The Gillingham Nursery

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders are dedicated to offering inclusive care. They successfully strategize the use of additional funding to establish sensory and calming environments that cater to the unique needs of children and to facilitate further training for staff. Leaders effectively monitor the outcomes of these interventions to ensure that they are adequately addressing the children's individual needs.

Managers provide support to staff in understanding the graduated approach and how to identify and refer concerns about children. The setting ensures that there is effective collaboration with parents when addressing any concerns about children's learning and development. Staff demonstrate a firm understanding of the individual needs of children and the action they are taking to support progress, including when children have special educational needs and/or disabilities or speak English as an additional language.

Regular assessments assist staff in quickly recognising any barriers to children's learning. Furthermore, leaders have built strong and effective connections with local professionals and partners to ensure that children and families receive the necessary support to help close developmental gaps. As a result of their effective interventions and referrals, all children are making progress from their starting points.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

The curriculum is thoughtfully planned to enhance every aspect of learning, both indoors and outdoors. Staff have a clear understanding of the curriculum and how to put this into practice. They plan efficiently to support children's individual needs. Staff also make necessary adjustments to ensure that every child, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or other barriers to their learning, can learn and achieve consistent progress. However, the physical opportunities for the youngest children are lacking. This can sometimes lead to moments of frustration for babies when they do not have the resources to cruise and pull themselves up to a standing position. However, leaders have recognised this issue and are working on strategies to address it.

A strength of the curriculum is its emphasis on language and communication and children's personal social and emotional development. From an early age, staff use sign language to support children's communication skills. Staff provide a language-rich environment where children show delight at looking at and reading familiar books with staff. Furthermore, staff working with the youngest children ensure that they position themselves so babies can see their facial movements. Staff babble back to babies to introduce the concept of a conversation.

Staff are skilled at introducing mathematical ideas to children. For the youngest, this begins with staff demonstrating language related to shapes and numbers. As children progress through the setting, they begin to investigate concepts such as weight and size. For instance, children demonstrate their understanding of scales by using terms such as 'heavy' and 'light'.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who speak English as an additional language, progress in the 7 areas of learning. Pre-school children demonstrate skills in collaboration, negotiation and turn-taking with their peers. These abilities will aid them as they transition to school.

Children demonstrate a 'can-do' attitude. They demonstrate their autonomy as they make decisions, for example, to move play outdoors. Children persevere at tasks, bringing friends in to support them. They show excellent levels of concentration at succeeding in what they set out to do.

Children, including those with SEND, make progress from their starting points. Where children speak English as an additional language and where children have gaps in learning, these gaps typically close, and children make progress alongside their peers.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders hold high expectations for every child. Staff consistently show kindness and are prompt in reminding children about the significance of being kind to their friends. They consider the children's ages and abilities when establishing expectations. For instance, staff have implemented sand timers to assist children in learning how to share and take turns. They have noted the positive effects this has had, as children are now using this method independently to manage their play.

Staff and children have formed strong and trusting bonds. For example, the youngest children who are separating from their parents for the first time show delight when they see a trusted adult in the room. Children regularly approach staff for comfort or support and often invite staff into their play.

The daily routines are clearly defined. This helps children to feel secure, as they know what to expect next. Staff are always ready to modify these routines if children indicate a need for something different. For instance, when children demonstrate that they are prepared for a more active experience, the staff will promptly discuss this with them and move their playtime outdoors.

Children are provided with valuable opportunities to discover more about their peers, including their similarities and differences. The staff team is culturally diverse, and this diversity is shared with the children to enhance their understanding of the community around them.

Leaders collaborate with parents to promote attendance and highlight the advantages of children attending regularly.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders understand the challenges faced by families. They are responsive to individual circumstances and offer advice and guidance where needed to help. They provide flexible sessions to help parents return to work and signpost families, to further support them. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are offered tailored support, and this is monitored effectively by managers to ensure that children make positive progress.

Staff assist children in learning how to handle their own personal safety. For instance, staff who work with babies make sure they receive help when using the new climbing frame and educate them on how to take safe risks. Pre-school children are taught the rules of the setting and come to understand that these rules exist to ensure everyone's safety. Staff also motivate children to explore their emotions. They offer guidance when helping children understand the effects of their actions. This support enables children to identify, express and effectively manage their feelings.

The key-person system is well embedded. Children have secure relationships with their key person and with other staff who care for them. Staff have a secure knowledge of children across the setting. They speak confidently about the children's interests, preferences, dislikes and the next steps in their development.

Collaborating with parents allows staff to collect vital information regarding each child's unique requirements. When children have allergies or specific medical needs, this information is communicated to ensure that they receive the necessary support and remain safe.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders have a clear and ambitious plan for supporting continual progress. They offer a curriculum that supports children to be independent, learning through creativity and exploration in the setting's well-planned and well-equipped indoor and outdoor spaces. Leaders know the families attending and the local community.

Leaders demonstrate their ability to correctly identify the strengths of the setting and any areas for improvement. They are currently working with staff who care for the youngest children to ensure that they communicate with each other effectively to enable all children's needs to be consistently met. There have been some recent staffing changes in the room. These have had a positive impact, but leaders recognise there is more to be done to ensure complete consistency.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face disadvantage benefit from managers and staff who are hard-working and committed to their roles. Partnerships with parents are positive. They appreciate the advice and guidance they receive to help them understand early education and to access additional funding and support. Supervision arrangements are in place to ensure that staff have opportunities to discuss their key children and any concerns and receive support. Staff report that they are happy and fulfilled in their jobs, and feel they can approach managers at any time.

There are robust systems established for safer recruitment, and leaders provide secure induction, supervision and mentoring for staff. Additionally, staff gain from coaching and peer support to enhance their knowledge and exchange skills. Staff express that they feel well supported and appreciated. Training is effective, and staff communicate what they have learned with other colleagues and parents. For instance, recent safeguarding training resulted in staff designing posters for parents to highlight the support available in the local community for them to utilise.