The Playhouse

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders and staff ensure that all children, particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, receive carefully tailored support that enables them to succeed academically, socially and emotionally. Children's individual needs are identified quickly through baseline assessments, detailed observations and ongoing monitoring, allowing early and precise interventions. Leaders take deliberate action to remove barriers to learning, including providing small-group support, personalised learning plans, adapted resources and environmental adjustments that meet each child's needs. For example, children have access to quiet, cosy spaces with lights and textures to meet their sensory needs. Staff are highly trained in measuring children's progress in small steps, where needed. They work closely with families and external professionals to provide consistent, effective and coordinated support. Leaders regularly review children's progress and the impact of interventions, adapting strategies to ensure every child continues to make secure progress. Additional funding is used strategically to provide enrichment activities, additional staff training and targeted resources, enabling disadvantaged children to access the full curriculum and thrive. As a result, all children are confident, motivated and engaged. Leaders have built a culture of inclusion and high expectations where every child is empowered to achieve their potential.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders design and amend the broad and balanced curriculum that builds on what children know and can do. Staff have a secure understanding of the curriculum's intent as children progress and prepare for school. Teaching is typically of high quality, with staff supporting children's curiosity, independence and engagement in learning. Staff use their knowledge of child development to plan meaningful experiences that meet children's individual needs, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or who face barriers to learning. Staff use ongoing assessment to identify children's starting points and adapt experiences to support their next steps.

Staff provide balls and baskets to support babies' throwing skills, coordination, spatial awareness and control. Staff promote communication and language effectively. During story sessions, they introduce and model new vocabulary, encouraging children to repeat words and join in with familiar phrases. Babies begin to combine words as they recall favourite stories. Language is extended well through play. For example, older children learn the word 'reverse' and apply it meaningfully as they ride bicycles, calling out, 'Be careful, I am reversing!'

Overall, the curriculum for physical development is thoughtfully sequenced. Staff plan for children to progress from pushing along on scooters to pedalling and then riding bicycles. However, some aspects of practice limit how well this happens. For example, the environment is not always well considered to support babies' early physical development. Additionally, children wear wellies to enable outdoor play in all weathers, which restricts their movement and makes climbing and pedalling more difficult. Occasionally, resources are not prepared well enough to support the intended learning. For example, pencils are not sharpened and some children are unable to use the scissors provided. This reduces opportunities for children to fully develop the planned skills.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children generally make steady progress from their individual starting points. Their communication and language skills are well developed. Babies begin to say single words and quickly progress to combining words and joining in with familiar stories and songs. Older children speak confidently, use new vocabulary and express their ideas clearly during play and daily routines.

Disadvantaged children and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities make positive progress. All children develop key skills, including attention, communication and independence.

Children are typically well prepared for their next stage of learning, including school. They develop independence in managing personal care, following routines and making choices. Children show confidence, curiosity and resilience, providing them with secure foundations for future learning.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Children demonstrate exemplary behaviour and consistently positive attitudes to learning. Older children respond promptly to visual cues to stop and listen, lining up sensibly for lunch and following routines with confidence and independence. When toddlers wake from their lunchtime sleep, other children show genuine empathy as they offer toys and gently comfort them. Children actively include one another in their play, asking, 'Would you like to play?' They demonstrate kindness, respect and a sense of belonging. Visual timetables and consistent routines help children understand what is happening now and what will happen next. This supports them to feel emotionally secure, manage transitions calmly and regulate their feelings successfully.

Children show high levels of curiosity and persistence. They approach challenges with enthusiasm and confidence, developing their problem-solving skills through meaningful play. For example, during outdoor obstacle course activities, children cooperate to move large tyres safely, listen carefully to each other's ideas and work together to achieve their goal. This supports their collaboration, resilience and critical thinking.

Mealtimes are calm, sociable occasions where staff sit alongside children, encouraging conversation about healthy foods and modelling positive social skills. Children follow hygiene routines and develop independence. Leaders place emphasis on attendance and punctuality. They monitor patterns closely and work in partnership with families to support consistent attendance. As a result, children feel safe and valued and demonstrate excellent behaviour and highly positive attitudes to learning.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Children settle very quickly in this warm and friendly nursery. Staff know children and their families well and adapt care to suit health needs, emotions and home routines. For example, some children receive extra reassurance on arrival, while others quickly join in play. There is regular communication with parents and carers to share updates from home about things that children may need support with. The key-person system is well embedded and supports children in meeting developmental milestones effectively. Staff provide an individually targeted approach to intimate care routines for younger children, fostering trusting relationships. Staff treat children with respect. They talk in calm voices, seek the views of children whenever possible and show them genuine care and affection. Staff demonstrate that they are highly responsive to children's cues, providing comfort and reassurance when needed while sensitively encouraging children's independence. This contributes towards an environment where children feel safe and happy.

Children are supported to understand their personal safety, health and wellbeing. For example, staff talk with children about riding bicycles safely outside and remind them to look and listen as they practise crossing the road during their play. Transitions are very supportive for all children and are adapted to their needs. Staff recognise that some children need a staggered approach to help them settle into the next room.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders demonstrate ongoing commitment to providing high-quality education and care. They have an accurate understanding of the setting's strengths and areas for development and take effective action to improve provision. For example, leaders regularly review the use of additional funding to support disadvantaged children and help close gaps in their learning. They have identified areas to strengthen the learning environment and are taking appropriate steps to improve consistency in teaching and care. Leaders work effectively with external professionals and agencies to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those facing barriers to their learning or wellbeing. This ensures children and families receive timely and appropriate support.

Partnerships with parents and carers are highly positive. Parents describe the nursery as 'like a family' and praise the nurturing, welcoming staff. They value regular communication and support, including updates, lending libraries and advice to support learning at home. Parents of children with SEND say staff know their children extremely well and help them feel safe, settled and happy. Leaders support staff wellbeing through supervision, training and professional development.