Bright Horizons Hinckley Day Nursery and Preschool

Inclusion: Needs attention

Leaders do not provide consistent support for all children who face barriers to learning or have experienced recent changes in their lives. Although staff gather information about children's individual circumstances and needs, this is not used consistently to inform practice. For example, children who struggle to manage their emotions are not always adequately supported during group activities, which can prevent them from participating. As a result, some children's personal, social and emotional wellbeing are not supported effectively.

Staff gather information from parents and carers about children, such as any additional needs or interests when they first start. They use this information alongside ongoing assessment to identify any gaps in children's learning. They work closely with parents and professionals, making appropriate referrals and regularly reviewing targets to ensure that interventions remain effective. They get to know children and provide effective support through targeted activities for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff follow specialist advice to meet children's individual needs, such as providing a quiet space and using specialist equipment. As a result, children with SEND receive well-targeted support that helps them to engage in routines, understand expectations and make steady progress.

Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention

Leaders do not have a clear oversight of the effectiveness of the curriculum or the impact it has on children's progress. There are times when children show enthusiasm to learn but staff miss these cues and fail to provide meaningful experiences that help deepen their knowledge. For example, young children indicate that they want to join in an activity but staff do not make adaptations to allow them to take part. This results in children wandering off and not effectively engaging in learning. Staff know children well and identify their next steps in learning. However, these are not consistently implemented in practice. As a result, children's learning is often incidental rather than intentionally sequenced. At times, children do not consistently receive purposeful and meaningful experiences that help them to deepen their learning.

Despite this, children do gain positive experiences from the staff and environment. Physical development is well promoted and children of all ages learn to be independent. Babies are given the space and encouragement to crawl, and toddlers enjoy dance session following the actions songs. Older children demonstrate strength and coordination as they use crates and planks of wood to create their own obstacle course. Adaptations are made, such as the use of specialist equipment to ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are included. As a result, children gain confidence and develop good physical skills.

Achievement: Needs attention

Weaknesses in the curriculum and teaching mean that children do not consistently receive learning opportunities that support their progress across all areas of learning. Although children make some progress from their starting points, this is not consistently driven by a well-sequenced curriculum. In addition, children do not experience consistent routines to help them develop their independence and understanding of expectations. For example, toddlers frequently experience toileting accidents and do not understand the importance of good hygiene practices, such as handwashing. Children often return to play immediately after washing their hands rather than following established routines for snack time.

Overall, children's communication and language are developing well. Children enjoy sharing books and songs with staff and engaging in conversations. Older children are developing their vocabulary and understanding through discussions. For example, while reading a story about space, children use words such as 'atmosphere' and confidently share their knowledge about the moon orbiting the Earth. As a result, children develop their communication skills and a growing vocabulary.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Needs attention

Leaders do not ensure that staff consistently implement appropriate expectations for behaviour and daily routines. During transitions between free-flow play and group times, toddlers are not always supported effectively to understand what is happening next. Staff do not consistently adapt routines to reflect children's stage of development, which means that younger children do not always receive the guidance they need to manage their behaviour and engage successfully in nursery routines.

Occasionally, staff behaviour expectations are not applied consistently across the provision. Sometimes, staff provide conflicting responses to children's behaviour, resulting in children receiving unclear and sometimes contradictory messages about what is expected of them. Consequently, children are less secure in their understanding of boundaries and routines, which impacts on their ability to regulate their own behaviour.

Generally, staff support children to share and take turns. They offer positive praise when children are kind to their peers. Some routines, particularly for older children, are effective. For example, older children know to collect their plate and wait their turn at snack time. Staff give clear directions, which help children to understand what is expected of them and support their development of understanding routines. Leaders and staff understand the importance of attendance and punctuality. They monitor children's attendance closely and contact parents promptly when children do not attend.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Urgent improvement

Leaders and staff do not effectively assess and manage risks to ensure children's safety during some play activities. For example, staff provide activity trays for babies and young children that contain foods such as sliced lemons. They do not consistently identify or respond when babies walk around with food in their mouths. In addition, staff do not intervene when babies drop food onto the floor and then place it back into their mouths. These weaknesses in supervision and risk assessment increase the risk of choking and do not adequately promote children's safety. Although leaders addressed these concerns with staff during the inspection, staff did not respond effectively, and children continued to walk around with food in their mouths.

Leaders have not ensured that all staff are able to identify and respond to risks in the environment. For example, staff use pencils as musical instruments with toddlers and do not recognise when they begin to chew the pencils, creating a potential safety risk. Furthermore, sleep mats are left in walkways for extended periods of time, and staff do not identify these as trip hazards. This demonstrates weaknesses in staff awareness of environmental risks and their ability to take appropriate action to maintain children's safety.

Generally, relationships between children and staff are warm and nurturing. However, there are occasions when staff demonstrate a limited understanding of how to support young children to settle effectively. For example, they do not fully consider the impact of unfamiliar staff or long gaps between visits and are unable to identify appropriate adaptations to support children's individual needs. As a result, babies' emotional wellbeing is not always prioritised, which can delay their ability to settle and engage confidently in the nursery environment.

Leadership and governance: Urgent improvement

Leaders fail to ensure that safer recruitment procedures are effectively followed, despite this being identified at a previous visit. As a result, oversights mean that staff suitability has not been fully verified, compromising children's safety. Furthermore, leaders do not follow appropriate procedures for managing allegations against staff and have failed to thoroughly investigate concerns. Consequently, safeguarding arrangements are ineffective. Leaders fail to ensure that staff understand how to carry out effective risk assessments of the environment and the activities that children have access to. This means that children are exposed to hazards and their safety is not assured. For example, staff do not closely supervise children at all times.

There is a continued lack of oversight of leaders identifying gaps in staff practice and knowledge. Leaders have not supported staff to consistently deliver an ambitious curriculum across the nursery with a clear focus on what children need to learn next. The monitoring and coaching of staff does not provide sufficient support for them to understand their roles and responsibilities in supporting children's behaviour and their learning development.

Parents share positive feedback about their children's time at nursery. For example, they receive daily feedback on their children's care routines. Leaders effectively work in partnership with parents and other professionals.