Bright Horizons Eltham Green Day Nursery and Preschool

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders and staff know the children well and have effective systems in place to monitor children's development. They are, therefore, quick to identify children who may have barriers to learning. Staff work very closely with parents to address any concerns. Parents confirm the leaders' and staff's timely support and the positive impact this has on their children's learning and development.

Leaders and staff ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive effective support and make the best possible progress from their starting points. They typically have a secure understanding of child development and use any additional funding that children receive to enhance their development further. For example, leaders and staff have observed that focus and sensory buckets enable children with barriers to learning to access learning more easily. Therefore, they use funding to invest in these resources for children to use.

Staff receive regular updates and training to ensure that they are best equipped to meet all children's needs. For example, staff have recently attended an inset day focused around inclusion. Staff work closely with other professionals to make sure they have all the support they need to help all children make good progress.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have a secure understanding of the quality of the curriculum and teaching at the setting. They know what skills and knowledge they want children to have secured before they move on to school. Leaders have planned an ambitious curriculum that is typically taught well. Leaders are working to strengthen opportunities for high-quality interactions to be consistently embedded at all times of the day.

Staff know the children well, and plan a range of fun and exciting activities based on their interests and next steps in learning. They closely monitor children's learning and quickly identify any gaps to ensure that all children make good progress and are well prepared for the next stage in their learning. Staff effectively support children's communication skills. For example, with babies, they talk about what they can see or are doing and introduce new words to develop their vocabulary. With older children, staff ask questions to extend their learning and thinking skills. As result, children are confident communicators and are keen to share their ideas and interests.

Leaders and staff provide regular activities to support children's physical development. For instance, children take part in sports sessions and enjoy exploring the well-resourced gardens. However, the indoor environment for pre-school children is not well organised to meet their emerging physical needs.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children gain the skills necessary for their next step in education. They are confident communicators. Babies are able to communicate their needs. For example, they indicate to staff that they want to sing songs with props, and confidently ask for more food at mealtimes. Older children are able to tell staff if they are not happy or if they need further support. Children develop a positive attitude towards learning and are able to initiate their own play when exploring the environment and the activities. They develop effective independence skills as they feed themselves, serve their own food at mealtimes and understand the importance of hygiene procedures. However, older children are not consistently learning what is expected of them, such as the importance of not running around inside, how to look after their toys, or to wear an apron during messy play.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Children develop positive relationships with staff. They feel confident to approach them for comfort and support. Children settle in well and are happy to come into the setting. They are familiar with the routines and confidently explore the resources on offer, but come back to check in with staff when needed and have lots of cuddles and reassurance.

Staff are positive role models for children and typically support their behaviour well. They encourage children to share their toys and take turns throughout games and activities, and as a result, children are kind and considerate to each other. However, at times, in the pre-school room, staff do not set clear expectations for children, and this means that they don't understand classroom rules, such as the rules about caring for their resources and not running inside in order to keep themselves safe.

Leaders promote an inclusive and respectful environment where all families are welcome. Staff support families to make sure their children can attend. They offer flexible sessions to ensure that children's attendance is regular. This successfully supports children's understanding of the importance of routine attendance, in preparation for school.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Relationships between staff and children are warm and responsive. This supports children's emotional wellbeing successfully, and, as a result, children are able to express how they feel. They are confident to ask for support from trusted staff, and staff are responsive to their needs.

Staff support children to develop healthy lifestyles. For example, the setting provides healthy and nutritious meals for children. Staff involve children in discussions about what is in their meals and the different allergens, to support children's understanding of dietary requirements. Children enjoy the calm and well-organised mealtimes where they are encouraged to serve and feed themselves. They also delight in exploring the well-resourced garden areas, where they learn to climb, ride bikes and engage in physical exercise.

Children typically follow effective routines and understand what they need to do. For instance, at mealtimes, they know to pick up their place card, plate and cutlery before sitting down. However, at times, transitions between different times of the day, such as before lunch or before going outside, are not organised effectively. Children are sometimes left waiting too long and become disruptive.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders have a secure understanding of the quality of the curriculum they offer. They work closely with the local authority early years advisors, and use their feedback to inform their development plans to continue to drive improvement. For example, they plan to integrate their training on sensory circuits into transitions, to help children stay focused. Leaders support staff with ongoing guidance and advice. They provide staff with regular supervision and support staff members as they develop in their roles. Staff also attend regular training and inset days to develop their practice. Leaders have oversight of the quality of the setting and the plans in place to improve practice further, demonstrating their ability to evaluate their practice effectively.

Leaders and staff work closely with parents and keep them up to date and involved in their children's learning. For example, parents have access to an online app and see regular observations and assessments regarding their children's development. Parents are also invited to regular events in the nursery, such as graduations and celebrations.

Leaders are supportive of the staff team and have set up a range of schemes to support the team's workload and wellbeing. Staff have access to different online training platforms, health and wellbeing advice and emotional support, and staff comment that they feel valued and well supported.

Leaders demonstrate that they have a good understanding of the setting and the cohort of children they are providing care for. They work closely with parents and other professionals to quickly identify any barriers to children's learning and implement effective strategies to support them to ensure that all children make progress from their starting points.