Bramble Hall Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy at nursery and confidently find lots to do with their friends and staff. They particularly enjoy being outside, where they can enhance their physical skills or learn about the natural world around them. Children behave well and have a good knowledge of the familiar routines. Older children are developing a secure knowledge of their emotions and how to self-regulate their own behaviours. Staff Staff generally foster children's sense of independence well, and children are learning how to do things for themselves. They demonstrate this especially well at mealtimes, when they use a variety of utensils to serve their food and carry it back to their tables.

The youngest children enjoy warm and trusting relationships with staff, who know them exceptionally well. Even those who are leaving parents for the first time settle quickly, and soon feel quite at home in their new surroundings. Children are inquisitive and keen to explore everything around them. Their physical skills are enhanced greatly as they learn to toddle and move themselves from one place to another. They show great fascination for rolling objects and beam with delight as staff show them how to roll balls through a length of piping.

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

• Staff know what children need to learn in their early years. They have developed a curriculum that is sequenced well over time and successfully helps children to develop the skills they need to be ready for school. Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities well to ensure that they are able to learn and play happily among friends. They seek help from outside professionals readily, where necessary, and this contributes well to supporting children's further development.
• Staff recognise that the recent COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on children's communication development. In response to this, staff have undertaken further training to help children catch up. Throughout the nursery, staff demonstrate consistent strategies, such as using gestures and objects of reference, as they chat to children. This contributes well to children's growing confidence in their own abilities. Children understand what is being said to them and are generally successful in conveying their own needs, ideas and comments.
• Staff working with the youngest children in the baby room are well trained and take particular care of children's health and well-being. Nappy changing is undertaken sensitively, giving children a sense of dignity and choice. Staff sing to children frequently and offer plenty of cuddles when needed. Staff know about keeping babies safe as they sleep and the importance of protecting children from the effects of the sun. The youngest children flourish in this nurturing environment, with staff who simply love their roles. They plan carefully for children's move on to the toddler room so that transitions are as stress free as possible.
• Staff plan activities based on their knowledge of children and their observations of children as they play. Activities are generally suitable and staff have clear intentions of what they want children to experience or practise when taking part. However, there are times when staff are not prepared or organised enough. Children sometimes have to wait while more resources are gathered to complete the activity. This results in children's concentration being interrupted and the focus of the task being lost.
• Staff feel well supported by the management team and talk readily about how much they enjoy their work. Managers ensure that staff are not put under excessive pressure and give them time to complete tasks during their working day. Staff have access to regular supervision meetings with managers. Managers encourage ongoing professional development, and the skills and knowledge learned by staff have a positive impact on children's experiences.
• Parents are hugely complimentary about their children's experience at the nursery. They praise the staff team highly and are pleased with the time taken to share information about children's daily experiences. Parents say that staff respect their wishes and acknowledge that their children have a 'great relationship' with them.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• help staff to plan activities more effectively and be fully prepared with the resources they need to lessen the interruption to children's learning and experiences.