Bear's House Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy, content and confident at this nurturing and inclusive nursery. They receive a warm welcome from friendly staff, when they arrive. Staff work closely with families to gain a good understanding of children's individual needs and personalities. They offer plenty of settle sessions when children first start, helping them to build trusting relationships with key staff and become familiar with the environment. Staff are respectful in their interactions with children. For example, they ask for children's consent before wiping their nose and taking off their shoes. This helps children to feel valued, safe and secure.

Staff plan an ambitious and broad curriculum that supports children's interests. Children are eager to learn and excitedly explore the activities on offer. For example, babies giggle with delight while splashing in water. They develop their hand-eye coordination as they pour water into different sized containers. Staff consider topics to run alongside the activities they provide, such as 'tiger week'. Older children use their imaginations as they create concoctions in the mud kitchen, mixing together mud, water and fruits. They proudly tell staff they are making 'tiger tea'. Staff adapt activities and consider the age and ability of the children taking part. This helps to support all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to make the best possible progress.

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

• Since the last inspection, leaders have worked hard to make improvements to strengthen safeguarding procedures. For example, all staff, including those with lead responsibility for safeguarding, have a strong and robust knowledge of child protection. They know how to recognise and escalate any concerns appropriately. Staff are extremely clear on their roles and responsibilities to keep children safe, which is in line with the local safeguarding partnership.
• Leaders have been extremely reflective and are committed to maintaining a high-quality early years provision. For example, they support new staff to understand their roles and responsibilities through an effective induction. Leaders ensure all staff have access to training opportunities to enhance their knowledge and skills. Staff work closely together as a team and feel well supported by leaders.
• Children benefit from a broad and well-planned curriculum that covers all areas of learning. Staff carry out regular observations and assessments of children and know what they want them to learn next. For example, they plan precise activities and experiences based on children's learning needs and interests. This helps to extend and enhance children's learning.
• Staff provide many activities to promote children's physical skills and healthy lifestyles. For example, babies demonstrate determination and perseverance as they reach, stretch and catch balls in the ball pit. Older children develop their core strength, balance and coordination as they use climbing apparatus and ride on bicycles. Staff support children to brush their teeth each day. They learn why this is important and how long they need to brush their teeth for. This contributes to promoting good oral hygiene.
• Overall, staff support children's communication and language well. They provide a running commentary on children's play, repeating and extending words that children use. For example, staff use simple and clear language with babies, helping them to develop their communication skills. Older children learn new vocabulary, such as 'pescatarian' and 'diplodocus'. However, at times, staff ask children questions in quick succession. This does not give children the time they need to think and respond.
• There is strong support for children with SEND. Passionate staff work very closely with parents and other professionals to put targeted plans in place. For instance, they use basic sign language and visual prompts to build on children's confidence to communicate. Leaders use additional funding wisely, which is tailored to children's individual needs. This helps children with SEND make good progress from their starting points.
• Staff are positive role models and use gentle reminders with children during their play. For instance, they praise children for sharing resources and taking turns. Overall, children are polite and behave well. However, at times, staff do not always explain to children why certain behaviours are expected, such as not running inside or throwing toys. This does not help children to fully understand the expectations of behaviour and consequences of their actions.
• Partnerships with parents are effective. Parents are full of praise for the friendly staff team and comment on the good progress their children make, particularly in their self-confidence and communication skills. Staff communicate with parents and keep them up to date with their children's care and progress.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to recognise when to give children more time to process information, to develop their communication and language skills even further
• build on staff's knowledge of behaviour management strategies, to help children fully understand the expectations of their behaviour.