BeBright Bunnies Sydenham

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and settled at the nursery. Children are highly confident learners. They readily talk with staff about their learning and ask for support when needed. Staff know children extremely well. They plan fun and exciting activities, which help to progress children's learning. Children recall what they have learned. For example, during a mathematics activity, children remember the number of the week and count how many pom-poms they need to reach that number.

Younger children extend their physical development. Staff are quick to respond to children's interests in jumping, and play music for the children to move along to. Outside, play staff spot children trying to climb up the fence of the vegetable patch. They quickly remind children that using the fence to climb is unsafe. However, they suggest that children use a crate to climb on so that they can see what is growing. This further enhances children's natural curiosity in the world around them.

Babies know routines well. They eagerly join staff for circle time and rush to pick out musical instruments to play. They excitedly move in time to the singing, and shake and hit their chosen instruments. This helps to support children's physical development.

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

• Leaders work hard to make improvements to the quality of teaching and safety within the nursery. Regular staff supervision sessions highlight their training needs. Recent training has helped staff to support children with more-challenging behaviour.
• Parental feedback is positive. Parents feel comfortable with leaving their children at the nursery. They feel listened to by leaders when sharing feedback, and can see when they have made changes. Parents can see huge progress with their children's language development. They also say that children's social and emotional development is nurtured well.
• Care and support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are a key strength. Staff attend regular meetings with other agencies, and share targets and progress that children are making. Staff make great use of funding to help to support children's individual needs. Staff built a chill-out area to help children to calm down when things get too much for them. This greatly supports children's emotional needs.
• During focus activities, staff do not consistently promote children's independence skills. They step in too quickly to carry out tasks, such as threading and using glue sticks. This does not allow children time to problem-solve or do things for themselves.
• Staff teach children how to self-regulate their behaviour. Children learn to talk through turn taking and sharing. Staff have learned to be more consistent in their approach to behaviour management. Children behave well.
• Children have freedom to move between activities. They enjoy exploring messy activities and other areas in the room, without having restrictions. This helps to increase their learning opportunities and enhance their natural curiosity to explore.
• Children develop key skills to help them with their learning and development. Staff teach children self-help skills. This helps them to progress to the next stage of their learning and supports their school readiness.
• Children develop strong bonds with their key person. Staff are close at hand to offer cuddles of reassurance and support. When children are ready, they eagerly go off to explore. This helps to build and support children's self-esteem and confidence.
• Staff plan an ambitious curriculum, which helps children to make good progress with their learning. Activities are tailored so that all children are able to join in. Staff are skilled in adapting activities and the language they use to enable all children to understand tasks.
• Staff support children who speak English as an additional language. For example, dual-language books are available for parents to borrow. Staff make good use of various translation tools to aid children's learning of English and to work with parents.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to be more consistent and help children to develop more independence, particularly during focus activities.