They use simple signs to promote children's communication needs, for instance. Leaders understand how to use and monitor the impact of any additional funding to support children to thrive. For instance, they have installed a sensory space to help some children to regulate their emotions. Leaders work with other professionals, seeking support to aid children's progress. The interventions that staff provide while waiting for external support are generally helpful, but are sometimes generic. For instance, strategies to promote children's developing speech can be applied to all children, but are not always specific to children with learning needs. These do not have the sharp focus needed to further enhance the development of children with barriers to their learning.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have oversight of the curriculum and provision and make improvements to benefit children. For example, they have identified that younger babies could be better supported in a quieter and calmer environment. Leaders have adapted the room arrangements to reflect this, helping new babies to settle more quickly. Children's learning is well-planned and sequenced to build on their knowledge and skills across the curriculum. Children enjoy stories and songs, which staff choose with purpose to support their learning intent. Staff have interesting discussions with children and use contextually appropriate words, such as 'grainy' to describe sand, to support children's vocabulary. They weave mathematical language and understanding through children's activities and play.

Children learn new physical skills and practise their balance and coordination during outdoor play, for instance. Staff assess children's progress and teach with reference to their age and stage of development. For example, staff use double-handed scissors while children learn this skill. Children learn to be sociable and manage friendships well. They learn personal skills and build their independence gradually. Staff understand barriers to children's learning and adapt their teaching appropriately. For instance, staff make sure children with communication issues are close to them and can see their faces while reading a story. While teaching is typically of high quality, there is not a consistent focus on interventions to help close gaps in children's learning even more quickly.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children make secure progress across the curriculum. Babies and young children develop emotional security, which helps them to build confidence as they move on through nursery. Older children learn to make and manage friendships, learning in the groups they will move on to school with. Children mix with others of different ages throughout the day. This helps them to learn about the needs of others as they play outside together. Children develop confidence in their speech, contributing their thoughts and ideas in group sessions. Children learn to count and about the relationships between numbers. They use their knowledge and understanding as they play. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make progress from their starting points. They develop attention skills and learn to focus on their learning as a result of thoughtful teaching. However, there is not a sharp focus on individual learning strategies to promote even more rapid progress in their learning.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Staff model the positive behaviours they expect from children. The atmosphere is calm and conducive to children's learning. Staff quietly capture children's attention and use signs and actions to signal time to sit down or to listen carefully. Children behave well and are typically engaged in their learning. They have positive attitudes towards their play and towards their relationships with staff and each other. Children help to tidy up and show respect for the nursery environment. Staff offer comfort and reassurance for babies and younger children who are still settling. This supports their emotional development as they manage new surroundings and new people. Older children include staff in their play, talking about the collages they have made and the materials they have added, for instance.

Children work together well, negotiating obstacles as they balance and jump in the outdoor area. They learn that some children need more time and encouragement to complete tasks. Staff work with parents and carers to promote routine attendance, supporting children's learning with consistency. However, leaders have not furthered these professional relationships to enhance consistency in children's development to an even higher level.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Staff use their understanding from training to manage children's welfare and wellbeing. Their practice typically promotes children's health and physical development well. Children eat nutritious food, which supports their growing bodies. They learn social skills from enjoying meals together. Children learn about oral health and how to keep their teeth clean. Older children learn key messages about using technology safely. Staff are responsive to children's needs and build secure bonds with them. Staff help children to learn about their feelings and to manage their emotional responses and behaviours. This helps to build key social and personal skills to support children through life.

Staff understand barriers children may have to their learning and adapt routines to suit their individual needs. For instance, staff plan around the sleeping and feeding routines followed at home for babies who are settling. Staff typically offer families support with parenting issues and milestones, such as toilet training. However, there are occasional inconsistencies in supporting parents' and carers' understanding. For instance, information about how parents can best support their children's development as children move between different stages of feeding and weaning is not consistently clear. Leaders understand that this is important and have plans to enhance this even further.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders are evaluative and committed to ongoing improvement to promote the best outcomes for all children. Their decisions about changes take account of the needs of children attending. Staff are involved and included, choosing resources that will support their key children, for instance. Leaders make adaptations where possible to help reduce barriers to their learning, making spaces for children to go to restore their sense of calm, for instance.

Leaders consider staff wellbeing and support their personal and professional lives and roles. Flexible work patterns support staff's home lives. Staff receive time to complete academic work, which helps to support their professional development. Professional development is discussed in regular coaching meetings. Leaders support staff's interests when sourcing training opportunities. Staff who are interested in supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities have taken courses to enhance their knowledge and understanding, for instance. Leaders work with local schools to manage transitions on to new settings smoothly for children. Relationships with families are well established. However, some aspects of the support offered to parents does not help to promote even more consistency in children's care and learning.