Sure Start Whitley Day Nursery

Inclusion: Strong standard

Staff work closely with parents from the start to understand what children know and can do. They use this information, alongside their own observations, to complete accurate initial assessments. This enables staff to identify delays in development quickly and put timely interventions in place. Leaders rigorously monitor children's progress and review the impact of support regularly. They adapt provision swiftly to ensure that interventions are effective, resulting in children making secure progress from their starting points. Leaders and staff take a highly consistent and proactive approach to supporting all children, including those who may face barriers to their education.

Leaders use funding effectively to meet children's individual needs and ensure any gaps in learning and development close quickly. They allocate resources for music and movement sessions, as well as one-to-one support where required. Staff access ongoing training, including about special educational needs, which helps them embed routines that meet children's specific needs. They apply this knowledge extremely well to strengthen communication and language development. When children struggle with daily routines, staff use picture timetables and one-to-one guidance to help them anticipate what will happen next. This reduces frustration, supports emotional regulation and helps children to feel secure and reassured.

Leaders and staff build strong partnerships with specialists who provide additional guidance when children need extra support. Staff proactively arrange for these professionals to visit the nursery and share effective strategies. They work with health visitors, speech and language therapists, and local authority advisers to ensure that expert approaches are understood and used consistently. Staff share these highly effective strategies with parents regularly so that support continues at home, strengthening children's progress.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders understand the curriculum they create for children. They know their community well and understand areas where the curriculum needs most focus. For instance, leaders and staff prioritise communication and language and promote healthy lifestyles across the nursery because they recognise these as areas where children may need the most support. Furthermore, a recent review of the mathematical curriculum has been used to help staff build on children's confidence in using mathematics purposefully in their play. Staff have high expectations for all children. including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They plan and create inclusive learning experiences that ignite children's curiosity. For instance, children, including those who are new to the nursery, are keen to join in with learning about tooth brushing. They join in and make friends, as staff recognise the social aspect these experiences offer.

Staff plan purposeful activities that strengthen children's speaking, listening and understanding. For instance, when staff sit with pre-schoolers, they introduce new vocabulary, such as the word 'snap' as children close their hands around their beanbag. However, at times, staff do not fully consider how to adapt and extend their teaching to engage children more deeply or to broaden their knowledge further. Sometimes, this limits opportunities for children to think more critically, explore ideas in greater depth and build a richer understanding.

Achievement: Expected standard

All children make progress from their starting points. Although staff do not always extend opportunities to broaden children's knowledge, children still make typical progress across all areas of the curriculum. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities benefit from the swift and highly effective interventions that staff put in place. These timely actions help to reduce gaps in their learning and development.

Children benefit from a curriculum that focuses clearly on the priorities for their learning. When children start behind in their communication and language skills, staff use targeted strategies that help them become confident communicators. For example, children count how many beanbags they need for an activity, work out the day of the week and choose books to read independently during their chosen play. These experiences strengthen their language, thinking and independence.

Children are well prepared for their transition to school. They build strong foundations for future learning, including secure communication skills and a genuine enjoyment of learning.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Staff create a positive environment where children feel valued and respected for their uniqueness. They build trusting bonds with children, helping them feel safe, secure and happy. Through daily routines, children learn the expectations of kindness, respect and cooperation. Staff understand the different ages and stages of the children they care for and use age-appropriate language to reinforce the shared nursery values. For example, at mealtimes, younger children take turns serving themselves and wait patiently for their friends to finish eating before leaving the table. Pre-school children help their newer friends set out resources for activities, smiling and welcoming their peers as they work together. Typically, children develop positive attitudes to learning. However, staff have not put clear rules and routines in place for some group times. At these times, some children do not show the listening and attention skills they demonstrate at other points in the day, which affects how fully they engage.

Leaders have effective procedures in place to monitor children's attendance. They make their expectations clear to parents before children start at the setting and follow the procedures in place to promote regular attendance. This means that where children are in receipt of additional funding, they benefit from consistency in their learning experiences, alongside their peers.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

The key-person system is embedded. This helps care practices, including at sleep times and mealtimes, to support children's individual needs. Warm, trusting relationships between children and key persons help all children, including those with special educational needs and those in receipt of additional funding, to feel safe and happy. It is evident in all that staff do that the welfare of children is given a high priority. Leaders and staff help children learn about the importance of being healthy and safe. For instance, children enjoy the nutritious meals and snacks that the nursery provides. Furthermore, children learn to plant, tend to and harvest fruits they grow, as staff teach them where these fruits originate. Staff encourage children to try new foods to broaden their palates. They share successes with parents to help continue children's learning about healthy foods at home.

On the whole, children develop an understanding of how to make healthy choices. For example, they learn positive oral-health habits through regular tooth brushing sessions with key staff. Staff model how to brush effectively and guide children to move the toothbrush accurately. However, at times, staff do not consider how to build on some self-care routines to help children learn about and follow good hygiene practices consistently. This limits children's opportunities to develop independence and deepen their understanding of how to look after themselves.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Children are at the heart of all decisions made at the nursery. Leaders know the children and families they work with well. Families feel welcomed and valued, and trusting relationships have formed between leaders, staff and parents. This supports children's well-being and enables open, honest discussions when needed. Leaders maintain strong partnerships with other agencies and professionals, ensuring children who face barriers to their learning receive timely support and intervention.

Leaders have a clear vision for the nursery and continue to embed some aspects of the provision. They recognise their role within the local community, and the positive feedback parents share reflects the strong relationships staff build with parents and carers. Leaders and staff share a commitment to giving all children the best start in life. Staff enjoy their roles and speak positively about the support they receive. Regular supervision sessions and guidance for staff taking on new responsibilities help them understand their roles clearly and contribute to the positive experiences children have each day. However, leaders are yet to fully embed the monitoring of staff practice. As a result, they do not always provide the precise support needed to ensure that highly effective teaching and high-quality interactions are consistently embedded across the nursery to meet children's needs.