Bright Beginnings Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enter the nursery with ease. Staff are warm and welcoming and show great enthusiasm as they tell children about the fun things that they have planned. This results in children feeling safe and secure. They confidently wave goodbye to their parents and run in, excited to start their day.

Children explore their own interests and benefit from the stimulating activities offered. They concentrate and become deeply engaged in their play. Staff model and provide ideas of how to shape and manipulate play dough in different ways. Children build their small-muscle skills as they use their hands and tools to squash, roll and flatten the play dough. They delight in finding out what will happen when they mix water with soil. Children learn to play imaginatively when they pretend to make 'mud pies'. Staff happily join in and extend conversations. They explain how the pretend pies feel and 'taste', and they comment on how the service at the café is amazing.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the nursery closed for a short period. Managers carried out 'wellness' checks to maintain contact with families, children and staff. When children returned, flexible settling-in sessions were offered to meet children's individual needs. This supported children's emotional well-being and they settled back into nursery well.

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

• Managers have a clear vision and a good understanding of the quality of care and education that they want to deliver to children. They continually reflect on what they are doing well and identify further developments. For example, staff have recently developed a separate outdoor area for babies. Younger children now have continuous access to the outdoors, with greater opportunities to explore and extend their learning.
• Generally, staff provide an ambitious curriculum and children are making good progress. Staff know what children can do and what they need to learn next. Yet, occasionally, staff do not fully consider how they may adapt opportunities to meet all children's abilities and development needs, particularly in group activities. Therefore, some children do not benefit as much as others.
• Children learn about the diverse experiences of their friends at the nursery and learn about the world beyond their own community. They view maps of different countries where their friends once lived. Staff learn keywords to further communicate with children who speak English as an additional language. This helps children to feel included and supports their understanding of the differences and similarities that they share with others.
• Partnership with parents is good. Staff carry out regular reviews of children's progress and development and share this with parents. Parents feel grateful for the level of care and the experiences that are on offer for their children.
• Children's behaviour is good. Staff remind them to wait their turn, put their hand up and respectfully listen to what others have to say. Clear rules and boundaries are in place that children happily adhere to. Children are very aware of the 'golden rules' and demonstrate 'good listening' and 'being kind'. They huddle together and say, 'you are my best friend,' as they provide reassuring hugs to each other. Children are gaining great social skills and thrive from friendly interactions. This helps to support children with their transition on to school.
• Overall, staff support children to be independent and lead a healthy lifestyle. Children follow good hygiene routines, such as handwashing. Children talk about keeping themselves safe in the sun and the effects the heat has on their body. For instance, they need to drink more water to keep themselves 'hydrated'. Children demonstrate their exercise positions and are physically active. However, occasionally, staff do not support children's ideas when challenging themselves to take appropriate risks independently during play.
• Children's literacy skills are promoted well. They try to identify letters in their name. Staff instantly support them to recognise other letters and the sounds that they make in words. Children have an eagerness to learn more and make marks to resemble the letters. This helps to develop children's emerging literacy skills, particularly in learning that print carries meaning.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen the curriculum further so that children's level of development and their abilities, particularly in group activities, are consistently considered so all children benefit from the learning opportunities
• review ways that staff can support children to challenge themselves and independently take appropriate risks during play.