Strawberry Fields Nursery

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders have secure knowledge of assessing children's emerging needs and are proactive in working with external professionals to ensure they receive timely and appropriate support. Parents and carers express genuine appreciation for the guidance they receive and frequently highlight the progress they observe at home since their children joined the nursery. Children who speak English as an additional language are supported effectively to develop key vocabulary that helps them settle and begin their learning journey. All staff wear lanyards displaying keywords and visual cues to represent daily routines and basic phrases that children can use to express their needs. Most staff use this inclusive strategy consistently, which typically helps children feel secure and understand what to expect throughout the day.

Leaders design a curriculum that celebrates cultural diversity and promotes children's understanding of British values. Staff plan activities that encourage children to recognise similarities and differences through self-reflection, such as looking in the mirror and discussing variations in skin tone. However, some staff are more confident than others in extending these concepts in meaningful ways, which reduces their overall learning impact for all children. The nursery organises events where parents are invited to share how they celebrate cultural festivals at home. Parents' feedback highlights their children's growing enthusiasm for a wider range of foods, such as chicken curry, since joining the setting. As a result, children develop mutual respect and tolerance for one another and demonstrate polite, kind behaviour.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have thoughtfully designed a curriculum, selecting a carefully considered topic each term. This helps guide staff in planning the environment and engaging activities. For example, the topic 'all about me' has led staff to create an effective sequence of routines and activities to support children with toilet training. They use dolls and potties to model toileting for new starters, while providing more advanced creative experiences that teach older children about self-care skills. As a result, children sustain their interest in developing independence and are well prepared for their transition to school. However, recent staff changes mean that not all staff know their key children's developmental needs well enough to plan focused, purposeful experiences. This reduces the consistency and impact of some teaching and learning.

Expressive vocabulary and mathematical language are seamlessly embedded within planned activities and daily routines. During a cutting activity using coloured spaghetti, children choose whether they want to create 'long' or 'short', 'wavy' or 'straight' hair. This helps them make meaningful connections to real-life experiences and prompts rich conversation about what happens to cut hair. Staff demonstrate creativity in their planning. However, they are not consistently clear about how activities link to their key children's next steps in learning. The outdoor curriculum meets the age-specific needs of all children. Children engage for extended periods in the outdoor play kitchen, pretending to bake, gathering ingredients and using imaginative language such as 'mixer' to describe preparing their mixture. Staff typically extend learning purposefully by suggesting different flavourings children could add, deepening children's understanding and creativity.

Achievement: Expected standard

Most children form warm, trusting relationships with staff and their peers. They enthusiastically participate in group singing and dancing activities. The youngest children step forward with confidence to choose a musical instrument or colourful handkerchief and dance to the music. Children listen well and follow instructions, such as putting resources away before moving on to the next activity. They swiftly inform an adult if they notice a broken toy on the floor. Overall, children learn to respect their environment and are mindful of risks to safety.

Children demonstrate age-appropriate levels of independence in eating and self-care. Older children use a knife and fork to eat their lunch, supporting their readiness for school. All children move around the nursery with ease, and early walkers begin to take first steps to keenly keep up with older peers. Children thoroughly enjoy group reading sessions, using resources and expressive visual actions to bring the stories to life. They repeat phrases and key words with enthusiasm. Younger children are equally excited by the reactions of their older peers as they are by the story itself.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Children are generally supported well to develop positive attitudes to learning and to engage confidently with both indoor and outdoor activities. They mostly move smoothly between tasks and demonstrate sustained independent play. Staff's calm, gentle and kind approach helps children feel safe, secure and ready to learn. Children show kindness towards one another and enjoy playing cooperatively. Staff typically understand children's individual preferences and adapt routines accordingly. For instance, children who do not wish to sleep at nursery are offered alternative engaging activities, such as spending time in the garden. As a result, children benefit from learning both independently and within group activities.

Incidents of poor behaviour are generally managed well. Staff teach children the consequences of their actions. For example, when children step on toys, they are promptly reminded that the toys may break. Staff recognise when children are feeling anxious and respond swiftly, offering appropriate distractions that help them regulate and continue positively with their day. Overall, children participate well in planned activities. However, on occasion, some children are not consistently supported to remain focused, which limits deeper involvement and learning.

Leaders have established a culture of punctuality and regular attendance. Daily attendance is closely monitored, and parents and carers understand the expectations for reporting absence or late arrival. Staff contact parents promptly if they have not notified the setting of their child's absence.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Staff greet children warmly each morning, creating a calm and welcoming start to the day. Their flexible and sensitive approach means that even children who feel emotional when separating from their parents and carers settle quickly. As a result, parents feel reassured that their children are safe, cared for and well supported. Staff use visual aids effectively to help children understand daily routines and to express their emotions when they feel upset. This is particularly beneficial for younger children and those who face additional learning barriers. Leaders promote regular attendance and work closely with parents to emphasise the importance of consistent routines for children's learning and future success. The positive impact of this approach is evident in the progress made by children with additional needs and those who face other barriers.

Staff manage allergens and dietary requirements through clear procedures, including the use of separate utensils and clear labelling to help when serving meals. All staff demonstrate secure knowledge of children's individual dietary needs, ensuring they remain safe. Staff sit strategically among children at mealtimes to maintain close supervision. Children are mostly supervised well to self-serve their food and drink, although the level of oversight varies at times. Older children develop school readiness skills by using a knife and fork to eat their lunch, while younger children practise eating independently with a spoon. Staff remind children about choking hazards and encourage them to take small bites. Sleep routines are managed safely and consistently, with all staff adhering to clear procedures to keep children safe during rest times.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

The nursery has experienced challenges in recruiting staff, which has created uncertainty about its future. Parents and carers are aware of the difficulties the setting faces but praise the positive changes introduced in recent months. With the addition of new management and room staff, the beginnings of greater stability have been noted. Leaders actively seek the views of parents and staff to identify the nursery's strengths and some areas for development. They have planned a series of actions, including additional professional development for the whole team, to address some identified weaknesses.

Leaders prioritise providing high-quality care and learning for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those facing other barriers to learning. Parents and carers are particularly complimentary about the progress their children have made, especially children with SEND and those who speak English as an additional language. However, parents are not always aware of their children's next steps for development, and communication from staff and leaders is not always clear.

Leaders prioritise staff wellbeing and have made progress in helping staff manage their workload while identifying areas for individual professional development. Regular staff meetings and supervision have raised morale, and staff describe feeling part of a supportive team. All staff have completed a series of training sessions on recent changes to statutory early years guidance. However, some weaknesses in practice remain, particularly in setting clear next steps for key children and communicating these effectively to parents to support learning at home.