Wrap Nursery

Inclusion: Strong standard

All children are warmly welcomed into this inclusive setting, where staff ensure every child feels valued, understood and able to participate fully. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported through well-planned, targeted interventions that help them feel safe, ready to learn and confident to explore. Staff use children's individual interests to provide personalised support, helping children settle into their day and engage positively with routines and activities.

Leaders train staff to understand what support is needed for individual children, enabling staff to confidently implement strategies and adapt practice. This ongoing professional development ensures staff develop the knowledge and skills to support all children.

Children with barriers to their learning, including those known or previously known to children's social care, benefit from purposeful interventions that promote their development. Leaders ensure funding is used effectively to enhance opportunities for these children, investing in resources and staff training. For example, staff have received training to support children's emotional needs and build their resilience.

Staff work closely with families, building trusting relationships and ensuring parents feel supported and involved in their child's journey. Through consistent communication, families develop an understanding of how shared approaches support their children to learn and thrive. As a result of this targeted and sustained support, children make rapid progress from their starting points and are ready for their next steps in learning.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Staff plan an environment with lots of opportunities for independent play and learning. The curriculum is organised so that children progressively build new skills and knowledge as they move through the setting. In the baby room, staff read stories and encourage babies to explore the textures in sensory books, supporting early communication. Older children learn that print carries meaning, using simple checklists to record natural items they find outdoors.

Staff know their key children's development stages well. However, this knowledge is not always used precisely enough to extend learning and build on what children already know and can do. For instance, when children paint using stampers and large brushes, those with more refined fine motor skills are not consistently supported to develop their mark making using smaller tools or to make more controlled purposeful marks. As a result, children do not consistently receive the level of challenge they are ready for.

Staff ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities or those who have barriers to their learning are fully included in all aspects of the curriculum. They support them to join outings and participate in group activities. Staff ensure all children are supported sensitively so they can actively be a part of their peer group.

Leaders have a thorough understanding of the curriculum and where practice could be strengthened. They have clear plans for staff training to enhance teaching skills, ensuring the curriculum continues to improve and supports all children to make more rapid progress.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children make steady progress across all areas of the curriculum and develop skills they need for their next stage in learning. Children with barriers to their learning make rapid progress. All children become increasingly independent as they move through the setting. Babies begin to use simple signs to express their needs, while older children confidently communicate when they feel tired or need to go to the toilet.

Children strengthen their physical development through active play. Babies are supported to move in different ways, such as crawling and supported walking. Toddlers climb steps and slide down ramps on the indoor climbing frame, building coordination and confidence. The oldest children play energetically on the soft-play structure and take part in weekly yoga sessions to develop balance and control.

Social development progresses steadily. Babies gently explore each other's faces, toddlers offer toys to their peers, and pre-school children play cooperatively, sharing ideas and negotiating roles. These growing social, physical and independence skills ensure children are well prepared for their next stage in learning.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Children are generally well behaved and show understanding of simple behavioural boundaries. Leaders have high expectations of children's behaviour. They support staff to offer praise and encouragement, which helps children to learn what is expected of them. However, this is not consistent across all staff interactions. Although staff are warm and friendly, they do not always use their knowledge of behaviour management to support children to understand what is expected of their behaviour.

Children form positive relationships with their peers and enjoy playing together. Staff are attentive and supervise children closely, supporting them to interact, share and communicate. Children learn to take turns through simple ring games such as 'The Farmer's in His Den', developing early cooperation skills. Practice is adapted for children with barriers to their learning, who are supported to understand boundaries and routines appropriate to their developmental stage.

Children engage well in activities, particularly the more structured experiences, where they remain focused for longer periods. Staff help children to understand daily routines, and children respond positively to this structure.

Attendance is monitored closely. Staff follow up with parents when children do not attend and support families to understand the importance of consistent routines and regular attendance. This helps children feel secure, settle well and benefit fully from the learning opportunities available.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Staff complete regular risk assessments across the setting to ensure children's safety. Indoors, they check that the soft-play structure is free from hazards and in good repair. Outdoors, staff assess the area before children enter, ensuring the space is safe, secure and suitable for play and exploration. Children's wellbeing is promoted through regular access to outdoor space, where they can be physically active and enjoy the wonders of nature.

Staff are attentive to all children's personal care needs, ensuring they are clean, dry and comfortable throughout the day. When children go outside, staff make sure they are wearing sun cream and appropriate clothing. Water is offered regularly, particularly during periods of extreme weather, helping children to stay hydrated and healthy. Staff ensure that children who may need a little more support receive the attention they need.

There are some instances where hygiene and tidiness are not prioritised. Toys are occasionally left in walkways, and aprons that have been used for painting are sometimes found on the floor. Leaders recognise these inconsistencies and are working to ensure all staff uphold the same high standards of hygiene and organisation.

Mealtimes are well supervised. Staff ensure children's food is safely prepared for their stage of development, and children enjoy nutritious meals that support healthy growth. Staff create a calm sleep environment and help children to settle, although there is some inconsistency in how sleep routines are managed. Leaders are aware of these variations in practice and have plans in place to strengthen staff development, although the impact of the work is not yet evident.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders have guided staff through a period of change, including a recent shift in leadership and adjustments to staffing. They have analysed current practice closely and developed clear plans to support the setting's improvement. This demonstrates a commitment to staff professional development, although this work is in its early stages and is not fully evident in day-to-day practice.

Leaders show precise oversight of the setting and have the support they need to implement their plans effectively. Staff are now receiving more regular opportunities for supervision and meaningful feedback about their practice. Staff report that they are beginning to see positive changes, and overall they feel supported in their roles. Leaders have gained the support of other professionals to further support staff practice. Staff receive training and feedback that help them to develop their skills.

Training is targeted to individual needs and interests. Staff access professional qualifications and specialist training, such as supporting children's emotional regulation, which strengthens the quality of the provision. Leaders work effectively with other professionals to ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those known to children's social care or those with barriers to learning receive the support they need.

Parents report that leaders communicate well with them and provide regular feedback about their children's development. This helps families feel informed, involved and confident in the care and education their children receive.