Bluebell Hill Children's Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The new and inspired leadership team has taken swift and effective measures to address the weaknesses identified during the last inspection. Children are welcomed into a safe and happy environment where they are at the centre of the affectionate and nurturing practice of staff. They develop strong bonds with staff, who support their emotional development well. For example, babies seek out staff for reassurance and cuddles, while staff help older children to express their needs in words.

Children play in an exciting environment that is planned around their needs and stages of development. Staff know what the children enjoy, their interests and skills, and they use this to sequence a curriculum that is as educational as it is fun. For example, children challenge their balance and core stability when they walk across the sensory path or develop strength in their shoulders when they sweep with brooms. This provides children with opportunities to improve and practise key physical skills.

Staff have clear boundaries and expectations for children's behaviour. Leaders have worked hard to implement strategies with staff and parents to support a consistent framework for children's behaviour. Children learn to respect one another and know right from wrong. They develop lovely friendships, helped by their increased awareness of the impact their behaviour has on others.

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

• Leaders are highly evaluative and reflect on how they can make effective changes in the setting. They involve children, staff and parents in new plans and initiatives right from the outset. This means they can take account of their opinions and views to create a curriculum that is highly inclusive and tailored to the needs of all children and families.
• The curriculum is well sequenced and devised around the setting's intent for children's learning. Staff regularly assess children's learning to help them make progress and build skills and knowledge. For example, staff use a literacy curriculum that increases children's knowledge of books and develops richer vocabulary from when they start in the baby room until they leave for school.
• Although the curriculum is understood and well delivered by staff, there are some aspects of the leaders' new procedures and policies that are yet to be fully embedded. For example, leaders do not always monitor closely to ensure staff record all routine tasks and incidents. This leads to inconsistency in some information leaders require as part of their oversight of the setting.
• Staff plan activities that delight and stimulate children's curiosity. For example, children listen to a story while they dig in mud to find worms. Older children work together to create an ice-cream shop with construction toys. Babies pull themselves to standing in their enthusiasm to see what staff have put on the low tables. Children are busy and occupied when they learn new skills, and they practise and improve those they already have.
• Staff provide children with routines that support their understanding of the importance of good nutrition, rest and exercise. Children demonstrate wonderful independence skills from a young age. Sometimes, however, during mealtimes and transition times in the baby room, staff are less organised and prepared, which disrupts an otherwise calm atmosphere.
• Staff plan a wide range of activities that help children to feel part of their community. Babies look at home-made books about their families. Older children engage in activities outside of the setting that help them to understand the geography and environment of their town. Staff prepare children for life in the wider world when they learn about each other's lives, festivals and traditions.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. For example, staff plan workshops and events to help families understand the early years curriculum. They provide information, advice and support to maintain continuity of children's care across home and the setting. However, staff do not always seek sufficient information from parents to fully support those children who speak English as an additional language.
• Staff well-being is high and their pride and professionalism shine. Although leaders accept that any change is hard, staff embrace new opportunities, training and teaching strategies. This has led to a deeper sense of empowerment among the team members, who strive to provide children with high standards of care and education.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• monitor staff practice more closely to help embed consistency of staff record keeping of routines and incidents
• improve staff deployment during times of change in the routine to help maintain a calm environment for young children
• enhance communication and information sharing with parents whose children speak English as an additional language, to further support children's learning.