Blossom Years Nightingale Lane, Bromley Pre-school - BR1 2SB

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and settled. All children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), arrive eager to play with their friends. Their behaviour is good. They confidently take off their coats and find their box to put their belongings in. Children feel safe and secure. They receive lots of positive praise for their efforts. They are eager to participate in a wide range of inspiring activities.

Older children concentrate well. For example, they take turns to find the matching colour and shape for their board and confidently identify the 'rectangle' and 'triangle'. Children are developing their early mathematical skills. Young children skilfully balance and jump on numbers and balancing beams, building on their gross motor skills, and access lots of fresh air. Children enjoy small-group sessions with external professionals. For example, they participate in sports and French lessons. Children take turns to name colours in French and use sign language to support their learning. They are encouraged to explore their own ideas with the wide range of resources and activities available to them. For example, children confidently use pens and scissors. They show delight when they work out how to make a ball with paper and masking tape. Children have a can-do attitude.

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

• The manager and staff provide an ambitious curriculum. Parents appreciate the partnership working to help new children settle quickly. However, the manager does not gather information from parents about children's experiences, backgrounds and languages. This would help build on their self-esteem. In addition, it would help children to build an awareness of their different cultures to gain a greater appreciation of the world around them.
• Staff have high expectations for all children. They observe and carry out regular checks of what children know and can do. All children, including children who receive additional funding and children with SEND, make secure progress across all areas of learning. However, some progress checks for children between the ages of two and three years do not clearly identify gaps in children's learning and their next steps. Having said that, parents comment that they appreciate the tips staff give them and the daily information about their children's day.
• Staff know children well and plan a curriculum following children's interests. For instance, children with SEND explore using their senses as they lay on large whiteboards and write with pens. Young children enjoy manipulating sand dough. This helps build on their fine motor and imaginative skills. However, staff do not always provide age-appropriate opportunities for all children to be involved. For example, more-confident children quickly share their ideas and lead activities and discussions. As a result, young children do not have the opportunity to make the most of every learning experience.
• Children have lots of opportunities to develop healthy lifestyles. They wash their hands before having their snack and lunch. This teaches them about the importance of good hygiene. Children develop their independence skills. For instance, older children help to prepare the snack. They butter the bread carefully, using knives. Staff use opportunities to build on children's prior learning. For example, children confidently explain how butter comes from cows.
• Children have a good understanding of the daily routine. They behave well. For instance, children remind adults what to do when they hear the bell ring. They listen intently and follow instructions. Children know how to keep themselves safe. For example, they know what the red 'stop' and green 'go' signs in front of the garden door mean.
• Staff provide a broad range of activities in the outdoor area, which children access all year round. Staff teach children to recognise letters and the sounds they make. For instance, older children play alongside their friends using toy fishing rods to catch crabs and letters in the water. They confidently scream with delight, 'I know that letter, it's a 't' like in my name.' Children are developing skills for learning to read. This also helps build on their social skills.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• gather information from parents before children start to build on their sense of belonging, help celebrate children's differences and support their ongoing learning at home
• ensure that staff understand how to use the progress check for children aged between two and three years and share next steps with parents
• adapt the implementation of group activities to provide appropriate challenge and focus more precisely on supporting young children.