Beckenham Hill Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Practitioners create a nurturing and inviting atmosphere that encourages children to arrive with enthusiasm for the day ahead. The children demonstrate a sense of safety and security as they happily part from their parents. They are familiar with the established routines and follow the guidance provided by the practitioners. Throughout the day, practitioners offer praise to the children, contributing to the development of their self-confidence.

Children demonstrate a high level of independence from an early age. They are confident and capable of managing their self-care needs. For example, older children in the baby room try to wipe their noses and dispose of tissues in the bin. Practitioners establish clear expectations for children, focusing on essential skills for school readiness, including the ability to dress and undress independently, use the bathroom without assistance, and serve their own meals. Children demonstrate a positive attitude towards learning, as practitioners design activities that are enjoyable and stimulating, effectively engaging the children.

Practitioners serve as good role models, guiding children in understanding the nursery's values of kindness and respect for peers. Their kindness is evident in both their actions and their manner of communication with the children and one another. Practitioners attentively address the needs of young children, seeking permission before attending to tasks, such as wiping noses or changing nappies. They instil manners in the children, gently encouraging them to use phrases, such as 'please' and 'thank you.' Children exhibit positive behaviour, engaging cooperatively with one another and demonstrating a willingness to help in tidying up from an early age.

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

• Leaders are passionate about the nursery. They are committed to the professional growth of practitioners. Regular supervision sessions and training opportunities ensures practitioners participate in meaningful professional development. As a result, the staff team is strong, collaborating effectively to provide an engaging curriculum that supports children's learning and development.
• Leaders and practitioners effectively assist children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They collaborate closely with external agencies and parents to facilitate the children's next steps and achieve their goals. Practitioners work together to assess the children's starting points and identify appropriate targeted support. Children make good progress from their starting points.
• Practitioners have a good understanding of their key children, enabling them to confidently discuss each child's interests, progress and next developmental steps. They conduct regular observations and assessments to identify any learning gaps. However, at times, practitioners do not always deploy themselves in a manner that effectively supports children who are new or unsettled. For example, key persons are tasked with leading a group session rather than providing the necessary support to any unsettled key children.
• Practitioners help young children grow their language skills by using single words, telling short stories, and singing nursery rhymes. As children develop, practitioners add new words and encourage them to repeat them. They give simple instructions to help improve listening skills and they talk with children about their activities to boost their language and problem-solving skills.
• Practitioners help children learn about their feelings by using books about emotions and lanyards with visual representation of emotions to support children to resolve conflict situations. However, during conflict situations, they sometimes focus more on their own feelings about the situation and do not acknowledge the feelings of the children involved.
• Children are exposed to mathematical language early on in the nursery. Practitioners incorporate numbers and mathematical concepts into play, using every opportunity to engage in counting. For instance, they count toys handed over by younger children, while older children identify numbers and count their steps on numbered stumps. During play, children learn words related to size and shape. For example, while searching for worms, practitioners encourage them to compare sizes using words, such as 'short' and 'long'.
• Children's good health and well-being is prioritised. All children have free-flow access to the garden, this helps them to get fresh air and move freely. Practitioners assist the youngest children in achieving developmental milestones, such as crawling and walking. Meanwhile, older children enhance their core strength through balance activities and develop hand muscles by using chopsticks and various mark-making tools during a range of activities, preparing them for writing. Additionally, children are provided with healthy meals and snacks to encourage a nutritious and balanced diet.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• amend arrangements for new and unsettled children so that the assigned key person is available to support them when needed
• support staff to further develop children's understanding of their own feelings, particularly during conflict situations to support them to understand the impact of their actions on others.