St. Aidan's Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The care and attention given to every child at this calm and inclusive nursery is exemplary. The highly personalised approach to transition helps children to quickly build loving bonds with the staff, who know them exceptionally well. Staff prioritise children's emotional well-being. They frequently ask children how they are feeling and teach them to understand the feelings of others. Children replicate this in their play as they ask the toy animals if they are scared and offer reassurance that they will be cared for. All children demonstrate that they feel safe and secure.

Leaders and staff have designed a bespoke curriculum based on their in-depth knowledge of each child's individual next steps. Leaders work closely with parents to create a shared vision of what they intend each child to be able to know and do. Staff consistently make use of their interactions with children to extend their learning. For instance, staff encourage children to consider how tall the bridge they are making will need to be in relation to the size of the vehicles travelling under it. Children confidently make comparisons and predict how many more bricks they will need. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make significant and rapid progress in their development.

Children consistently live up to staff's high expectations of their behaviour. Staff teach children the reasons that the rules and routines are in place. Children sensitively explain how they help to keep each other safe. Staff expertly support children to develop their resilience. For example, as items get stuck in a net, staff pose questions to encourage children to find out why. Children persevere until they find a solution. Children demonstrate extremely positive attitudes to learning.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

• Leaders are ambitious for all children and are committed to ensuring that every child is well prepared for the next stage of their education. They promote the importance of regular attendance so that all children, including those who are vulnerable, can make high levels of progress and form good habits for future learning.
• The provision for children with SEND is outstanding. Leaders are tenacious in accessing support for these children. Staff receive targeted training, advice and support from a range of professionals. They have the knowledge and expertise to ensure that all children's individual needs are met. All children, including those with SEND, access an ambitious curriculum and make significant progress from their starting points.
• Staff consistently use their interactions with children to promote their communication and language development. They expertly weave new vocabulary into children's play. For example, staff explain the difference between a spade and spoon as babies use tools to dig in the sand. Staff are highly skilled at using picture cues and actions to support the introduction of language for children who need additional support. This helps children to make rapid progress in their language development and to quickly become confident communicators.
• Reading is placed at the heart of this nursery. Children gasp in amazement as staff read to children in a way that ignites their joy of stories. Children ask poignant questions and make connections with other books that they have read. Babies focus intently for long periods as stories are read to them. They confidently turn the pages and point to the pictures. Older children proudly show staff when they identify letters from their own names in the text and the environment. The highly effective curriculum for literacy is embedded across the nursery.
• Leaders have a comprehensive overview of the quality of the provision. They are highly reflective and relentless in their drive for continuous improvement. This includes ensuring that the environment effectively supports every child to achieve the very best outcomes. For example, the recent addition of a 'sensory shed' alongside targeted training for staff, has had a significant impact on helping children to manage their own emotions. Leaders and staff are dedicated to maintaining and continuing to build on the already excellent provision at the nursery.
• Equality and diversity are skilfully woven through all areas of the nursery. Leaders work closely with families to help children to understand and to celebrate the similarities and differences between their own family and others. They actively seek out opportunities for children to learn about cultural differences. Children speak confidently and positively about valuing each other's differences.
• Leaders ensure that any additional funding is used to precisely target children's gaps in learning. Staff meticulously analyse the impact of this to ensure that all children make substantial and sustained progress.