Blythe Bridge Day Nursery Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children flourish in this warm, welcoming nursery. They arrive happy to start their day and staff greet them with smiles and enthusiasm. Staff take the time to get to know children and their families quickly and they use what they know to help children to settle. Babies are content and staff offer cuddles and reassurance to help them build secure attachments right from the start. Staff are positive role models. They are sensitive to children's needs and show children respect as they talk to them. Staff talk to children about emotions and how their behaviour can affect others. Children are supported to resolve their own conflicts. Gentle reminders, particularly during risky play, help children to learn to keep themselves and others safe. Children show positive attitudes to their learning.

There is an ambitious curriculum that is skilfully sequenced to help all children to gain new knowledge and build on their skills in readiness for school. Staff place a high focus on providing babies and young children with a solid foundation on which to grow and develop. Outdoor learning is a big part of this setting. Children have wonderful opportunities to be curious, to investigate and to develop their independence to lead their own learning. Staff offer children experiences to be creative and to develop their own ideas. For example, children explore the different patterns they can make using a variety of materials to create a range of art pieces. Staff interactions are high quality. They are skilful at extending children's learning and they provide experiences to help children to concentrate and to persevere. For example, children thoroughly enjoy taking part in woodwork activities. They use a range of tools, such as hammers, screwdrivers and saws. Staff help children to use these correctly to achieve an end goal. Children are extremely proud when they master new skills.

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

• The manager has a clear vision for the nursery and is dedicated to continuous improvement. She works closely with the deputy manager and prioritises staff's ongoing professional development. Staff report that their well-being is considered. All staff, including apprentices, talk positively about the regular support and training they receive.
• The manager has implemented a curriculum that focuses on what children need to learn next to become secure in their learning. Staff introduce themes, such as 'berries', to add additional open-ended props and natural materials to enhance children's play. For example, children excitedly make strawberries by adding seeds and colour into play dough. Children are eager to take part in activities and engage well. However, some staff are not consistently embedding the curriculum to help every child to excel in their learning.
• Equality and diversity are threaded throughout the curriculum. Staff complete additional learning to find out about different religious festivals and events that go on throughout the year. They use their knowledge and a range of carefully selected books to help children to learn about other cultures, beliefs and celebrations. Children have access to books that challenge gender stereotypes and that represent different skin tones and disabilities. Staff help them to learn about similarities and differences. This helps children to feel valued and to prepare them for life in modern Britain.
• Staff prioritise children's communication and language skills. They read to children with enthusiasm and encourage them to join in with stories, songs and rhymes. Staff engage in back-and-forth conversations, allowing children time to think and respond. Staff working with the youngest children use simple words and sentences and narrate children's play to extend their vocabulary. Children develop great confidence in speaking to their peers and adults. They are eager to talk about what they are doing, sharing their thoughts and ideas.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well. Staff complete a language screening tool to identify any gaps in children's communication. They use individual target plans to provide experiences that help to narrow gaps in children's learning.
• Older children learn to manage their behaviour and generally follow instructions well. However, some staff do not always consider the organisation of routines. For example, when children come in from outside, they spend time waiting for the next activity. Consequently, they are not always supported to sustain high levels of interest and concentration.
• Children have vast opportunities to develop their physical skills. Staff understand the importance of helping babies to develop their core strength. They support children to gain their large- and small-muscle skills ready for writing. Babies master crawling through tunnels and gain confidence in walking. Older children thoroughly enjoy mastering using the rope swings.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. Parents' comments are extremely positive. They say what a wonderful nursery this is and how much their children love coming. Parents comment on the exceptional staff and say their children are safe and well cared for. Parents receive regular information about their child's day and the experiences their children receive. Parents are very happy with the progress their children make.
• Children's good health is promoted. The environment is clean and hygienic. Children benefit from healthy, home-cooked meals. They grow their own fruits and vegetables and staff talk to children about healthy foods. Staff manage children's intimate care needs well. They recognise when children are ready for toilet training and work with parents to help children to become confident with using the toilet and gain independence with their personal care routines.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• help all staff to embed the curriculum consistently to support every child to excel in their learning
• support staff, particularly new staff, to identify when children need more support during routine times to help every child sustain high levels of interest and concentration.