Wise Owls, part of Ripe Nursery School

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders work incredibly well to identify children's needs quickly, including disadvantaged children, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those known or previously known to social services. For example, leaders organise home visits before children start. They have detailed discussions with families, the children's previous settings and outside agencies when needed. This builds a clear picture of children and their needs before they start. It also helps to build excellent partnerships with parents and carers. This means the support they provide is tailored to each child and supports their wellbeing and learning in the pre-school and at home.

Once children attend, leaders and staff use careful observations and their high-level expertise to create effective support plans. They work closely with parents and outside professionals to ensure the support they provide consistently makes a positive difference. Staff effectively use adaptations and strategies to reduce children's barriers to learning and/or wellbeing. For instance, they purchase specific resources, use flexible settling sessions and adjust routines so that children feel calm and ready to learn throughout the day. They use visual aids, sign language and structured support from staff, to help children with SEND fully access the planned learning on offer.

Additional funding is used thoughtfully. Leaders purchase resources and staff provide rich, engaging experiences that meet disadvantaged children's individual needs and interests. Leaders and staff continually assess the impact of support to ensure all children make excellent progress from their starting points.

Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard

Leaders are highly reflective and ambitious for what they want children to know and achieve before they leave pre-school. Their ongoing training and work with local schools helps to create a curriculum that prepares all children extremely well for the next stage. Learning is carefully sequenced through the nursery, from babies to pre-school, which means children build on their knowledge and skills in small, meaningful steps.

Every part of the day is treated as a learning opportunity, and staff thoughtfully plan activities that support children's progress across all 7 areas of learning. For example, staff plan for children to cut and share fruit safely at snack time, and children confidently count how many pieces they have left. This develops independence, physical skills and mathematical understanding. Staff support children to share and take turns with activities such as using the trampoline or helping to make play dough, strengthening their social skills.

Interactions are consistently of a high quality. Staff join children in their play to build language and extend ideas, such as lying on the grass together to talk about clouds, aeroplanes and holidays. They balance this with time for children to play independently, collaborate and develop their own ideas. Children benefit from lively songs, rhymes and interactive story sessions, where props are used to deepen their engagement. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are supported to join in with nurturing adult support, visuals and personalised props, for instance. This ensures all children are highly engaged, confident and able to fully access the learning on offer.

Achievement: Strong standard

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged, make impressive progress from their starting points. They achieve very well across all areas of learning and development.

Children are confident communicators who express their needs clearly, play cooperatively and chat enthusiastically about their interests, such as the names of different tractors or their weekend plans. Children who speak English as an additional language quickly learn key words and phrases that help them communicate their needs and join in with play.

Children develop excellent personal, social and physical skills. They learn to share independently, take turns and manage their own needs, such as washing their faces using a mirror and washing up their plates after snack.

Across the curriculum, children gain the essential knowledge and skills needed for future success. They are extremely well prepared for their transition to school, showing confidence, curiosity and readiness for the next stage of learning.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Leaders create a wonderfully calm and positive environment, rooted in kindness. They ensure that expectations are age-appropriate, clear and consistent. Staff model respectful behaviour throughout the day, offering explicit explanations and warm reassurance. For example, they discuss the importance of walking inside with children to help them understand the importance of keeping safe. They model the language of 'please' and 'thank you' in everyday interactions. This approach is reflected in children's own interactions. For example, children praise one another, share resources and take turns independently, such as when jumping on the trampoline or during group play.

Routines are carefully planned to help children focus and feel secure. For example, staff ring a triangle and remind children they have 5 minutes before stopping for the next activity. They use visual colour-coded cards to support children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to understand these expectations. This helps all children develop excellent listening and attention skills. Children show highly positive attitudes to learning. They engage incredibly well with activities, such as creating their own art pictures and joining in with singing and story times. They consistently express their ideas with confidence and move calmly between routines.

Leaders work very well to promote regular attendance and children arriving on time. They engage sensitively with families to support them to overcome any barriers.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Leaders place children's welfare and wellbeing at the centre of their work. For example, they create flexible settling sessions and put thoughtful adaptations in place so every child, including those with barriers to their wellbeing, feels calm, secure and ready to learn.

Staff get to know children and their families extremely well through home visits, daily conversations and parent meetings, for instance. This helps them to respond quickly and sensitively to meet children's individual needs. For example, when children who are new to the pre-school find coming in difficult, staff use children's interests to encourage them to come inside, playing and chatting warmly and reassuringly throughout the day. Staff build on these trusting relationships, creating a strong sense of belonging where children feel settled, safe and happy. Children show this as they nestle in with staff for stories, enjoy cuddles during rest times, laugh and engage staff in rich conversations about their interests and experiences.

Staff actively teach children about healthy choices. For example, they plant vegetables and talk about nutritious foods at mealtimes. Children enjoy plenty of outdoor exercise on the large field, and staff help them to understand the importance of rest through cosy afternoon routines. Leaders have also recently completed wellbeing training and organised a spa day for children, strengthening children's understanding of relaxation and self-care. These approaches support all children to develop secure emotional wellbeing, self-care skills and an understanding of how to keep themselves healthy and safe.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders continually focus on securing excellence. They regularly reflect on practice and make thoughtful improvements. For example, they work closely with local settings and schools to strengthen children's transition to school. Leaders set high expectations for staff professionalism and the quality of care and teaching in every moment of the day. They work alongside staff and support their teaching through activities such as regular discussions, coaching and supervisions.

Leaders organise regular training that directly meets the needs of children in the setting, such as supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and communication and language needs. They also organise training, such as woodworking and outdoor forest school learning, to provide all children with enriching experiences.

Partnerships with parents and carers are highly effective. Leaders and staff engage sensitively with parents. They build supportive relationships through activities such as daily conversations, home visits and flexible settling sessions, as well as organising events for parents. Their supportive approach helps families who may be harder to reach feel welcomed and involved, ensuring all children thrive.

Staff are highly valued and leaders are very supportive of their wellbeing. For example, leaders promote a healthy work-life balance by offering flexible hours and days and giving staff protected time during working hours to complete training. They organise a staff messaging group, staff meals and boxing classes. Leaders keep a highly visible presence in the setting, working alongside staff and providing regular guidance. This culture of teamwork and support helps staff to work together incredibly well. Staff feel listened to, appreciated and happy in their roles. This means staff remain in post for many years, creating a stable team that delivers consistent, high-quality care for children.