White House Day Nursery (Notts) Ltd

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders and staff know children and their families very well and have high expectations for meeting individual children's needs. Staff quickly identify when children need extra support. They work with leaders, parents and carers to create individual support plans. For example, staff offer a daily yoga session for all children following guidance and support from professionals to meet individual children's targets. Leaders use funding very effectively to meet children's needs. As a result, staff expertly support children's specific communication and language skills. For instance, they spend time in a quieter room, playing games with a small number of children to help them hear words clearly with reduced background noise. Staff ensure that children can see their mouth movements when communicating. This support children's pronunciation and their learning of new vocabulary. Staff, leaders and parents frequently review the strategies to ensure that they are helping children to make excellent progress towards their individual targets.

All children demonstrate a strong sense of belonging. Staff fully understand the importance of creating an accessible and adaptable environment. They are highly skilled at adapting their teaching to ensure all children can access the curriculum and feel included in daily routines. Staff provide a safe and highly supportive environment for all children to learn, supporting those with specific needs and enabling all children to make excellent progress and reach their full potential.

Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard

Leaders and staff work diligently to provide all children, including those who face barriers to their learning, with a well-sequenced and high-quality curriculum. This supports the foundations for children's learning and progress effectively. Staff successfully implement the intended curriculum while ensuring that the unique needs of each child are met. They consistently apply it through their highly effective teaching. Staff actively join in children's play and use their skilful teaching to build on children's prior knowledge and interests. Staff give a high priority to children's communication and language development. They successfully commentate on what children are doing. For example, when younger children play with play dough, staff introduce new words such as 'squeeze', 'patting' and 'flat'. Staff frequently share storybooks and sing rhymes with children to further support their language development. Staff expertly weave mathematical concepts through their interactions with children.

Leaders and staff are passionate about outdoor learning and build on children's curiosity through nature. Children work collaboratively to mix potions using petals and sticks. Staff extend children's thinking skills as they work out how to change the colour of the water. Staff extend forest school experiences into the nursery. They support children to use a saw outdoors and bring sticks into the pre-school room where children immerse themselves in making birds nests and exploring different feathers. Staff support children to build positive relationships through group times and activities that promote turn taking and sharing.

Achievement: Strong standard

Children make excellent progress across all areas of learning. They become confident learners who are well prepared for transitions within the nursery. Children show increasing independence as they learn to serve themselves meals and pour water from jugs without spilling. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive well-tailored support and make rapid progress from their starting points.

Babies explore a variety of textures and sounds, developing their sensory awareness. Babies develop their physical skills, such as pulling themselves up to standing. Children use mathematical language confidently during interactions with one another. Older children develop essential skills for school and later life. They demonstrate their confident fine motor skills when using tools and equipment, such as screwdrivers, a bradawl and cutlery. Children communicate confidently, expressing themselves clearly and listening attentively. This prepares them well for the next stage of their learning.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Children form very trusting relationships with staff. The atmosphere is calm and purposeful as children enthusiastically explore a wide range of well-organised resources. They confidently make independent choices in their play. Staff ensure that children of all ages can access the routines. For example, staff adapt the daily routines to reduce barriers to learning for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Leaders and staff are positive role models for children. Older children demonstrate that they know the importance of playing cooperatively together, taking their turn and being kind to their friends. They enjoy building towers together and racing cars down ramps.

Children generally show positive attitudes to learning. When older children are finished with resources, they carefully put them back where they belong. They demonstrate they are familiar with mealtimes as they wash their hands, serve themselves food and remain seated to eat with their friends. Staff have high expectations for children and demonstrate an awareness to reinforce rules and boundaries. However, these approaches and explanations are not consistently applied across the nursery. As a result, younger children lack focus to follow rules, such as tidying up and taking part in group activities.

Leaders place a strong emphasis on monitoring children's attendance. They work very closely with parents to promote children's attendance and place the utmost importance on children's welfare. The nursery offers an early start from 7.30am on a pre-bookable basis.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Children's welfare and wellbeing are given high priority across the nursery. Effective settling-in procedures support leaders and staff to build very secure partnerships with parents and carers from the outset. Staff know children extremely well and are highly responsive to their varying needs and changing circumstances. They create a welcoming and nurturing environment, where children thrive and develop positive relationships with staff and one another. An inspiring key-person system supports children's emotional wellbeing, ensuring that care and learning are tailored to each child's individual needs. For example, babies show they feel safe and secure as they enjoy cuddles and close interactions during sleeping and feeding times.

Children enjoy being active and are eager to play in the garden, where they explore a wide range of activities. They learn to take manageable risks. With staff's sensitive support they build resilience and confidence in their abilities as they climb, jump and use tools. Staff help children to understand and express their feelings and emotions. They respond promptly to their needs and offer comfort, praise and reassurance. Staff read a story about a monster, which helps children to recognise and talk about their feelings.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders show passion and commitment to providing high-quality care and education for all children. They have a secure understanding of the setting's strengths and continually reflect to identify any priorities for improvement. They respond swiftly to make changes. For example, this includes staff making reasonable adjustments at mealtimes to offer a calm, sociable and learning environment to meet children's individual needs. Staff morale is high because leaders are supportive and mindful of staff's wellbeing. Leaders and staff work very closely with specialist early years professionals, which enables them to adapt the provision precisely to meet children's individual needs and supported to make consistent progress. Staff access a wealth of ongoing training. They have made excellent use of the knowledge they gained through recent training as they expertly weave mathematical language into conversations with children. Leaders recognise the importance of supporting staff and having plans in place to build on their interactions to support children to continue to make significant progress.

Leaders aim to be more sustainable and teach children how to care for the environment and learn how to look after the world they live in. They have made excellent use of the outdoor area to offer children a natural space to explore and thrive. They currently grow herbs, which are available for parents and carers, and have plans to enhance the area to include growing their own vegetables.

Parents share extremely positive feedback about all the kind and nurturing staff. They work together with staff and feel their children's individual needs are superbly weaved into the day and are having a positive impact on their child's learning.