Portland House

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents

The provision is outstanding • Leaders have an in-depth understanding of the needs of children and families across the locality. They work highly successfully with schools and other professionals to make sure children are extremely well prepared for their future learning.

Staff provide excellent support for children's emotional well-being during transitions within the nursery and the move to school. • Leader's use their meticulous evaluation of staff's practice to precisely target professional development opportunities. A comprehensive programme of training helps all staff and students to raise their skills to the highest level.

Parents, children and other professionals ...are fully involved in making positive changes to enhance children's future learning. • Leaders engage parents exceptionally well in their children's learning at all levels. They attend play-and-stay sessions where staff give them superb ideas to support their children's learning.

The nursery provides packs of ingredients that parents can use to bake, and make healthy soups at home with their children. Activity and story bags in different languages help parents who speak English as an additional language to continue learning at home. • Staff's passion for teaching inspires and motivates children's play.

They give them time to immerse themselves in activities that capture their curiosity. Toddlers delight in playing with mud and water. They show wonder at how water pours out of their jug, but sticky mud does not move even after lots of shaking and banging.