Zeeba - Royal Arsenal

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders and staff know children and their families exceptionally well. They work closely with parents to gain a precise understanding of children's individual needs and ensure that targeted support and interventions are consistently implemented.

Highly effective systems help staff to identify and assess children's development accurately. Staff work effectively with parents and other professionals, where appropriate, to ensure that concerns are addressed swiftly. This enables targeted interventions to be introduced at the earliest opportunity and helps reduce potential barriers to learning. Leaders and staff place a particularly strong focus on supporting children's language and communication development, including for children who speak English as an additional language. Staff proactively gather key words and phrases from parents in children's home languages to support children's understanding of routines and daily experiences. They also use signs and visual prompts to support more effective communication strategies such as when it is time to eat or rest. These help children to understand the routines, form relationships and build confidence.

Regular observations and assessments help staff identify children's next steps in learning and any areas where additional support may be needed. Staff benefit from targeted training that strengthens their knowledge and equips them with effective strategies to create a highly inclusive environment where all children make the best possible progress.

Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard

Leaders implement a high quality curriculum that supports children's development effectively across all areas of learning. A strong emphasis is placed on developing children's language and communication skills. Leaders and staff ensure children build secure foundations for future learning by prioritising children's personal, social and emotional development. Staff provide children with many opportunities to develop independence and confidently manage their own personal needs. They work closely with parents to support toilet training and help reduce children's reliance on pacifiers so that children can fully benefit from opportunities to practise their speech and language skills.

The indoor and outdoor learning environments are carefully planned to provide stimulating and exciting experiences that capture children's interests. Babies delight in exploring a wide range of sensory experiences as they investigate different textures and materials. Staff consistently sing songs, share stories and engage children in meaningful conversations throughout their play.

Staff skilfully introduce new and varied vocabulary and naturally weave mathematical concepts into everyday experiences. Children's physical development is given high priority. Children benefit from extensive outdoor play opportunities and regular outings within the local community, which broaden their experiences and understanding of the world around them. Staff support children exceptionally well to prepare for the next stage in their learning. They encourage children to try things independently while adapting teaching effectively to meet their individual needs. Excellent assessment systems ensure children's progress is monitored closely and that meaningful next steps are identified to help all children make the progress they are capable of.

Achievement: Strong standard

All Children make excellent progress from their starting points across all areas of their learning and development. They demonstrate highly effective communication and language skills and are confident speakers who engage readily in conversations with adults and their peers. Children who require additional support benefit from highly effective targeted teaching strategies that successfully promote and extend their language development.

Children show high levels of concentration and engagement as they learn new skills. They develop a genuine love of books and stories from a young age and make meaningful links between what they read and their role play experiences. For example, children enthusiastically use cookery books within the home corner to recreate familiar experiences.

Children demonstrate high levels of independence from an early age. Younger children carefully drink from cups without lids, while older children confidently manage their personal care routines independently. They confidently use the hygiene stations, where they look in the mirror to wipe their noses and carefully dispose of tissues safely. Children are physically confident and relish opportunities to explore the outdoor environment with energy, curiosity and enthusiasm.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Strong leadership ensures staff provide a caring, nurturing and highly inclusive environment where children feel safe, secure and valued. Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour and, as a result, children behave exceptionally well. Well established familiar routines help children feel secure and confident because they know what to expect throughout the day. Transitions between routines are managed exceptionally well. Staff take considerable time to ensure children move calmly between activities and are not rushed. This successfully promotes children's emotional wellbeing and security. For example, after lunchtime, children enjoy a quiet story session to rest and digest their food before nap time.

Children's independence is consistently promoted well. They confidently put on their own coats and manage important self-care tasks. They eat independently, receiving encouraging praise from staff which supports their self-esteem and confidence. Staff build warm, trusting relationships with children and know them exceptionally well. Key persons carefully consider children's individual needs and adapt routines effectively, so all children benefit fully from the high quality learning environment. Staff are excellent role models and place high priority on helping children to recognise, express and manage their feelings and emotions. Staff work closely with parents to support children's regular attendance so that children receive the most out of their early education.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Leaders and staff give the highest priority to children's welfare and wellbeing. Children are exceptionally happy, settled and confident. They demonstrate great enjoyment in their play and learning throughout the day. Key people form strong and nurturing relationships with children, enabling them to develop close and trusting attachments. Young children readily seek comfort and reassurance from familiar staff. They snuggle into staff for cuddles and are calmed through warm and sensitive interactions. Staff are highly attentive and quickly recognise when children need additional emotional support. Babies are gently taken to calm spaces where they are soothed and comforted effectively. Older children are supported to recognise and explore their emotions. Staff expertly use stories and books to help children deepen their understanding of feelings and how to express themselves positively.

Leaders are highly ambitious for all children, including those with barriers to their learning. They work closely with parents and other professionals to ensure children receive targeted support that enables them to thrive. Children are safe and learn how to manage risks independently. Staff carefully plan and supervise outings to ensure children's safety at all times. Children's health is promoted exceptionally well. They benefit from extensive opportunities for outdoor play that support their physical development effectively. Children enjoy healthy and nutritious meals and learn about healthy lifestyles through meaningful activities, such as practising tooth brushing using the 'big teeth' activity.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders and managers are highly ambitious and demonstrate a clear vision for continuous improvement. They are reflective and evaluative in their practice and consistently strive to provide children with the best possible experiences. Recent improvements to babies feeding arrangements provide stronger oversight and help ensure that children's individual needs are consistently met. The manager is exceptionally passionate about ensuring all children achieve their potential, particularly those who may face barriers to their learning. Additional funding is used highly effectively to provide resources and experiences that further support children's development, particularly in promoting children's language and communication skills.

Staff very much enjoy working at the setting and say they feel highly valued and well supported by leaders. Leaders place a strong emphasis on staff wellbeing, which helps staff remain motivated and in a strong position to provide warm, nurturing care for children. Staff benefit from excellent professional development opportunities. Several staff are progressing towards higher level childcare qualifications, while targeted training courses further strengthen their knowledge and practice. For example, recent training on supporting children's emotional development has significantly enhanced staff's ability to help children recognise and communicate their feelings, contributing to a calm and harmonious environment.

Partnerships with parents, other professionals and the local community are exceptionally strong. Effective links with local schools, support children's transitions successfully and help minimise potential anxieties. Parents speak highly of the setting and praise the significant progress their children make. They comment that children arrive at the setting eagerly with smiles and are excited to join the staff who they describe as nurturing, kind and caring. Leaders continually monitor practice and provide insightful guidance and support so that staff continually build on the excellent care and learning practises provided for children.