Blackberry House Day Nursery (Peterborough)

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive confidently as staff take them into their room after speaking with their parents or carers at the door. Children express and communicate their needs well. For example, older children tell staff if they feel happy or sad by giving 'thumbs up' or 'thumbs down' gestures. They are delighted to 'high 10' staff when they say they feel happy. Babies take staff's hands and say 'come' as they show them what they want.

Children's communication and language development is supported well. Babies love books and try to find where the 'bear' is in the story. Toddlers learn new vocabulary as new activities are introduced. For example, they draw 'pancakes' and are introduced to real items in their farm shop, such as potatoes and lemons. Some pre-school children are very articulate and show amazing confidence as they stand up alone and sing and dance in front of their friends.

Children behave well, especially when they are highly engaged in their activities indoors and out. They show concern for others. For example, an older child suggests one of her friends may just be feeling shy when staff comment that they are quiet today. Babies know that their shoes go in a special basket and are keen to ensure that visitor's shoes are placed there too.

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

• Babies have lovely attachments with staff and show they feel comfortable and safe in their care. There is lots of space for babies to move around as they practise their growing physical skills. Toddlers explore different farm animals and the noises they make. They love finding toy horses hidden in a tray of hay.
• Staff have good knowledge of the children they care for and what it is they intend children to learn. Activities are planned in each room to reflect children's interests and individual learning needs. Staff build successfully on what children already know. For example, a pre-school child is praised for using the word 'ingredient' and the member of staff confirms that the child understands what it means by giving a simple explanation. However, sometimes, staff follow routines rather than respond to what may best support a child's emotional security in that moment, for example, when a child wants or needs a specific member of staff they have become particularly attached to.
• Pre-school children benefit from rich-learning opportunities when they work in smaller groups and have free-flow access to side rooms and the outdoors. When this happens, children show high levels of engagement and staff interactions are of good quality. Outside, children make 'chocolate milk' from muddy puddles and toss bark chipping 'pancakes' in frying pans. This shows great imagination and physical coordination. Additionally, children benefit from a forestry and nature area where they learn to take supervised risks and to explore. However, large-group times in the pre-school room are not always well organised. Children become easily distracted and the learning is not as rich as during other times of the day.
• Children enjoy balanced and varied meals or a packed lunch from home. Their individual dietary and allergen requirements are respected. Alternatives are offered if children dislike what is offered. Children's nappies are changed according to their individual needs.
• Staff say they feel their professional development and well-being is very well supported by managers and senior management. Monthly supervisions give regular opportunities to review and reflect on practice and to identify any relevant training needs.
• Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language is good. Staff strive to ensure that these children get the early years education they deserve.
• Feedback from parents is very positive. Parents of older children feel their children have been well prepared for school through their attendance at this nursery. Managers and staff worked hard during the COVID-19 pandemic to continue to offer good levels of support to children and their families.
• Complaints procedures are robustly followed. Accident records are maintained appropriately. These records are shared with parents as well as by phone if felt necessary.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• consider ways to better help children with times of transition throughout the day so that they feel an even greater sense of security and emotional well-being
• improve the organisation of large-group times in the pre-school room to ensure that children receive the same rich-learning opportunities during this time as they do at other times in the day.