Willow Tree Nursery

Inclusion: Strong standard

A strength of the nursery is the support it has in place for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders leave no stone unturned in their efforts to remove barriers to children's learning. They are relentless in their pursuit to get children the support that they rightly deserve. Leaders monitor intervention plans with rigour and review them with precision.

Leaders demonstrate a prompt and accurate understanding of children's needs, including any emerging or changing requirements. Quick referrals and strong partnership working supports all children to make rapid progress from their starting points.

The support for children with SEND is highly effective. The knowledgeable special educational needs coordinators are aware of the individual needs of all children. Staff put effective individual plans in place to support children. Leaders and managers use additional funding effectively to support children's individual needs. For example, all staff attend additional training to meet the needs of children with SEND. Staff work closely with parents and carers and outside agencies. They ensure that they share targets with parents and staff working with children.

Staff make adaptations systematically and skilfully. This ensures a sustained impact on children's opportunities and experiences. These include purchasing specialist equipment, providing staff training, using picture routine boards, sign language and other visual aids and carrying out regular reviews of each child's individual needs.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Staff provide children with an ambitious curriculum that builds on what they know and can do. They use their effective knowledge of child development to plan activities that keep children motivated to learn. Children enjoy opportunities in the local community, such as visits to churches, to learn about the world around them.

Staff ensure that all activities are fully inclusive by adapting them to meet the individual needs of every child, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. For instance, they adapt circle time using picture prompts to support children's understanding. Staff have also created a quiet space for when children may become overwhelmed.

Staff support children well to develop confidence in their speaking skills. Older children hold meaningful conversations with staff, peers and visitors, while babies babble and respond to simple instructions. Staff use picture prompts and sign language across the nursery, including using a weekly sign. However, they sometimes do not use opportunities to ask questions to further extend children's language development.

There is a strong focus on children's personal, social and emotional development at the nursery. Staff support children in managing their emotions, for example, by using stories to help them recognise and understand different feelings. Children have lots of opportunities to develop their physical skills. Babies are encouraged to pull themselves up onto furniture as they begin to learn to walk. Toddlers climb, run and dig in the sand as they explore the garden area. Older children take part in movement to songs and rhymes.

Babies engage in sensory play and show enjoyment in exploring various textures. At times, however, staff do not consistently intervene quickly enough to stop children from putting items, such as flour, into their mouths.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children have smooth transitions as they move to the next stage of their learning. They feel happy, secure and well prepared before any transition takes place. As such, children develop confidence, feel safe and are ready to learn.

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make progress from their starting points. Staff work closely with parents and carers to assess children's development to establish what they already know and can do. They use this information to identify any emerging gaps and plan for children's next steps.

Children have a positive attitude towards their learning. All children's individual needs are well met, which has a positive effect of each child's development. For example, children have opportunities to develop their physical needs, which helps support early writing skills and their gross motor skills.

Children are well prepared for starting reception. For example, children learn to be independent, make friends with their peers, concentrate and learn to do simple things for themselves.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour and help them to understand and manage their feelings and emotions. Children share and take turns from an early age. They learn about the impact of their behaviour on others as staff provide gentle reminders about using 'kind hands'. Children behave exceptionally well.

Staff build a strong key-person attachment with children from the start. They plan individualised settling-in procedures for new starters where they are sensitively supported to settle. Children, including babies, demonstrate that they are very happy, safe and secure.

Staff closely monitor children's attendance and provide timely support and flexibility for families. This ensures that they address any issues quickly so that children attend regularly and achieve the best possible outcomes in preparation for school.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Children and babies receive a warm welcome on arrival. Staff provide a calm and nurturing environment, which enables children to feel safe and secure. Children and babies settle quickly and demonstrate their strong bonds with staff. Staff know children extremely well and are attentive to their needs. Children know the routine and are confident to explore and show a positive attitude to their learning.

Children's independence is supported well. For instance, children enjoy making choices about their play based on their interests and clear away after themselves during lunchtime. Staff also support children's health and hygiene effectively. This is evident as older children wash their own hands before eating and have discussions about healthy foods and the importance of good oral health. This helps children to understand the importance of living a healthy lifestyle.

Children enjoy their time outside in the garden and have good opportunities to exercise in the fresh air. Staff are vigilant, and they teach children the importance of managing risks. For example, children safely manoeuvre across the balance beams. Children have a 'can-do' attitude and understand their own physical capabilities. Children and babies gain good balance and coordination skills. They encourage babies effectively to stand, such as pulling themselves up by using low-level furniture. Staff teach children well to manage their own emotions. For example, children develop an understanding of how they feel through stories.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders are very committed to providing high-quality care and education. They lead their team well, supporting staff to gain new qualifications and further their teaching skills. Leaders ensure that staff feel valued and appreciated. This creates a very positive and happy environment, in which children thrive and are motivated to learn.

Leaders have a clear vision and provide inclusive care for all children. The new team has worked hard to embed its curriculum and redevelop many aspects of the nursery. For example, it has made alterations to the resources and layout of the learning environment. It has liaised with other organisations, including the local authority, to bring about many positive changes and improvements to the inside and outside environments that they offer to children.

Staff state that they are well supported in their work. Leaders plan regular supervision meetings with staff to support them in their roles. They organise specific training events for staff to further enhance their knowledge and teaching skills. For example, they recently took part in a safeguarding training day. Staff report that leaders are proactive in supporting their wellbeing. There is an excellent team spirit at the setting.

Partnership with parents and carers is secure. Leaders and staff take time to greet and welcome all children into the setting and know them and their families well. They maintain a constant two-way flow of clear and helpful information with parents. Parents comment that they are kept well informed, know their child's key person and what their child is learning next. Staff invite parents to come along and celebrate their child's achievements, such as to sports days, the Nativity and parents' evenings.

Children say they love coming to the nursery and enjoy playing with their friends. Leaders are reflective in their approach to improvement and have effective systems in place to address areas for improvement.