The Old Station Nursery, Mottershead Drive

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders and staff identify children's needs promptly and accurately through assessments and working with parents and other professionals. They work in partnership with parents and other professionals, sharing information effectively so that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported. Leaders involve staff and parents to ensure that additional funding is targeted well for children's needs to close gaps in learning and improve outcomes for all children. Leaders and staff plan transitions throughout the nursery well for children and their families. For example, they provide information sheets to help children and their families to become familiar with the staff who will be caring for them. Parents say that they help them and their children to be prepared for moving to another room. Leaders arrange additional visits when needed and invite professionals in to review the environment to ensure that they are best meeting the children's needs. This inclusive approach ensures children feel valued and supported. Leaders and staff gather information regarding children's cultures and the languages they speak at home. However, they do not consistently use this information as effectively as possible to target support for children who speak English as an additional language.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Since the last inspection, leaders have strengthened staff understanding of the curriculum so that learning opportunities are more purposeful and well focused. Staff place a strong emphasis on stories and reading. They create cosy spaces and share stories regularly, helping children develop a love of books and to develop early literacy skills. Staff observe children closely, identify their needs and plan activities that build on what children already know and can do. This keeps children motivated, interested and engaged in their learning. Staff work effectively with parents and external professionals, ensuring children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities receive consistent care and targeted support so they can thrive alongside their peers. Staff know the children well and respond sensitively to their emotional and developmental needs, helping children feel safe, secure and valued. There is a degree of inconsistency in the quality of support leaders provide to help the least experienced or confident staff to model language as they play alongside children. This results in times when, throughout the nursery, children do not receive the best possible encouragement to engage in meaningful conversations.

Achievement: Expected standard

All children progress well from their starting points and gaps in their knowledge close swiftly. Children develop confidence in their own abilities, helping to develop their independence. They learn to manage tasks for themselves and show pride in what they can do. Even the youngest children eagerly feed themselves and practise using cutlery at mealtimes. Older children confidently try new challenges and persevere when tasks feel difficult. They are able to apply the skills they develop in their lives outside of the nursery. Overall, children develop the skills, knowledge and behaviours they need to prepare them for the next stage of their education

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Children behave well and show kindness and respect towards others. Leaders and staff set clear boundaries, which helps children understand what is expected of them and supports a calm and positive environment. Staff act as positive role models and reinforce good behaviour through praise and gentle guidance. Leaders and staff recognise when children struggle to manage their feelings and behaviour and, overall, they support this effectively for older children. They help older children name their emotions, use strategies to calm themselves and resolve conflicts with support. As a result, older children usually manage their behaviour with confidence. Younger children sometimes find it hard to understand and regulate their emotions, due to their age and stage of development. Although staff support these children to share and show kindness to their friends, they do not consistently focus as well as possible on helping them to learn how to manage their feelings.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders and staff recognise the importance of building strong relationships with children and their families from the start of their journey into nursery, they use the key-person system well to create a secure base. Key persons build warm, positive relationships with babies and children, enabling them to form secure attachments. Staff respond to children's needs and provide reassurance, comfort and encouragement throughout the day. This emotional support helps children feel safe, confident and ready to explore their environment. Staff follow clear routines for babies and work closely with parents to gather detailed information and agree routines together so that care remains consistent between home and the nursery. This partnership helps babies settle quickly and feel secure as they develop trust in the adults caring for them.

Leaders and staff promote healthy lifestyles. They provide nutritious, balanced meals and ensure children spend plenty of time outdoors, benefiting from fresh air and regular physical exercise. Children learn about keeping their bodies healthy through daily routines and from the positive role modelling of staff. Staff implement good procedures to support hygiene practices. They teach children to wash their hands regularly and manage personal care routines. Through routines and positive guidance, staff help children develop healthy habits that support their wellbeing and independence.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Since the last inspection, leaders and staff have worked hard to make the necessary improvements. Leaders maintain a good oversight of the provision and accurately recognise areas they need to continue to develop. For example, they are refining routines to better support children and make the best use of available space to prevent disruption to learning. Staff feel valued and speak positively about the leadership and the overall running of the nursery. Leaders and staff build strong partnerships with parents. Parents report that communication is clear and effective, and they feel fully involved in their children's care and learning. Leaders include parents in decisions that impact their children, such as how additional funding is used to benefit the children's learning. Leaders also support parents by signposting them to activities and services within the local community.

Recent training has increased staff confidence in procedures, and leaders monitor practice closely to have an oversight of the practice within the nursery. Overall, leaders support staff well and ensure that their workloads are manageable. They provide support for new staff through inductions, guidance and regular supervision. However, leaders do not always monitor precisely enough to notice when some staff would benefit from more support and coaching to develop their skills in promoting children's language.