Bright Horizons Enfield Hilly Fields Day Nursery and Preschool

Inclusion: Needs attention

Weaknesses in practice have a negative impact on children. Children who struggle to manage their behaviour are not always given the extra support and encouragement they need to access the curriculum. Inconsistencies in staffing mean that staff are not always able to meet individual children's needs. For example, the youngest children's attempts to communicate are not always acknowledged, and as a result, they are unable to access learning opportunities.

Leaders and staff generally identify children's emerging special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders work in collaboration with external agencies to create support plans. For example, staff who are trained to support children with SEND draw on the specialist guidance of the local authority's area special educational needs coordinator. They work together to create strategies to support some older children who are struggling to communicate effectively.

Staff working with the oldest children work hard to reduce barriers to learning. For example, children who struggle to understand their emotions are given images that help to name their feelings. This enables them to understand their feelings and begin to develop strategies to support them in managing their emotions. Some staff change their sentence structures to aid understanding and give children time to process what is being said.

Leaders and staff have high expectations for children with identified SEND. Typically, they provide support to reduce barriers to learning and wellbeing.

Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention

Although leaders have a secure understanding of how their curriculum improves outcomes for all children, they do not have full oversight of how the curriculum is implemented across the nursery. As a result, the quality of teaching and learning fluctuates. Children's attempts to communicate are not always acknowledged. Not all staff demonstrate the skill or understanding to support children in their learning. For example, they are unable to articulate what they want the children to learn and how it supports that child's individual needs.

Where practice is more established, staff introduce new vocabulary and extend children's learning. For example, during a tyre-stacking activity, staff use the children's interest to introduce words such as 'caterpillar', 'butterfly' and 'flying', building on children's prior knowledge. Children squeal with excitement as the tower gets taller and the caterpillar is formed. Staff join in the children's excitement, which motivates the children to continue. This supports communication and language development for some children.

Typically, children's physical development is supported. Children have access to 2 large garden areas. Children enjoy moving their bodies. They climb up and over obstacle courses, race around objects when playing catch with their friends and explore different ways of moving. For example, during a game of 'Simon says', children delight in hopping, stamping their feet and spinning around. This gives children the time they need to practise their emerging skills through play.

Achievement: Needs attention

Weaknesses and inconsistencies in teaching and learning mean that children are not making sufficient progress from their starting points. Inconsistent behaviour management strategies mean that children do not always know what is expected of them. This can lead to unwanted behaviours and a disruption in learning.

There is not a sharp enough focus on developing the youngest children's communication and language. Children do not hear new vocabulary or sentence structures to support the rapid acquisition of language. Interactions and communication are limited, resulting in children becoming disengaged.

Children identified with special educational needs and/or disabilities generally make progress from their starting points. They are secure and settled in the environment. They seek out staff to support with their needs. As a result, some children are prepared for the next stage of learning and development.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Needs attention

Although leaders have high expectations for behaviour, these are not consistently followed. Leaders do not establish a positive environment where behaviour expectations are commonly understood. Some staff do not correct unwanted behaviours or explain why this behaviour is not appropriate. This means poor behaviours are repeated and children disengage from learning opportunities. Inconsistencies in managing behaviour and using explicit praise lead to some children not understanding what is expected of them. For example, some children are lifted from activities when unwanted behaviours persist, without explanations as to why it was unacceptable. As a result, children do not know what the expected behaviour is and how to correct it.

On occasion, routines do not support children to learn and develop. For example, during tidy-up time, staff do not model expectations. Children are not supported to understand what they are meant to do, and those who are helping soon lose interest when they see their peers not helping.

Where practice is better, children learn to play alongside their peers, sharing and negotiating turns. Staff teach children the importance of treating others with kindness and respect.

Leaders work hard to promote the importance of attendance. Clear systems are in place to track attendance. This ensures that children develop important habits for later life.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Urgent improvement

Leaders do not ensure that policies and procedures are followed rigorously. Procedures for referral to the local authority children's social care team are not completed swiftly. This means that children are at risk of harm.

Key-person arrangements are not effective. Although key persons know their key children well, inconsistencies in staffing mean that children do not have the support they need to build positive attitudes to learning. Ineffective deployment of staff means that children sometimes wait for long periods of time before their personal care needs are met. This has a significant impact on children's self-esteem and sense of self-worth.

Children's independence is not always supported. For example, during snack times, children do not serve themselves and/or make choices. Younger children do not wash their hands and therefore do not develop the skills to complete each step in the process. When transitioning throughout the nursery, some children are lifted from place to place. As a result, some children do not develop the skills they need to become increasingly independent.

Routines for safer sleeping are secure. Systems are in place to ensure children are monitored regularly. Staff support children to sleep or rest when needed. This ensures children are refreshed and emotionally ready for learning.

Secure systems are in place to support safer eating practices. Staff ensure that mealtime routines meet children's individual dietary needs. A colour-coded system and place mats alert all staff, and procedures are followed rigorously. However, staff do not consistently use mealtimes as an opportunity to support children's social skills. Interactions between staff and children are often limited.

Leadership and governance: Urgent improvement

Leaders' actions to tackle areas of development are ineffective. Ofsted has previously set actions relating to some of the weaknesses identified during this inspection. Leaders are aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the nursery. However, actions to improve have not been sustained. Leaders regularly provide staff with supervision meetings, additional coaching and support. However, these actions are not yet sufficiently embedded to secure consistently effective teaching.

The nursery is currently experiencing a period of staffing instability. As a result, staff morale is low and their workload is unsustainable. For example, staff are frequently moved around, and there is a high number of bank and agency staff. This has a negative impact on children's progress and welfare.

Leaders do not always act in children's best interests. Referrals to the local authority children's social care team are not completed swiftly. Leaders work hard to ensure that safeguarding standards improve and are aware of the inconsistencies. Procedures for whistleblowing are clear; however, these are not consistently followed. As a result, children are at risk of harm.

Leaders have made some improvements. For example, safer recruitment procedures are robust and the induction of new staff is comprehensive. Staff members engage in a 3-day induction session, supporting their knowledge through training. However, the impact of the training received is variable.