Bizzkidz Ashford

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The manager and her staff team create a welcoming environment in the nursery, where children are happy. Upon arrival at the nursery, children separate from their parents easily. Those children that need a little help to settle receive a reassuring cuddle from their key person. Staff have high expectations for children and provide a curriculum that covers all areas of learning. This helps children to develop the skills they need for starting school. For instance, staff use a self-registration system to encourage children to be able to identify their photos and names. Staff use both assessment and information provided by parents to plan activities, considering children's interests and what they need to learn next. Children have fun using their imaginations as they pretend that they are cooking pasta dishes. Staff model language for the children to copy and help to extend the children's play. Children are well behaved; they have developed good friendships with each other and play well together. Staff encourage children to be independent. For example, they learn to use the bathroom and open lids and packets in their snack boxes. Children are active, curious and keen learners. They become independent and confident in what they can do. Younger children enthusiastically stack blocks to create towers outside. They display resilience and try again if their tower falls.

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

• The managers are passionate about their roles. They have a clear vision for providing high-quality care and learning for children. The manager provides opportunities for staff to develop their practice through additional training, mentoring and coaching. This helps staff to observe, assess and plan activities for their key children effectively.
• Staff teach children to recognise letters and the sounds they make. For instance, older children play alongside their friends and create letters. They confidently say with delight, 'I know that letter.' Children are developing skills for learning to read. This also helps build on their social skills.
• Staff promptly recognise the signs that children may need additional help. They work alongside parents and other professionals, where gaps in children's learning and development are identified, to implement targeted support. All children, including children who receive additional funding and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make secure progress across all areas of learning.
• Robust recruitment procedures are in place to ensure that all staff employed to work with children are suitable to do so. New staff receive an in-depth induction so that they understand their role and responsibilities. Staff report that they really enjoy working at the setting and that they feel valued and supported by the manager.
• Staff help children to be physically active. They encourage children to try challenging movements, such as pushing themselves around on balance bikes. Children persevere as they use tweezers to pick up pieces of pasta, helping develop their hand muscles. Children become confident, agile and physically able.
• There are good partnerships with parents. Staff gather detailed information about children's individual needs and preferences. Parents speak positively about the good communication that staff maintain in updating them about their children's learning and development. They appreciate the support staff give them and their children.
• Children have fun as they create with boxes and other material. Staff support the children to learn to share and take turns with the creative resources available. However, during some group activities, staff do not always ensure that children are all engaged and the learning of more capable children is suitably challenged.
• Generally, routines are well supported in the nursery. However, on occasion, staff call children away from listening to a story or completing an activity to wash their hands or tidy up. As a result, learning and engagement are disrupted for some children, as they do not benefit from listening to the whole story or consolidate their learning.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen the implementation of group activities, such as story time, to fully engage all children
• review routines of the day to allow children time to consolidate and deepen their knowledge through uninterrupted play.