Bluebells Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children love spending time in the highly nurturing pre-school. They arrive excited to play and full of enthusiasm for their day. Children feel completely confident, safe, and secure. They develop high levels of self-esteem and know that they are cherished by staff, who celebrate each child's uniqueness. Children demonstrate these loving bonds throughout the day, such as when joyfully giving staff the pictures they have carefully drawn for them.

Children thoroughly enjoy taking part in the wide range of activities planned around their interests. For example, they make 'pancakes' out of play dough, learning how to roll the dough and pat it flat. Children respond very well to the good expectations staff have for their learning. For example, they recognise shapes confidently in their play, count the blocks used in their towers and discuss which tower is the highest.

Children are extremely willing to try new things and staff warmly teach them not to be afraid of failure. For instance, if a child says that they 'can't', staff remind them of a familiar story where the giraffe learns to dance. Children then repeat, 'I can't yet' and are determined to have a go. Children are highly motivated learners, who quickly gain the skills and confidence needed for the next stage in their learning.

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

• The ambitious, passionate, and dedicated leaders have a strong and clear vision for the pre-school. They provide a broad curriculum designed to prepare children for school. Staff use their precise assessments of children's development and understanding of their interests, to encourage good progress.
• There is a strong curriculum focus on children's behaviour, attitudes, and personal development and staff support this exceptionally well. Children have extensive opportunities to discuss their feelings and learn to regulate their emotions. For example, they use a reflection area, when needed, to calm themselves down using sensory lights, toys, and books. Children confidently discuss emotions, such as worry and fear and how they can help themselves and others to find their inner happiness.
• Staff are extremely positive role models and provide consistent and highly effective support to guide children's behaviour. For example, children learn what makes them a good citizen and eagerly find out who achieves the 'citizenship award' throughout each day. Children love this so much, they often act it out in their imaginary play, writing pretend awards for each other and praising behaviour, such as 'being kind and helpful'.
• Although the room leader is highly qualified and experienced, some staff are newer to working in the pre-school. They support children's learning well, overall, and are extremely attentive to children's emotional needs. However, staff do not always have the highest expectations for what children can learn. For example, they sometimes miss opportunities to extend children's knowledge and encourage their thinking further.
• Leaders support their staff team very well and build a highly positive atmosphere for staff well-being. They have strong new systems in place to monitor, supervise and train staff to support their ongoing professional development. However, this is not fully embedded and there is further support needed to help staff raise their good level of teaching higher.
• Books and stories are a big part of children's experience. Staff read stories throughout the day and children delight in joining in with repeated rhymes and familiar tales. Staff use books to support children's language development and regularly introduce new words, themes, and ideas for children to discuss further. For example, children talk about different skin colour and positive people in the community.
• Children are extremely confident and independent. They take complete ownership during mealtimes, which helps them to manage their own self-care. For example, children prepare the table, serve their lunch, and clear their plates away when finished. Staff warmly encourage children to persevere and children do not give up easily, such as when putting on their coats, jumpers and shoes.
• Leaders and staff build strong links with parents and the local school, where the pre-school is located. They have recently introduced a buddy system, where children join up with Year 5 pupils once a week to help prepare them for their eventual move to school. Parents are overwhelmingly appreciative of the support their children receive and are kept up to date with children's achievements.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen and embed support for newer and less-experienced staff to help raise their good level of teaching higher
• make even better use of interactions with children to build further on what they already know and extend their thinking skills.