Wandsworth Day Nursery and Pre-School

Inclusion: Strong standard

Children's individual needs are identified and addressed quickly. Leaders create a highly inclusive environment, where staff are trained in supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This strong partnership ensures that parents feel informed and involved in their child's learning. It provides opportunities for them to share their knowledge and work closely with staff to support their child's progress and wellbeing.

Staff are highly skilled and experienced in interacting with the children. They know child development well and carry out assessments to monitor children's progress, such as the checks at 2- and 3-year-old. This helps identify gaps early in their development and create manageable steps for the children to achieve.

Children explore and learn safely as staff adapt the environment to ensure that all materials are organised at the right height to access independently. Staff use strategies such as pictures on lanyards and visual timetables throughout the day. This helps all children know what to expect next and supports their communication and language skills.

Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard

Leaders ensure that learning opportunities are engaging and enjoyable, encouraging children to explore, discover and develop their curiosity. High-quality teaching places a strong emphasis on learning in the natural environment. Children enjoy spending time outside in all weather conditions, where they develop practical skills, such as growing herbs and using food scraps to create their own compost. The curriculum is thoughtfully adapted to ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are fully included and able to participate in learning experiences.

Staff encourage children to explore creative ways of painting by rolling toy cars through paint and down ramps onto paper. This supports children to experiment with movement, patterns and colour while developing their creativity and coordination.

Singing time is thoroughly enjoyed by all the children and supports language and early-communication skills. Babies happily bounce and move to the rhythms and beats as they wave scarves in the air. These valuable learning experiences help children develop the knowledge, skills and confidence they need for the next stage of their education.

Staff interweave mathematical concepts effectively throughout everyday activities. For example, children confidently count and sort fruits in sizes to make healthy smoothies and compare quantities to identify who has the most and least. These practical experiences help children build their knowledge of number, quantity and comparison, which they use naturally during play and everyday routines.

Achievement: Strong standard

The nurturing and reassuring environment allows children to take their time when experiencing new situations. Staff are attentive to each child's individual needs, offering gentle encouragement and support as children explore unfamiliar experiences and build confidence in themselves.

Children develop a strong sense of belonging and make lots of progress because of their experiences at the setting. This includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who may face additional barriers to their learning or wellbeing.

Children flourish and develop the knowledge they need to move successfully into their next stage of learning. They become confident learners who are very well prepared for transitions at the nursery, including moving on to school.

Children thrive in the language-rich environment and confidently engage in conversations with adults and their peers. Staff consistently model and extend children's language, encouraging them to express their thoughts, ideas and experiences clearly. As a result, children develop a broad vocabulary and communicate with increasing confidence and clarity.

Children are supported to become increasingly independent through daily routines and meaningful experiences. Staff provide plenty of opportunities for children to take responsibility for themselves and their environment, helping them to build confidence and self-help skills. For example, toddlers are taught how to put their shoes and socks on, encouraging them to persevere and begin to manage everyday tasks independently.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Children receive plenty of praise and display positive attitudes to learning. They are eager to try new things with staff providing guidance when needed. Staff are gentle and patient, and children's behaviour is excellent. Children approach their learning with enthusiasm and are keen to take on new challenges. Staff recognise children's efforts and celebrate their achievements, helping them to develop a positive sense of themselves as learners. Children are given time to explore and solve problems independently. For instance, babies practise their walking skills and smile showing great pride when they successfully take their first steps across the room.

Staff support children to become familiar and comfortable with the daily routines. Leaders promote a positive environment where everyone treats one another with kindness and respect. Children have established warm and trusting relationships with their key person and show good manners. They respond positively to the clear expectations that are consistently reinforced throughout the setting. They have developed positive friendships with their peers and show kindness, care and consideration towards one another.

Leaders work effectively with families to ensure that they understand the importance of regular attendance. They support families to ensure that children benefit from their time at the setting.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Leaders place children's welfare and emotional wellbeing are at the centre of all aspects of the setting, ensuring that children feel safe, secure and supported. Advice from parents and carers on how best to support their child's individual needs is highly valued and helps staff to provide consistent and personalised care.

Staff consistently follow safe-sleep practices and remain present to monitor children while they nap. Children are supported to settle and develop positive sleep routines, helping them to fall asleep feeling safe, secure and comfortable. Children build their understanding of healthy lifestyles through everyday experiences. For example, children take part in lots of cooking activities with the chef and explore a variety of foods. They learn to understand which choices support a healthy body.

Ongoing interactions with children are excellent and contribute to their emotional wellbeing. Staff are caring, respectful and responsive to the individual needs of every child, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They protect children's dignity and privacy during personal-care routines and respond thoughtfully to their cues and emotions. The warm, responsive relationships staff build with children help them to feel secure, understood and emotionally supported.

Dietary needs and allergies are carefully managed by leaders and staff. Allergies are clearly on show in the kitchen and all nursery rooms, ensuring that everyone is aware of every child's dietary needs. Children choose the weekly menu and help cook. This helps them to understand the importance of eating fresh fruit and vegetables and having a healthy balanced diet.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders' value the staff team's efforts and the important contributions they make. As a result, staff are committed to ensuring that every child receives the support and opportunities they need to thrive.

Staff feel well supported by leaders and appreciate the guidance they receive in their roles. They are encouraged to extend their knowledge and skills through relevant professional development opportunities. Leaders promote a culture of reflection, giving staff time to consider their practice, celebrate what works well and identify areas where further development would enhance the quality of provision.

Leaders are committed to providing consistently high-quality teaching that captures children's interests and supports their individual learning. They regularly review the quality of provision to ensure that practice remains effective and identify where changes or improvements may be beneficial. Leaders provide staff with relevant training, ensuring that they are well equipped to meet children's changing needs and support them effectively.

Leaders place children's needs, interests and experiences at the heart of their decision-making. They carefully consider how changes to the environment can enhance children's learning and development. For example, when redesigning the garden, leaders have considered the different ways children learn and are creating spaces that encourage exploration and discovery. They are also developing areas specifically to support babies' physical development, providing opportunities for them to move, climb and strengthen their emerging physical skills.

Leaders work collaboratively with other agencies and build strong partnerships to identify and respond to children's individual needs. This reduces barriers to learning and helps children receive consistent and effective support.