Tops Day Nursery

Inclusion: Expected standard

Children's needs are appropriately identified and assessed. Staff complete careful assessments when children start at the setting and use these to inform their planning for each child. They work closely with parents and carers to identify children's needs. Leaders take action to reduce potential barriers to learning. For example, they work with parents to support behaviour management at home, so that their approach is consistent.

Leaders monitor progress and are starting to review this so that children's developing needs are, generally, well met. However, at times, targets for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are not reviewed regularly enough. This means they are not consistently adapted to ensure support can be tailored to meet children's changing needs. Leaders work with wider agencies and specialists to increase support where this is needed. They liaise regularly with social workers to ensure that children known to social care are well supported.

Staff generally receive suitable training to help them support children, such as in effective behaviour management. They typically plan their teaching to match children's needs. For example, they spend time reading familiar books with small groups of children each day and see the impact this has on their communication skills. Leaders and staff ensure that additional funding is spent well and monitor the impact this has.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have appropriate oversight and a thoughtful approach to the curriculum, which staff understand well. All children are included and their interests are reflected in the setting. Staff plan teaching that is matched to their knowledge of the children. For example, staff build on children's recent holiday experiences, through imaginative play travelling on an pretend aeroplane. This builds children's knowledge of the world around them.

Staff prioritise physical development across the setting. Babies climb and pull themselves up on suitable furniture. Older children climb and jump with confidence. Staff support and encourage adventurous movement both indoors and outside. Staff weave mathematics into learning throughout the day. For instance, pre-school children measure block towers with a ruler and babies search for shapes in paper strips. Toddlers use mathematical language, such as 'under', and 'over', when playing with a giant parachute.

Children show a real love of books. They often choose to share these with staff and each other, reciting key phrases from their favourites. While staff use communication as a tool to support children's progress, at times, children are not engaged in conversation or spoken to with purpose. This means that their developing language skills are not consistently encouraged.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children, including those who are disadvantaged or known to children's services make progress from their starting points. Children become confident in communicating their needs. Babies express their needs by putting their arms out and older ones speak politely, such as when asking for a knife at lunchtime. Children's independence develops rapidly. Babies try to put on their own bibs and children serve their own lunch. This independence ensures that children are well prepared for their move into the next room, or on to school.

Children communicate well and learn to maintain attention and develop fascination. For example, they listen attentively as staff talk to them about dental hygiene. They enjoy their learning and work well together, such as when drawing in a group and praising each other's pictures.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders have recently developed commonly understood expectations for behaviour, across the setting, which is having a positive impact. Typically, staff identify any incidents of poor behaviour or conflict quickly. They support children well as they learn to manage these situations. For example, when children struggle to share resources, staff suggest the use of a timer for turn-taking. Children manage this with maturity and enthusiasm. Staff take children's age and stage of development into account and support them to meet expectations in a suitable and inclusive manner. For instance, they encourage children to observe activities, building confidence before joining in.

Leaders and staff have created a genuine culture of kindness. Children readily collaborate and work together, such as when moving sand and mud from one pit to another. They help each other when there are challenges. For instance, when toddlers gets a tricycle wheel stuck, their friends quickly help him to move it. Children learn from the warm support that they receive from staff, who are positive role models. For example, staff adapt their teaching to provide physical comfort and supported play to help children, who are new to the setting, to settle. Leaders carefully monitor attendance and encourage families to come regularly and to be on time for their sessions. Children are settled because they attend consistently.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Children are happy, engaged and well settled. Staff build secure relationships with children, which underpin practice across the setting. Children are supported to develop an understanding of risk, and to manage their safety. For example, staff reassure them when they consider jumping from a climbing frame and help them to try, when they feel ready. Children are taught to understand their emotions. They use visual cards to identify and name their feelings. Their emotions are supported through careful interactions with staff, who accommodate their needs. For instance, staff help children to look on the camera for parents and carers arriving. Staff meet children's care needs well and adapt practice to reflect children's age and stage. For example, older children look in the mirror and learn to blow their own nose. Children learn to maintain healthy routines, such as with daily tooth brushing.

Sleep routines are safe, caring and children are well supervised to eat safely. Mealtimes are social occasions where staff sit with children. Staff generally talk enthusiastically about healthy foods and encourage children to try new things. Occasionally, staff deployment is not fully effective. For example, as staff serve lunch, babies and children wait to eat, become bored and start to leave their seats. Leaders do not always help staff to prioritise tasks to best meet children's needs.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Recent changes to leadership have had a positive impact. Leaders have quickly identified weaknesses in supervision and have made changes to the layout of the setting. These changes have ensured that children are now consistently well supervised. Leaders recognise that there are times when staff deployment and interaction needs further work. They recently identified a need for training in behaviour management. Staff now apply a more consistent approach, which supports children's development. Leaders prioritise ongoing training and professional development. Staff benefit from training opportunities and support to take their studies further. For example, many staff complete apprenticeships and go on to work towards further qualifications.

Leaders place children at the heart of their decisions. For instance, they have developed links with a local theatre to build children's wider knowledge of the world around them. They prioritise links within the community, which benefits the families they work with. For example, links with local gardeners help families and children plant seeds and learn how to grow things. These initiatives particularly benefit children who are disadvantaged, or who may face barriers to their learning. Staff are very well supported and appreciate the attention that leaders pay to their wellbeing and workload. Staff particularly value the programme to support staff who are visiting from abroad. They enjoy the cultural diversity this brings. Parents value the sense of community and the regular communication that they receive. They feel well known by leaders and staff, and feel welcomed into the community.