Twinkle Stars Montessori Nursery

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders create an inclusive culture. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and children that are facing barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing take full part in everyday nursery life. Leaders typically identify children's needs early. They use established systems to assess children's needs, plan support, review their progress and work closely with families. Parents and carers describe feeling well informed and actively involved in decisions about their children's development and next steps.

Leaders work closely with speech and language therapists, the local authority SEND team and other agencies to secure the right support for children, including inclusion funding and education, health and care needs assessments where appropriate. Practitioners know children well and adapt their teaching, routines and the environment to reduce barriers to their learning. They use visual supports, consistent routines, sensory experiences and listening and attention activities to help children communicate, join in with their peers and learn successfully.

Children with SEND confidently take part in group activities and daily routines alongside their friends. Practitioners explain children's targets, the strategies they use and the progress children make with confidence. Parents describe noticeable improvements in their children's listening, attention and participation in nursery life.

Practitioners understand children's identified developmental needs and provide effective support for children with SEND. However, they do not yet have a consistently secure understanding of the wider barriers that may affect children's access to learning and wellbeing. Practitioners are also not sufficiently clear about local early help processes. Consequently, children and families may not always receive coordinated support at the earliest opportunity.

Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum that builds children's knowledge and skills in a carefully planned sequence from the baby room through to pre-school. They regularly review the curriculum and provide training to strengthen teaching. For example, leaders recently refined the use of visual supports so practitioners use them more consistently to help children understand routines and communicate confidently.

Practitioners understand not only what children are learning, but why learning is sequenced in this way. For example, practitioners explain how children first develop mathematical understanding by sorting, matching and comparing colours and sizes. Practitioners build children's mathematical language naturally throughout these experiences, helping children to explain their thinking and solve problems.

Leaders prioritise children's listening, attention and early communication because these skills underpin learning across the curriculum. Children benefit from frequent opportunities to listen, talk and practise new skills through conversations, routines and play. Practitioners carefully scaffold children's understanding and gradually reduce support as children become more confident and independent. For example, children develop practical life skills by pouring drinks, practising with different fastening and tidying away after activities before applying this growing independence across other areas of learning.

Achievement: Strong standard

Children make excellent progress from their individual starting points across the areas of learning and development. They become increasingly confident, independent and ready for their next stage of learning. Children who are new to English develop their understanding of spoken language and begin to communicate using words and short phrases. Younger children become more independent during everyday routines, while older children develop the early writing and mathematical knowledge their next stage of learning.

Children with different starting points achieve well alongside their peers. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those learning English as an additional language make good progress over time. Children develop greater confidence during group activities, sustain their attention for longer and enjoy playing and learning with others. They apply new skills independently during everyday routines, showing that learning has become embedded.

Children build their knowledge and skills steadily because practitioners break their learning into small and achievable steps. Children have regular opportunities to practice new skills. For example, children who previously found it difficult to remain with a group now listen attentively and can wait for their turn. Children take part confidently in shared activities and apply these skills during play. Children become increasingly independent at mealtimes as practitioners and parents and carers use consistent strategies to encourage them to feed themselves and try new foods.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Leaders establish consistent routines from the baby room through to pre-school. This helps children to feel safe, develop positive relationships and understand what is expected of them. Practitioners teach these routines explicitly through warm interactions, visual supports, Makaton and positive role modelling. As children become familiar with daily routines, they develop confidence, skills to regulate their feelings and increasingly positive attitudes to learning.

Children move calmly between activities because practitioners prepare them well for change. Babies gradually spend time in older rooms before they move. They join familiar staff and children for play, meals and daily routines. Older children confidently manage routines such as registration, group times, mealtimes, toothbrushing and tidying away because practitioners provide regular opportunities to practise these skills. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those that are facing barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing participate successfully alongside their peers because practitioners adapt routines to meet their individual needs.

Children enjoy learning, persevere with activities and show increasing independence throughout the day. They listen attentively during group activities, wait for their turn and confidently follow familiar expectations. These well-established routines and nurturing relationships help children to develop the confidence, resilience and skills they need for their next stage of learning. Leaders promote the importance of regular attendance and work with families to encourage children to attend consistently so they can benefit fully from the curriculum and establish secure routines.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Leaders place children's health and wellbeing at the centre of nursery life. Children develop healthy habits through everyday experiences. They brush their teeth each day and talk about why this keeps their teeth healthy. During meals and role play, they discuss healthy foods and make choices about what they eat and drink. Children confidently feed themselves, pour their own drinks and manage personal care with increasing independence. Leaders also work sensitively with families to promote healthier packed lunches and positive routines at home.

Practitioners respond quickly when children's needs or family circumstances change. They work closely with parents and health professionals to adapt care so children continue to thrive. For example, practitioners recognise when children no longer need a daytime sleep and adjust routines to reflect children's changing development. They also implement individual healthcare plans confidently, enabling children with medical needs to participate safely in all aspects of nursery life. Children who need additional support with eating or self-care receive personalised strategies that help them become increasingly independent.

Children benefit from consistent care that promotes their physical health, emotional wellbeing and independence. Leaders continue to review and refine health and wellbeing initiatives so they can demonstrate the sustained impact these have on children's long-term health, confidence and ability to make healthy choices.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders have a clear understanding of the nursery's strengths and priorities. They reflect on practice regularly and work with the local authority and other professionals to continue improving the quality of education and care. They have prioritised communication and language, inclusion and children's independence. Leaders ensure these are woven throughout the curriculum from the baby room to pre-school.

Leaders invest in staff development and create a culture where practitioners continue to strengthen their expertise. They provide regular coaching, supervision sessions and professional development, enabling staff to complete qualifications and develop their practice. Leaders use training in child development and adult-child interactions to deepen practitioners understanding of how children learn. Regardless of their role or the age of the children they work with, practitioners explain curriculum progression, children's next steps and the purpose behind their teaching with confidence and consistency. They consistently demonstrate this knowledge through high-quality interactions with children throughout the nursery.

Leaders build positive relationships with parents and carers, external professionals and the local authority to secure the right support for children and their families. Parents value the communication they receive and feel involved in decisions about their children's learning and development. Leaders' commitment to professional learning and continual reflection creates a consistent approach across the nursery that helps children thrive.

Leaders respond sensitively when they become aware of difficulties affecting children and families and demonstrate their commitment to removing barriers and supporting family circumstances. This support is often based on children's individual needs brought directly to their attention. Leaders recognise the need to strengthen arrangements even further, such as by recognising the wider barriers children may face, including financial hardship, or for accessing the local authority's early help offer.

Leaders consider staff workload and wellbeing carefully. Staff report that they feel happy, valued and well supported. They benefit from regular supervision, professional training and opportunities to discuss their development. Positive teamwork enables staff to support one another and manage their responsibilities effectively.