Bright Horizons Haddenham Day Nursery and Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happy and excited for their day at the nursery. They are greeted by warm, friendly staff, who they happily chatter to. Children excitedly hurry to their rooms to choose from a range of inspiring activities. All children flourish and gain an excellent foundation to their learning. Staff know all the children extremely well, and children show that they feel safe and secure. Children confidently approach visitors to show them what they are doing and include them in their play.

Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour and learning. They are excellent role models. They consistently use manners and show respect to each other and the children. Children behave exceptionally well and play independently, alongside, and with each other. They listen to each other and respect each other's opinions and views. Children are kind and demonstrate affection to each other and the staff. Minor conflicts between children are dealt with swiftly and calmly. Staff reinforce expectations for behaviour and children are supported to make positive choices.

Staff provide exciting and challenging experiences for children. Children stay at activities for extended periods and work together to solve problems. For example, older children explore an activity with ice. They work together to find solutions to the challenges that staff give them. Children suggest ideas to get ice out of trays. They discuss different methods and then try them. Children are excited once they find the right solution and release the ice from the trays. Staff then help children to recall previous learning to find the right strategy to build an 'igloo'.

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

• Managers work together with staff to plan and deliver an exciting, challenging, and well-sequenced curriculum that reflects children's needs exceptionally well. Managers and staff are passionate about providing all children with the highest quality education. They regularly evaluate their provision and practice to ensure that they are constantly meeting the needs of the children and their families.
• Staff are happy and feel well supported. Managers provide staff with regular supervision sessions to ensure that their learning and well-being needs are met. Focused professional development means that all staff continue to extend their practice. The managers work with linked settings to share ideas and good practice.
• Support for children's communication and language is highly effective. Staff use information about the children to adapt communication styles. Younger children are encouraged, by enthusiastic staff, to make noises through play. For example, staff who are playing with children in the sand make 'pop' noises as they poke the sand, and children then excitedly copy the action and sound. Older children are introduced to new words and descriptive language during thought-provoking activities. Children go on to use this language during play.
• Staff support children's mathematical development extremely well. Staff use spontaneous activities to develop children's mathematical knowledge. For example, older children discover a tape measure. Staff encourage them to use this to measure themselves, noting what 'number' they are. Children excitedly call friends over to be measured.
• Staff expertly plan a range of activities and experiences that very successfully enhance children's physical development. Children have tremendous fun as they spend time outside. Younger children navigate climbing equipment indoors as they explore different ways to move. Older children wait patiently for their turn on an obstacle course in the garden. Staff plan exciting activities to help to develop children's fine motor skills and build skills for early writing. Children focus intently as they use pipettes to squeeze water over ice to help it melt so that they can get the toy animals out from inside.
• Staff have a strong focus on supporting children's personal, social and emotional development. This is embedded very well throughout the nursery. Children, including the youngest, eagerly join in with group activities to focus on building their attention. Older children take turns, share and work together to plan games. For example, older children talk about having a tea party. They discuss and decide together what they need on the table.
• Staff regularly observe, assess and meticulously plan for children's individual needs, ensuring that any gaps in children's learning and development are identified early. They work effectively with other agencies so that children and their families get the early help and support they need. This means that all children make excellent progress in their learning.
• Staff plan sensory activities to give children exciting new experiences. For example, younger children show great delight as they throw shredded paper in the air, pretending it is snow. They jump up and wave their arms as the paper falls around them.
• Equality and diversity are embedded in all areas of the nursery. Staff work hard to ensure that children have experiences that help them to develop an understanding and respect for communities that are different to their own. Children's family members visit the nursery to teach children about celebrations around the world. Staff share information about their own family structures to help children to develop an understanding of how these can differ from their own.