Bluebell Nursery School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and confident. They go into nursery, hang their belongings up independently and make their way to choose what to play with. Children show that they feel safe and secure. They have strong and positive relationships developed with staff. Children go up to staff and request a hug by putting their arms out. Staff are calm and nurturing. They give children a warm, welcoming smile and ask how children are. Children have positive attitudes to learning and seek out activities and resources alongside their friends and staff. Children are proud of what they achieve. They show visitors their pictures displayed on the window and say, 'I made that big hedgehog up there.'

Children behave well, and they understand what is expected of them. They are supported, when necessary, to resolve conflicts together. For example, as children played with a train track, passing each other the trains, a child tries to take a train, and they started to fall out. Children paused and looked for support from staff, who appropriately intervened. After this, children continued to resolve disagreements between themselves. Children respect one another and work together with their friends. They tip flour into bowls, use their hands to mix and talk to each other about needing more oil and water to make into dough.

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

• Staff understand and assess children's development. Staff use children's interests to support them to plan the range of resources and activities that meet children's next steps and individual needs, including for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and children who speak English as an additional language. Parents comment on their children being ready for school due to support given by staff.
• Staff are skilful when working with children with sensory needs. For example, staff have identified the children who do not like to try a range of different foods. They add a variety of food items to the play kitchen for children to explore alongside staff, to understand what they are and to try them if they choose.
• Staff organise the indoor and outdoor environment to enhance children's physical development. Outside, children run and hide. They independently swing on swings, climb up onto a climbing frame and slide down slides. Children work together to climb up onto a spinning climbing frame. They wait for their friends, and then push themselves round. Inside, children manipulate different materials using their hands, building up their fine motor skills.
• Children are supported to develop a sense of self. Staff ask children frequently what they like and dislike. Staff discuss with children the different needs within the wider community. This helps children to understand their differences to others. For example, they collect food and toiletry items for 'people who may not have as much' as they do.
• Parents say that they are extremely happy with the nursery. They receive regular updates about their children's day and learning. This helps them to support their children further at home. Parents speak highly of how well the staff team support their children's individual needs and how, without them, their children would not have progressed.
• Staff feel well supported by the manager. They say that they receive feedback and training plans from the manager. The manager evaluates practice through observation, to identify areas of strength and areas for improvement. The manager plans staff training based on these findings to support staff's continued professional development. For example, staff and the manager have identified a need for signs and symbols training, to support children who do not speak.
• Children are supported to keep themselves safe. Staff mostly model how to use tools correctly and safely. For example, children sit with staff, and they are shown how to use scissors. Children hold their own piece of paper and make small snips along the edge. However, at snack time, staff do not consistently model how to use knives to cut. Children lose interest and stop trying to cut their apple.
• Children understand the routine of the day and what they need to do. However, in parts of the routine, some staff are not aware of their role. For example, at group time, children share their home book with the group, but other children become distracted from being able to listen, as staff ask children to do other tasks, such as take their shoes off or go and find their coats.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• consistently support all children to develop further understanding of how to use tools safely and correctly
• improve staff understanding of their role in the daily routine, to ensure that they do not distract children with other tasks.