Willow Day Nursery

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders and staff identify children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face barriers to their learning, quickly, due to robust monitoring systems. Leaders and staff work in partnership with parents and carers when children start at the setting, gaining knowledge of children's starting points. Through close and precise monitoring of children's progress and the use of individual support plans, staff adapt their curriculum to meet individual children's needs. They break learning down into smaller steps. For example, staff use single words to begin with, then add a second word to this, then a third, such as ball, red ball, big red ball. Leaders are confident in referring to external agencies for support and work closely with them to ensure that all children make rapid progress. Leaders are reflective on practice and provide support to the staff, this ensures that children are continuously receiving the best possible learning opportunities.

Staff have a robust knowledge of the children attending and their families and are committed to ensuring that all children make the best possible progress. Staff confidently understand children's development and are aware that children who are known or previously known to social care may have had different experiences and need more support. Leaders and staff are skilled at having sensitive conversations with parents. Leaders accurately monitor the use of any additional funding, using children's interests and staff training needs as a key indicator, to ensure that children are fully supported by a knowledgeable team.

Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard

Leaders and staff have very high expectations of all children. Teaching is of consistently high quality and purposeful. Staff use every occasion as a learning opportunity and skilfully question children to extend their thinking and develop their knowledge. For instance, when children are looking at a jigsaw puzzle, staff discuss the animal on the jigsaw and whether it is a leopard, a cheetah or a jaguar. They then talk about the differences between these, giving children the opportunity to share their knowledge of the different animals. The curriculum is thoroughly embedded within the setting and staff have a deep understanding of children's development needs and their next steps in learning. For example, staff working with babies understand the skills that children require to be able to feed themselves. They offer babies opportunities to fill and empty in the sand, squeeze water from sponges and use stacking cups, to develop coordination and control, skills that they require to enable self-feeding. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face barriers to their learning are supported with the use of individual support plans, ensuring teaching is specifically targeted to meet their individual needs.

Staff use every opportunity to teach mathematics. Children use mathematical phrases confidently, for instance, when looking at 2 teddy bears, children state that they are the same size. Children sit together to read a book, looking closely at the pages and asking questions about the story. Staff use these opportunities to discuss similarities and differences. Children ask 'what is on their ear?', when they see a character in the book wearing a hearing aid. Staff explain what it is, giving an appropriate explanation as to why some people have hearing aids, explaining that everyone is different.

Achievement: Strong standard

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face barriers to their learning, make sustained progress from their starting points, in all areas of learning. Children develop the knowledge and skills they require for their next stage of learning. Teachers from local schools visit the setting, and children's progress is shared with them as well as with parents and carers. All children are very well prepared for their next stage of learning.

Children revisit learning, such as the focus book that they see and hear each day. Children with educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face barriers to their learning, recall sections of the story and anticipate the next words in the book. This repetition ensures that learning is embedded, and strengthens children's communication and language skills. Babies join in with singing time, copying actions confidently, while listening to familiar songs and rhymes, developing children's love for singing and early language skills. Older children develop independence during hand washing and toileting routines. Children's achievements are celebrated and shared by everyone, developing children's self-esteem and ensuring they become confident learners. Children receive explicit praise from staff at every opportunity.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Leaders and staff have high expectations of children's behaviour and this is consistently well promoted. This ensures that all children, including those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those who face barriers to their learning know what is expected of them. Mealtimes at the setting are a social event, where all children eat together. This enables older children to show younger ones how they use their cutlery and manners, being excellent role models.

Leaders and staff build secure bonds with children, which ensure children feel safe and secure in their environment. Staff are skilled at adapting routines to meet the needs of all children. For example, when it is time to transition indoors from outdoor play, staff shift the focus and explain that they are going to read a story. This excites children and they line up straight away when asked. Routines within the setting are embedded and children know what comes next. When asked what they need to do before teatime, children state they need to tidy up and wash their hands. Leaders and staff work closely with parents and carers to follow routines from home.

Children are highly focused and enjoy learning, spending long periods of time in each area, engaged in activities. Leaders promote children's attendance and this is robustly monitor with any absence being followed up immediately.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Leaders and staff ensure that children have a deep sense of belonging. Children have secure attachments with the staff and leaders. Staff treat children with the upmost respect, which leads to children treating each other with the same respect and warmth. Younger children gently cuddle each other as a sign of affection, and the layout of the setting enables siblings to see each other to say hello during the day. Leaders and staff encourage children to talk about their feelings. Staff are very proactive at managing children's emotions and recognise when children need support. Children can access a quiet reading area with staff, if they need time to regulate their feelings, promoting emotional security. Leaders and staff work in partnership with families to adapt to the changing needs of children. Routines within the setting are adapted to ensure there is consistency between home and nursery. Families speak very highly of leaders and staff, and the care and support that they offer.

Children enjoy nutritious food, and staff use mealtimes as a learning opportunity, talking about how healthy food makes us strong, for instance. They talk about the need to drink lots of water and children are aware that during warmer weather they need to drink more. There are clear procedures in place to support children with specific dietary requirements. Mealtimes are a social event, and younger children are encouraged to independently feed themselves, receiving clear praise from staff to encourage them.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders are very passionate about their role and have a clear vision for the setting. They accurately identify their strengths and areas for development. Staff benefit from regular effective supervisions, and leaders ensures actions set are followed up. Leaders ensure that staff's workload is manageable and regularly check in on their wellbeing. Leaders supports staff's development and source training that is appropriate for their level of knowledge, ensuring staff remain highly skilled. Staff share that leaders are approachable and supportive. Leaders regularly reflect on practice to continuously drive improvement. A recent change within the curriculum for the youngest children is already embedded in practice, even after a short period of time, due to the dedication of leaders and staff. Leaders review children's progress on a regular basis to ensure that all children are making rapid progress.

Leaders are very clear about their role within the setting. Leaders take a hands-on approach within the setting, setting an example for staff and modelling best practice. Partnerships with families are positive and supportive. Leaders offer regular opportunities for families to discuss children's development and offer support when needed. Leaders build relationships with families that enable very effective communication. Leaders treat every family and child as individuals.