Bridget's Bambinos Day Nursery Limited

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children remain safe through the vigilance of the staff team. The indoor and outdoor environments are well maintained and kept free from hazards. Children benefit from taking part in a range of interesting outings, which broaden their experiences and skills. For example, they develop their social skills at the local toddler group. At the park, they access a wider range of large-scale equipment, helping to develop their gross motor skills. Trips on the bus provide them with new first-hand experiences, and visits to the library enable them to access a wider range of books. During outings, children are continually supervised so that they are protected from potential harm. Children behave well and learn good manners. They are encouraged to learn golden rules, supporting their awareness of rules and boundaries.

Management have made improvements since the last inspection. There is now a clear curriculum in place, which is implemented by staff. Children remain focused and motivated as they happily participate in a wide range of play experiences, which develop their skills and knowledge over time. For example, staff plan an interesting sensory experience for pre-school children to support their fine manipulative and communication skills. Children are encouraged to squirt shaving foam and squeeze paint into the tray. They have great fun exploring as they squelch the foam and paint through their hands. Staff ask questions about the different colours used, the smell of the foam and what it feels like, encouraging children's communication skills.

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

• Children enjoy listening to stories. Staff sit with babies and read lift the flap books. They use words associated with each picture, and the babies excitedly lean forward to see what is behind each flap. When reading popular stories to older children, staff pause and leave gaps to encourage them to recall familiar words and phrases. Children recall complex words such as 'cocoon' when talking about the stages the caterpillar goes through before turning into a butterfly.
• Staff skilfully interweave mathematic language into children's play. For example, when playing in the water, children learn to use pipettes to collect water and squirt it into jugs. As children tell staff it is getting bigger, staff carefully use more appropriate terminology as they explain how it is getting fuller as they are adding more water.
• Children's independence is a key skill staff want children to develop, and it is promoted well in some areas. For example, children are encouraged to get their own drinks, cutlery, plates and to then serve their own meals. However, some aspects of their personal care routines are not promoted as well. For example, staff wipe children's faces for them with a cloth and do not consistently encourage them to wipe their own nose.
• Regular planned baking activities are used to support children's communication, physical and mathematic skills. Children's turn taking and sharing skills are also promoted during this activity, as well as other activities. Staff model respectful behaviour and praise children when using their manners. This helps children to behave well and respect others.
• Staff do not consistently consider what children are doing before beginning routine activities. This means that some children miss out on the valuable learning experiences that are offered. For example, prior to all children finishing their breakfast, staff begin the 'welcome time' activity. Children are encouraged to sing a song to greet each other and then discuss things such as the weather. The children still eating breakfast miss out on the opportunity to develop their social, communication and listening and attention skills.
• Children who are at risk of falling behind in their development are promptly identified. Staff liaise closely with parents and agree personal learning plans, which are more focused targets for the children to achieve. Staff monitor children closely to ensure that gaps in their development begin to narrow.
• Management oversees staff's practise. They support staff to continue to develop their knowledge and skills through further training. Management have worked with staff to support their implementation of the curriculum through planned activities and general play. They are aware of slight inconsistencies in some staff's knowledge of planning for individual children's nest steps in learning. They have identified this as their own key area for further improvement to fully ensure that every child is supported effectively to build on their prior knowledge and skills.
• Parents comment positively on the care and learning their children receive. They confirm they are kept well informed through online posts, discussion, written diaries and parents' evenings.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to consistently model practices that support children's increasing independence in developing good hygiene routines
• help staff to provide opportunities for all children within the same age range to participate in routine and planned activities throughout the day.