Bright Beginnings Pre-School Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children make good progress in this bright and cheerful setting. From the moment they arrive, they demonstrate high levels of enthusiasm and eagerness to engage in learning. This demonstrates that they feel secure, excited and valued. Staff create a warm and welcoming atmosphere, greeting children joyfully and helping them settle into the routine. This underpins children's strong emotional development. Families are welcomed through cultural touches, such as greetings in their home language. Staff celebrate tiny noticeable things with children, such as their new hat or different hairstyle. This promotes a strong sense of inclusion and belonging.

Children form positive relationships with both staff and peers. They are supported effectively to manage social situations, such as negotiating turn-taking and sharing. Staff use reassuring language and guided strategies that support empathy and problem-solving skills. Children show growing independence. They show confidence and skill in pouring milk, washing hands, tidying up and making choices in play. Staff encourage cooperation and positive behaviour. This is celebrated through the 'praise tree' and certificates, reinforcing children's confidence and sense of achievement. The integration of four key characters provides an innovative and developmentally appropriate framework that supports children's development in essential areas.

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

• The curriculum meets children's individual needs effectively, encourages independent and social learning and provides a sensory-rich and responsive environment. Leaders demonstrate a deep understanding of what children need to learn and have created an environment that supports progress for all, particularly those who are most disadvantaged or have additional needs.
• Children are confident communicators, who listen attentively and engage actively. Staff extend vocabulary through intentional teaching, such as explaining words of the week, such as sizzle, lifeguard and parasol. They enjoy songs and rhymes and listen with interest to a range of stories.
• Children learn about life cycles. Staff hold discussions with children to recap how the caterpillars turned to butterflies. They watch with joy and excitement as the butterflies are released. This promotes children's ability to recall, sequence and express ideas.
• Children develop strong fine and gross motor skills. They make their own dough, participate in a dough gym and confidently use scissors and brushes. This supports coordination and muscle development. Staff highlight the importance of 'strong hands' for early writing, making learning purposeful and meaningful.
• The setting has created a range of characters that support children in a structured way. Characters promote controlled breathing to support anxiety, good oral hygiene, developing vocabulary and good listening and attention. Children show a strong sense of connection to the characters and remember in detail how each one can help them.
• Children engage in a range of mark making and emergent writing activities. Clipboards and notebooks provide opportunities for children to scribe and support them to write for a purpose, which develops early literacy. Children are developing early phonological awareness, supported by name tags with symbols and the regular use of visual cues.
• In mathematics, children complete puzzles, explore number recognition and use comparative language, such as 'more than', and 'taller,' during water play and construction activities. Staff enhance their understanding by prompting what comes next, reinforcing numerical sequencing and problem-solving.
• Parents consistently highlight the strength of key-person relationships. Clear communication reassures parents and keeps them informed of their child's progress, particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The setting is praised for being inclusive and responsive and described as family-oriented, providing support beyond the child.
• Tailored sensory circuits support children with SEND in managing sensory seeking behaviours, allowing them to transition between high-sensory and calm activities. Music time is particularly effective in enhancing children's social participation and tolerance of peers. Children are being gently challenged and supported to achieve new milestones.
• There is excellent multi-agency collaboration through the child and well-being hub, including regular engagement with health visitors, speech and language therapists and support workers.
• Training needs are identified from practice, and some training discussions are embedded in staff meetings. Staff have access to training. However, this has lapsed recently with limited professional development being accessed. This means that continuous improvements to the quality of teaching cannot be maintained.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop a programme of professional development that supports staff to consistently develop their professional practice and drive ongoing improvements to the quality of teaching.