Blooming Years Nursery Schools

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are warmly greeted by enthusiastic staff as they arrive at the nursery. Staff gather and make good use of information from home visits and discussions with parents to help new children to settle. Children develop strong and trusting bonds with staff. This helps them to feel safe, secure and confident to explore their new surroundings. Babies readily seek familiar staff for cuddles, who have their favourite toys ready.

Staff support children's good behaviour. Children feel safe and staff support them to learn the importance of being kind, sharing and taking turns. Children know that staff are there to help them if they feel sad or have any worries. Staff deal with any unwanted behaviour between children in a calm and sensitive manner.

Throughout the nursery, children are active learners and engaged in a variety of interesting activities. Staff encourage children to develop their physical skills and manage their own risks. For instance, children take delight in using a large spin wheel as they learn how to use it safely in the garden. Staff work effectively with parents and other relevant professionals to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Each child receives care and support that is precisely targeted to reflect their individual needs.

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

• Leaders have high expectations for all children to make the best possible progress. As such, they implement an effective and ambitious curriculum. Staff quickly identify any areas where children need more support in their learning. They monitor children's progress closely and swiftly seek further advice to ensure that children receive any additional help they require. Staff use agreed strategies successfully to include all children, including those with SEND.
• Leaders and managers devise and implement a broad and challenging curriculum. Staff plan a range of activities that successfully support all children to progress well. There is a strong focus on setting out resources for children to access independently. However, sometimes, the organisation of some routines and activities does not always help children to fully engage. At times, some staff unintentionally interrupt children who are engrossed in tasks, distracting their focus and concentration.
• Staff use opportunities to speak in different languages. They repeat sentences or words in English and other languages as children engage in activities. For instance, during a play dough activity, staff ask questions in English and Portuguese. This helps children who are learning to speak English as an additional language to make good progress in learning English.
• Staff help to expand children's knowledge of the wider world. They plan many opportunities so that children have access to a range of fulfilling experiences. For example, children visit local places in the community, such as the library and parks.
• Leaders support staff well. Staff discuss they feel valued and enjoy working at the nursery. They have regular individual meetings with leaders to review their professional development. Leaders observe staff's practice and provide feedback on the areas requiring further development. However, at times leaders feedback to some staff is not effective enough to help them raise the quality of their practice to the highest level.
• Children's behaviour in the nursery is good. Children follow staff's good example and learn to treat each other with kindness and respect. Staff show children how to resolve any disputes, and children cooperate well. For example, staff encourage children to remind their friends how to wait safely when using the stairs.
• Parent partnerships are a real strength of the nursery. Parents, past and present, hold staff in very high regard. They give many examples of how they have been supported, and the progress their children make. Staff find effective ways to help parents to support their children's learning at home. For example, they use an online system to share information about the progress that children make.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• improve the organisation of some routines and activities to help support children's engagement more consistently
• enhance the arrangements for providing targeted feedback to staff to help raise the quality of their practice to the highest level.