Bright Horizons Frimley Green Day Nursery And Preschool

Inclusion: Needs attention

The monitoring and coordination of support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) lack consistency. There are systems in place to identify, assess and support children's learning. However, not all staff, including the children's key persons, are aware of individualised targeted support or their next step goals. This does not ensure children, including those that are known or previously known to children's social care or that face disadvantage, always receive the precise, targeted support intended. As a result, some children's experiences are inconsistent, which negatively impacts on their achievement and wellbeing. Despite this, all children, including those with SEND, have positive attitudes towards learning and mostly remain engaged in their chosen activity.

Those with lead responsibilities have received training to help them fulfil their roles and offer support for children with SEND. Leaders work with professionals, share information and seek guidance and support. However, referrals to maximise support for children who face barriers to their learning are not always made in a timely manner. This does not prepare them sufficiently for their next stage of learning.

Staff are kind and caring and include all children in the daily routines and life at the nursery. This helps children develop a positive sense of self and feel part of their nursery community.

Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention

Leaders demonstrate sufficient knowledge of the curriculum design, but this has not consistently been communicated effectively, which impacts staff understanding and practice. This impacts the curriculum being taught well and leads to variable teaching, which negatively impacts on children's learning experiences. Although leaders have taken some action to improve the curriculum and teaching, this is at an early stage and is not fully embedded.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities take part in activities that generally cover all areas of learning and development. For instance, children learn to manipulate play dough, listen to stories with interest and move confidently as they learn to crouch, bend and kneel. However, weaknesses in staff's understanding of children's individual goals mean that staff are less able to extend and challenge children's learning through effective questioning and high-quality interactions. This means that, at times, learning is not always well matched to children's needs.

Staff support children to build on their mathematical knowledge from an early age. For instance, staff use positional and capacity language such as 'in', 'out', 'full' and 'empty' as the youngest children explore sand and water. As children grow and move through the rooms, staff support their mathematical awareness even further by teaching them to count and learn reasoning and problem-solving. The early exposure to mathematical concepts supports children to develop number sense, recognise patterns and develop their logical thinking skills.

Achievement: Needs attention

Children, including those that are disadvantaged or that face barriers to their learning, are not achieving their full potential across all areas of learning and development. Although children make suitable progress from their starting points, they are not always receiving the challenge and support required to help them to make the progress that is intended. This does not fully support them to be as prepared as possible for the next aspect of their learning journey.

Overall, children are active in their learning and have a willingness to find out more about things they are interested in. For instance, they ask questions and are inquisitive in their explorations. Children develop a love of books from an early age. They look at books independently and handle them with care and respect as they sit with their friends and turn the pages one by one. They begin to understand that print carries meaning. Mostly, children engage in daily routines and develop independence as they learn to do things for themselves, such as pouring their drinks and wiping their nose.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

On the whole, children have positive attitudes to learning. Staff have developed warm, caring relationships with all children. They are genuinely happy to see children and effectively promote attendance to ensure secure routines are established well. This helps children to develop a sense of belonging as they settle into a calm yet stimulating environment. Typically, leaders and staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. Staff are positive role models and reinforce rules and boundaries well, which supports children to understand expectations of their behaviour. Children learn the difference between what is right and what is wrong.

Overall, children are motivated and develop positive relationships with staff and their friends. Generally, staff support children to manage their emotions, which helps them settle and become calm if they are overwhelmed. This helps children to regain their focus and engage in activities. Children receive consistent praise, which helps them to feel proud and encourages them to persist if challenges occur. For example, staff offer guidance and encouragement as children learn to push the lever down on a spinning top toy. Children relish as they realise they can accomplish what they set out to do if they keep on trying.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Needs attention

Children develop positive relationships with familiar adults and seek comfort and support when needed. However, weaknesses in the key-person arrangements, at times, have a negative impact on children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). On occasion, children with SEND or those that are disadvantaged do not always receive the tailored support and continuity of care they need to make further progress. Additionally, communication with parents is not robust to ensure parents are fully aware of who their child's key person is to talk to regarding their child's needs or any concerns.

Furthermore, although leaders have appropriate policies and procedures in place to ensure children's safety and welfare, these are not implemented well enough by some staff. For instance, outdoor risk assessments have been reviewed and strengthened following a recent accident. However, some staff members do not demonstrate their understanding of the revised arrangements in place to keep children safe. Inconsistencies in staff awareness do not ensure policies and practices are implemented as intended.

Children learn suitable hygiene practices, as they wash their hands after using the toilet and before meals. Mostly, children are supported to manage tasks for themselves. They learn table manners at mealtimes and scrape their plates and place them in buckets to be cleared when leaving the table. Children are developing healthy self-care skills that prepare them for later life.

Leadership and governance: Needs attention

Recent changes in the leadership team and staffing arrangements have impacted on the quality and consistency of practice and provision. Consequently, this has resulted in variations in the quality of learning and experiences available to children. Although leaders have identified areas to be improved, their actions and expectations are not yet implemented successfully across the setting with sufficient rigour. Weaknesses and inconsistencies in the oversight of practice and provision mean that some areas of improvement have not been identified, which limits appropriate action taken. For instance, measures in place to monitor the quality of teaching and key-person arrangements to support all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are not fully embedded. Despite this, leaders are committed to making the improvements needed to raise the quality of care and education for children and their families.

Mostly, staff share that they feel supported and have regular opportunities to share their thoughts and ideas through regular supervision sessions and staff meetings. Staff complete training to enhance their personal effectiveness. Leaders have established positive relationships with children and their families. Parents say their children are happy and enjoy their time in the nursery. They state leaders and staff are approachable, caring and friendly.