Banana Moon Day Nursery Bromley

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Practitioners greet children and parents at their room with a warm and friendly welcome. Children are happy and eager to start their day. New children are supported to settle well by their key persons, who spend time getting to know them and develop a good understanding of their needs and interests. As a result, children form good relationships with their key person. This helps children to feel safe and secure.

Children behave well. They demonstrate friendly behaviour towards each other. Older children invite their friends to play with them and give them dressing-up clothes so they can participate in their role play. Younger children smile and laugh as they join in activities together and pass each other toys. Practitioners model respectful behaviour. They speak to each other with respect, encourage children to say 'please' and 'thank you' and ask before wiping children's noses.

All children, including those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), progress well. Practitioners skilfully organise activities across the curriculum which spark children's curiosity and engage them in meaningful learning.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

• Leaders are passionate about outcomes for all children. They have clear intentions for children's development and the learning which they provide. Leaders are highly committed to practitioners' continuous professional development. They provide training opportunities based on practitioners' individual needs and the specific needs of children. This maintains the good quality of teaching for children.
• The provision for children with SEND is a strength. The manager has good knowledge of how to support children's individual needs. They work closely with practitioners and other professionals to swiftly close any gaps in children's development. Parents are supported in a sensitive manner. They are involved in creating individual support plans for their children. Parents are kept up to date about their children's ongoing development.
• The manager uses funding effectively to provide children with a range of stimulating learning opportunities and sensory experiences, such as animal therapy and music and physical sessions. This helps to extend children's learning and helps to meet their individual needs.
• Overall, practitioners support children with their communication and language development and extend their vocabularies. For example, they comment on what babies are doing and name objects and actions. Older children learn new words to describe things during their play, such as 'humongous' and 'artificial'.
• Practitioners repeat what children say, using the correct pronunciation and grammar.
• Practitioners do not consistently use the range of effective strategies and resources available to support children who speak English as an additional language. This means that some children do not have consistent opportunities to hear and develop their home languages in their play to further support their language development.
• Children have access to resources and books that reflect the diversity of cultures and abilities within the setting. This helps children to develop a positive sense of self and a respect for difference and diversity.
• Children have lots of opportunities to strengthen their core, large and small muscles. They have regular access to outdoor space. Older children learn to take calculated risks as they use a range of equipment such as bicycles, stepping stones and climbing apparatus. All children use the small muscles in their hands to squeeze and manipulate materials, such as when they explore clay and dough.
• Practitioners promote children's healthy lifestyles. They provide children with nutritious snacks and meals and offer sessions about portion sizes to parents. Practitioners talk to children about healthier options and the benefits of eating vegetables. For instance, when children say that they like milkshakes, practitioners plan with children to make milkshakes using real fruit, discussing about them being 'healthier'.
• Parents speak very highly about the nursery. They comment on the excellent support from the manager and the good communication from the practitioners. Parents say that the nursery has a family feel and their children enjoy attending.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• use strategies and resources consistently to further support children who speak English as an additional language.