Swan Meadow Uppermill Private Day Nursery

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders and staff work in a close and positive partnership with parents right from the start to identify any additional needs which children may have. Leaders have a sharp focus on rapidly identifying any additional support or adaptations which children may need. They are pro-active in working with other professionals such as speech and language therapists or area special educational needs and disabilities coordinator in order to access additional support and professional advice. This ensures that leaders and staff plan a curriculum which successfully meets the needs of all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Leaders and staff thoughtfully tailor the curriculum for children who need additional support with their early language. For example, staff learn and use words in children's home language which supports children's emotional security and enables them to settle quickly.

Leaders and staff work in a close partnership with other agencies to access and signpost further support for children and families. For example, leaders signpost workshops for parents to support them to better understand children's behaviour. Additional funding is used carefully to support children to overcome any barriers to learning. Children benefit from additional resources and small group sessions. Leaders are rigorous in reviewing the impact of any additional funding or support. This ensures that all children benefit from consistently highly effective support for their learning.

Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard

Leaders and staff have worked together to develop an exciting and interesting curriculum which meets the needs of all children. Children with any additional needs benefit from a personalised curriculum broken down into smaller steps. Leaders gather detailed information about children's starting points and ensure that learning activities are sharply focussed on supporting all children to make their next steps.

Communication and language is at the heart of all learning in the nursery. The rooms buzz with chatter, laughter and interesting conversations. Staff skilfully engage all children, speaking slowly, introducing new vocabulary and giving children plenty of time to think about what has been said and to reply.

Children have great fun as they squeeze and shape play dough, developing their fine motor skills and the muscles in their hands. Staff encourage them to roll and shape the dough and to use the differently shaped cutters. Children and staff discuss the common shapes, such as circles and squares and the differences between them. This develops children's understanding of early mathematics well.

Babies benefit from warm and positive back and forth interactions and lots of conversations with staff. Babies laugh and clap, showing their enjoyment during a circle time activity with coloured scarves. They join in enthusiastically with the familiar rhymes and songs and giggle as they throw the scarves up into the air. These thoughtfully planned activities effectively support the development of children's physical skills and early communication and language.

Achievement: Strong standard

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) or barriers to their learning, develop a wide range of key skills and knowledge across the curriculum and achieve well from their starting points.

Children behave well and show a secure understanding of the expectations of the nursery. They build positive relationships and show an understanding of their own and other's feelings. Children display confidence and independence in their self-care skills. Younger children help themselves to a drink when they are thirsty and older children skilfully serve themselves at mealtimes.

Children display impressive physical skills in the outdoor space. They throw balls with accuracy and balance carefully when moving across a set of stepping stones. Children are confident when speaking to their friends and to adults in the nursery. Babies are able to make their needs known and older children are encouraged to make decisions about their learning and self-care, for example, whether they need to put a coat on when going outside. As a result, children are very well prepared for the next stage in their learning, including the move to school.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Leaders ensure that warm, trusting and respectful relationships are at the heart of everything in this nursery. There are clear expectations for children's behaviour, which are effectively communicated and well-understood by all children. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) or barriers to their learning benefit from thoughtful, personalised support for their behaviour. As a result, all children behave very well. They are relaxed, polite and thoroughly enjoy their time at the nursery.

Children show highly positive attitudes to learning. For example, they are highly focussed as they take part in an experiment. Children watch with anticipation, as staff help them to use a pipette to drop tiny drops of colour into jars of water. They are full of excitement as they discuss what they can see. Children listen intently and with great concentration as the jars are tapped, they are eager to discuss the different pitch of sounds that the jars make.

Children respond positively to the routines which leaders and staff have developed. Babies are relaxed and contented as they settle down to sleep, under the careful watch of staff. Older children wait politely at lunchtime as their friends serve themselves and pour their water. This demonstrates children's secure understanding of the routines and expectations in the nursery.

Leaders work with families to ensure regular attendance and punctuality. They monitor patterns closely in order to support children to engage consistently in their learning.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Leaders prioritise children's welfare and wellbeing by providing a supportive, caring and highly nurturing environment. Care practices meet children's individual needs effectively, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who are disadvantaged and those known to children's social care. Staff adapt routines and provide additional support where needed, for example, by supporting children to take part in mealtime routines with additional carefully chosen resources.

Children form secure relationships with the kind and caring staff. Babies enjoy lots of cuddles as they snuggle up to listen to a story with staff. Older children seek and are given reassurance and encouragement to try new things, or to take risks, such as balancing on the bikes in the outdoor area. This effectively supports children to develop their independence and self-confidence.

Staff support children to recognise and manage their emotions. They explore how children are feeling, using books and toys to teach the language of feelings in an age-appropriate way. Children develop a clear understanding of health, safety and wellbeing. They learn how to cross the road safely and know what to do if they are worried about something which they have seen online.

Healthy lifestyles are well promoted. Children benefit from the healthy and appetising meals cooked at the nursery, carefully planned by leaders and the nursery's cook. They discuss the vegetables in the sauce that they are eating at lunchtime and why it is important to drink plenty of water. This helps children to build healthy habits for their future.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders are highly committed to meeting the requirements of the early years foundation stage and improving outcomes for all children. They have an accurate understanding of the nursery's strengths and a sharp focus on any areas for development. They work in a positive partnership with leaders of other nurseries to share good practice and constantly challenge themselves to improve the already excellent practice in the nursery still further.

Leaders prioritise staff development through regular supervision and ongoing discussions about professional practice. Leaders have undertaken additional training to enable them to further support staff well-being. Staff report that that they appreciate initiatives such as the time set aside each week for 'tea and a chat' with leaders and that they enjoy being part of such a happy and supportive team. This support for staff professional growth and personal well-being ensures that the quality of teaching and care continues to develop and improve.

Leaders build effective partnerships with parents and external agencies. Parents are highly appreciative of the care and learning which takes place at the nursery. They describe staff and leaders as 'supportive and patient' and say that their children are happy, settled and making very secure progress. Well-planned transitions and strong links with other settings ensure children and families are well prepared and supported for their next move, such as starting school.