Bright Horizons Cedar House Day Nursery and Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and engaged at this warm and caring nursery. Babies who are new to the setting go to staff for reassurance, who quickly give them cuddles. Older children want familiar staff to be involved in their play and thrive from their attention and praise. For example, children are excited to talk about the seeds they are planting in the garden and show staff the soil they are moving.

Staff have thoughtfully developed the spaces inside and outside. They create a welcoming and stimulating environment for children of all ages. For example, staff create a homely feel in the baby room. The garden is skilfully separated to allow a flat outdoor area for children to play, as well as an area that is more natural for them to explore and plant. Staff provide resources outside to promote all children's gross motor development and physical and active play. Staff provide children with healthy meals and snacks. Consequently, children develop healthy habits from a young age.

Children engage in a well-balanced curriculum, which staff skilfully put into practice. For example, there is a clear focus on building children's independence across the nursery. Babies begin feeding themselves with a spoon, toddlers self-serve their food, and the oldest children choose what they would like to eat for lunch and serve themselves. Staff listen to all children and give them choices. This helps children to develop a strong sense of independence and responsibility, which helps to prepare them for the next stages in their learning journey and eventually school.

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

• Staff generally support babies well by modelling sounds and interpreting their babble. However, there are times when these interactions are not as strong. For example, some staff in the baby room do not always know how to support babies' language development. They do not all narrate to babies what they are doing to help them to link words with actions. This does not consistently support babies' communication and language. Older children engage in retelling fairy tales, calling out well-known lines. Staff recognise the value of singing, rhymes and reading stories to help children acquire and use words and vocabulary.
• Staff follow children's interests and use these to deliver the curriculum. Children enjoy choosing from the activities available, showing high levels of interest and engagement. For example, children work together to build a town with blocks. They listen to each other's ideas and share resources. This demonstrates their positive attitudes towards learning.
• Children behave well. Staff take time to talk to children. They help children by offering solutions to problems, and support them in managing their feelings and behaviour. Staff use effective behaviour management strategies, including promoting children's positive behaviour and supporting the individual needs of the children.
• Staff model empathy, and children show kindness and are caring towards their friends. For example, children who are playing invite other children who are on their own to join their games with them. Children develop the skills they need to build friendships.
• Staff work hard to support children to learn the social skills they need to interact successfully. They give children extensive praise and warmth for their achievements. This helps to support children's confidence and resilience, and gives them a positive sense of their own identity and independence. Staff know their key children well and can explain their likes, dislikes and next steps in development.
• Children enjoy a variety of opportunities to be physically active outdoors. For example, children pedal bicycles, complete obstacle courses and dig. Staff use these games to develop children's balance and gross motor skills. As children play, they learn to take turns, cooperate and collaborate with others. This supports children's good behaviour and social skills.
• The special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator (SENDCo) has an extensive knowledge of how to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The SENDCo works alongside all staff, parents and external agencies to ensure that children's individual needs are being met. Consequently, children with SEND and those from disadvantaged backgrounds progress well.
• Leaders have a strong understanding of their strengths and areas for continued development. They prioritise staff's well-being. Staff comment that leaders are highly approachable and supportive. Leaders make strong use of supervision sessions to support staff, and offer continued professional development to individual staff. However, they do not focus professional development and their support to ensure that there is consistency across the staff team and to raise staff's expertise even further, especially around supporting babies' language development.
• Parents value the communication and warmth from staff. They are impressed with the progress that their children make at the nursery. Parents praise the open conversations that they can have with staff and that leaders take their views and ideas into consideration.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance interactions with the youngest children to ensure that they are consistently high quality
• continue to offer purposeful professional development to ensure that all staff deliver high-quality learning opportunities to children.