Sunnyhill Day Nursery Limited

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders have high expectations for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and identify any developmental gaps and/or needs early. They know their children and families well, including those who are disadvantaged or speak English as an additional language. When children start, staff gather baseline assessments to ensure they clearly understand the children's starting points. They review the children's progress regularly. Support is put in place quickly and adjusted as it is required. This ensures that children's needs are addressed and helps all children make the best possible progress.

Leaders work closely with external professionals, including speech and language therapists, paediatricians and educational psychologists. They follow specialist advice carefully and adapt teaching and routines to meet individual needs. Children with SEND receive highly targeted support and leaders use additional funding effectively to reduce barriers and improve access to learning. For example, leaders arrange staffing so that children with SEND receive one-to-one support when needed. This helps children take part in activities, fully ensuring that they can access the full curriculum alongside their peers. Staff receive specialist training, including training to support children with specific medical or feeding needs. As a result, children feel included, valued and able to access the full curriculum.

Staff use highly effective communication strategies. They model language clearly and offer visual cues so children understand what they are asking of them. They support non-verbal children to make choices and help them to communicate preferences. For example, staff present 2 pictures or objects, such as snack options and toys. Children point and reach to photos to communicate their preferences. Bilingual staff help families who speak Urdu or Polish and use simple home language words to support children when they first start.

Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard

Leaders design a broad and ambitious curriculum that reflects the setting's context. They serve a community with high levels of deprivation and many children who speak English as an additional language. Leaders sequence learning clearly from babies through to pre-school so knowledge and skills build progressively over time. Core books sit at the centre of the curriculum and provide clear progression across rooms. Leaders use a structured six-week cycle to review what children know and can do. They observe practice regularly and review children's progress to evaluate how effectively the curriculum is implemented. Leaders use this information to provide precise and accurate staff training, which strengthens teaching. The fully embedded curriculum covers all areas of learning within the early years foundation stage and helps children develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed for their next stage of learning.

Staff demonstrate secure knowledge of child development and consistently prioritise communication and language. They model vocabulary, repeat key phrases and give children time to respond. Trained staff deliver the 'Early Talk Boost' programme through small-group storytelling, games and structured activities. As a result, children confidently use new vocabulary in their play and conversations. Staff also fully embed mathematical language in everyday play. Children are confident to apply number and size vocabulary during independent play and when problem-solving with their friends.

Leaders prioritise physical development within the curriculum. Staff embed this through daily outdoor learning and well-established routines that develop children's strength, coordination, independence and self-regulation. As a result, children move confidently and manage physical challenges during play.

Achievement: Strong standard

Leaders prioritise the key foundations of children's development, including communication and language, physical development and building children's personal, social and emotional development. Babies form strong attachments, explore confidently and begin to imitate sounds and respond to repeated language. They strengthen their physical skills through crawling and pulling to stand. Toddlers listen carefully, follow instructions and sustain engagement during stories and sensory play. They use mathematical language, such as 'big, small' and number names in their play and match objects to story themes.

Pre-school children recognise letters, identify their names and recall repeated story phrases. They re-enact familiar stories using props. For example, when acting out 'The Three Little Pigs' they remember the order of events and confidently introduce characters, such as the wolf. Children repeat familiar phrases, including 'I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house down' and 'Not by the hair of my chinny chin chin.' Children sustain high levels of concentration and move calmly between active play and group learning. They show pride in their achievements and speak confidently with adults and visitors.

Across the setting, children develop independence. They wash hands, serve meals, manage toileting and follow routines confidently. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities participate alongside their peers. They communicate using gestures, early sounds or emerging words and show the best progress from their starting points. Children gain the knowledge and skills they need and prepare well for the next stage of learning.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Leaders create a warm, safe and welcoming environment where children thrive. Clear routines and well-organised spaces help children feel secure and confident. Staff provide daily opportunities for outdoor learning and purposeful play. They respond sensitively to children's changing needs and provide consistently nurturing care. Each child has a key person who builds strong relationships with them and their families. Babies and young children settle quickly and confidently seek reassurance from familiar adults when needed. These secure attachments help children feel safe, develop confidence and engage fully in their learning.

Staff consistently teach children how to behave positively and develop strong social skills. They act as positive role models and demonstrate kindness, respect and calm communication in their interactions. Staff help children recognise and understand their feelings and explain how their behaviour may affect others. Clear routines and expectations help children understand what staff expect of them. For example, at mealtimes children wait patiently, pass bowls to their friends and use polite language. When disagreements occur, staff guide children to talk through the problem and find solutions together. As a result, children show empathy, cooperate well with others and increasingly regulate their own behaviour. They demonstrate growing independence and take responsibility for their actions.

Children show positive attitudes to learning. They listen attentively during stories, sustain concentration during activities and take pride in their achievements. Staff recognise and praise children's efforts, which builds confidence and perseverance. Leaders monitor attendance carefully and work with families to remove barriers. As a result, children attend regularly and develop positive habits that prepare them well for school.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Leaders place children's welfare and wellbeing at the centre of their work. They implement robust safeguarding policies and review them regularly to ensure they remain effective. Secure entry systems and daily risk assessments maintain a safe environment. Leaders complete detailed individual risk assessments for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and share these with all staff, so everyone understands how to support children safely and consistently.

Staff follow clear and consistent hygiene routines. They meet babies' sleeping, feeding and personal care needs with care and sensitivity. Staff explain what they are doing before providing personal care and ask children's permission, ensuring they respect children's dignity. This respectful approach helps children feel secure, valued and well cared for.

Children develop strong independence in managing their own needs. They wash their hands, use the toilet and serve their own meals with confidence. Staff actively promote healthy lifestyles through daily routines and learning experiences. For example, they talk with children about nutritious foods during mealtimes, encourage them to try new foods and explain how food helps their bodies grow strong. Staff provide daily opportunities for energetic outdoor play, where children run, climb, balance and practise large movements. Leaders work closely with parents to promote healthy routines at home and support children's wellbeing.

The key-person system works highly effectively. Children form warm, secure attachments with familiar adults and confidently seek reassurance when needed. Staff provide structured and responsive settling-in arrangements that help children feel emotionally secure. Leaders promptly identify children who need additional support and work with parents and professionals to plan targeted help. As a result, children feel safe, develop confidence and show a strong sense of belonging within the setting.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders maintain a precise understanding of the quality of teaching and children's learning. They review practice regularly and act quickly to strengthen provision where needed. Through precise coaching, supervision and targeted training, leaders help staff refine their teaching. As a result, staff deliver the curriculum consistently and children benefit from high-quality learning experiences.

Leaders are highly reflective and embed a six-week 'stop, pause and reflect' cycle to support continual improvement. This dedicated time allows staff to review children's learning, reflect on what works well and identify what children need next. Staff then adjust activities, resources and environments to provide meaningful enhancements to learning. This reflective approach helps ensure children receive well-planned and highly engaging learning opportunities.

Leaders have strong partnerships with parents and external professionals. They share clear information about children's progress and next steps and provide guidance to help families extend learning at home. Close links with the community and the presence of bilingual staff help families feel welcomed and involved in their children's learning. Leaders also deploy funding strategically to support children who need it most. They provide targeted one-to-one support and carefully plan provision for disadvantaged children and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. As a result, these children access the full curriculum and receive the support they need to participate fully and make the best progress. Through clear direction, thoughtful use of resources and ongoing staff development, leaders maintain high standards of education and care across the provision.