Supernova Nursery and Early Years Learning

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders have created a welcoming nursery where children and their families feel valued. Staff work closely with parents from the beginning to understand each child's needs and identify anything that could affect their learning or well-being. This generally helps staff provide the right support from an early stage. Children who need extra help with their learning or development are generally identified quickly. Leaders work with parents and other professionals to plan support, review children's progress and adapt this as children's needs change. Staff understand how to help individual children take part in everyday nursery life and learning, and generally make appropriate adaptations to support children's participation. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are typically supported well to access activities alongside their peers and develop increasing confidence and independence.

Leaders also take positive steps to support families facing disadvantage. They typically help parents access any available funding and use additional funding to improve children's communication, early literacy and wider learning experiences. For example, children benefit from access to books, lending libraries and experiences that help broaden their understanding of the world. Children who speak English as an additional language receive effective support to help them settle, communicate and build confidence. Staff make use of home languages, visual prompts and close partnership working with families to support children's engagement and learning. As a result, children who face barriers to their learning are fully included in all aspects of nursery life ,and make progress from their starting points. Leaders are realistic in their evaluation of this relatively new provision and are are continuing to develop their systems to demonstrate the longer-term impact of their work on children's outcomes over time.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have planned a broad curriculum that reflects children's interests, experiences and the local community. Staff know children well and use what they know about each child to plan what they need to learn next. Children enjoy a wide range of activities that help them develop their communication, physical skills, early mathematics and understanding of the world. Children take part enthusiastically in their learning. Staff encourage them with plenty of praise and modelling, while everyday routines help children become increasingly independent and develop healthy habits. Activities are adapted so children with different needs can join in successfully. Teaching is generally effective but is not of the same quality across the nursery. Staff do not consistently build on children's own ideas or ask questions that encourage them to think more deeply. This means that opportunities to further deepen children's thinking and maximise learning are not always fully realised.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children make appropriate progress from their individual starting points and develop the knowledge and skills they will need in the future. Younger children become increasingly confident communicators through stories, songs and familiar routines. Older children use a growing vocabulary to share ideas, solve simple problems and enjoy conversations with adults and their friends. Children develop early mathematical skills as they count, compare, sort and recognise shapes during play. They enjoy books, mark making and creative activities that help prepare them for later reading and writing. Regular opportunities to be active indoors and outdoors help children develop their physical skills. Children become increasingly independent, resilient and confident. They develop the skills and attitudes that prepare them well for moving on to school or the next stage in their learning.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Children behave well because leaders ensure that staff have clear and consistent expectations. Children are kind to one another, learn to share and take turns, and typically develop positive friendships. As they grow in confidence, children increasingly manage their own behaviour. Staff support children to understand their feelings, use kind hands and listen to others during group activities. As they grow in confidence, children increasingly manage their own behaviour and begin to resolve any minor disagreements with support from adults. Children enjoy learning and show curiosity about the world around them. They stay engaged in activities, keep trying when things become difficult and take pride in what they achieve. Children typically demonstrate positive attitudes to learning and participate willingly in the experiences on offer. Staff encourage children to make choices, express their ideas and become confident learners.

Daily routines are well established and generally help children know what to expect throughout the day. Children respond positively to familiar routines, such as handwashing and transitions between activities. Waiting times are typically minimised and children move confidently between activities, becoming increasingly independent in managing their own needs, tidying away resources and following expectations. Leaders promote regular attendance and work closely with families to help ensure children can benefit from the experiences the nursery offers.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders have established appropriate systems and expectations that help staff promote children's safety, health and emotional security. Children's health and well-being are promoted effectively because staff know them and their families well. Staff understand children's individual care, medical and dietary needs and respond sensitively to their emotional and physical well-being needs. They work closely with parents and other professionals to ensure children receive consistent support. This helps children feel safe, secure and cared for. Children typically develop healthy habits through everyday routines. They wash their hands before meals, learn about good hygiene practices and are encouraged to make healthy choices. Staff talk with children about healthy foods, oral health and the importance of physical activity. Children have regular opportunities to play outdoors, develop their physical skills and access fresh air. Mealtimes are generally calm and well organised, helping children learn independence skills such as using cutlery, clearing away plates and managing personal care routines.

Staff are attentive to children's emotional well-being and generally support them to recognise and manage their feelings. Children receive reassurance when needed, benefit from warm and nurturing relationships with staff, and become increasingly resilient and emotionally secure. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those who may face additional barriers are typically well supported to access the provision alongside their peers through appropriate adaptations and individualised support. Staff work closely with parents and, where needed, other professionals to provide consistent care and support. Leaders also generally maintain effective oversight of safeguarding, staffing and welfare arrangements to help ensure children's needs are met. As a result, children feel safe, enjoy coming to nursery and are ready to learn.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders have established effective systems to support the day-to-day running of the nursery. They understand what the nursery does well and have correctly identified that improving the consistency of teaching is the next step in its development. They have created a welcoming, inclusive environment where positive relationships with families and other professionals help support children's learning and wellbeing. Leaders have appropriate arrangements in place for safeguarding, recruitment, staff supervision and professional development. Staff say they feel supported and have regular opportunities to discuss their work. Leaders monitor practice through observations, supervision and day-to-day discussions. They have started to strengthen teaching through coaching and ongoing professional development for all staff. Leaders' monitoring systems are not yet precise enough to check that this support is leading to consistently high-quality teaching across the nursery. As a result, children do not always benefit from the same quality of learning experiences. Leaders meet their statutory responsibilities. Children attend a safe, welcoming nursery where leaders continue to build on secure foundations to improve the quality of education.