Bright Horizons Nottingham Day Nursery and Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children settle quickly at this welcoming nursery. They form close attachments to warm and respectful staff and enjoy positive interactions. Children begin to understand the natural world as they learn about worms and their habitats. They build their small muscles as they make pretend worms out of play dough, squashing and rolling it. Children are encouraged to use mathematical language as they stretch the worms and exclaim, 'It's as big as the sky!' Pre-school children practise their literacy skills as they begin to form words and make marks on paper. They pretend to write about the characters in the book of the month they are sharing.

Babies start to develop their early language and communication skills as they listen attentively to the words of a story. They are encouraged to build their small muscles as they help to turn pages of the book. Children develop new language as they listen and attempt to join in the words of songs, copying the actions effectively. They develop their imaginative play as they explore items in the home corner. Children pretend to fill jugs from the play sink and tip the 'tea' they have made into cups. They put pretend bread into a wooden toaster and push the mechanism down to make 'toast,' using their small-muscle skills as they imaginatively spread the butter.

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

• The leaders and staff have constructed a curriculum that is both ambitious and well-sequenced for all children. Staff ensure that activities reflect the interests of each child. However, at times, these activities are rushed, and children are not given sufficient time to think and respond to the questions staff ask. Consequently, children lose interest in the activity.
• Parents speak highly of the care their children receive at the nursery. They comment that the care staff provide is personal to their child's needs, and they are offered unique activities. Parents are happy with the information shared and describe the staff as 'brilliant, caring and supportive'.
• Children and staff enjoy sociable and relaxed mealtimes. Staff manage mealtimes well, and children are encouraged to chat about what they are eating and the benefits of enjoying a healthy diet. Robust procedures are in place to ensure that children's dietary needs are met. For example, the nursery cook provides a thorough handover to staff about the children's allergies before each meal is served.
• The manager prioritises the well-being of the staff. For example, staff have access to independent pastoral care if required. The long-standing staff team comment about the good levels of support in place, and state they are happy in their role.
• Managers and staff quickly identify children with additional needs and provide swift and targeted support. Dedicated staff get to know the children well. They use what they know to plan and provide activities that enable learning. As a result of this, all children, including those who have additional needs make good progress in their development.
• Children's behaviour is good. They benefit from consistent routines that help them to understand and become familiar with the nursery day. Staff use positive reinforcement to support children's behaviour. The staff use the nursery's 'golden rules' to further support and remind children of positive behaviour.
• Children benefit daily from the enticing nursery garden. They develop their large-muscle skills as they push wheeled tricycles across the floor. Children laugh with delight, as they hold hands with their key person and jump in puddles shouting, 'splash!' as they land.
• The manager identifies the training needs of her staff through supervision meetings. For example, staff who work with younger children have attended specific training to help support the learning needs of babies and younger children. This has had a positive impact on children's learning.
• Staff prioritise the importance of celebrating diversity and cultural awareness. They raise children's awareness as they celebrate each child's home beliefs and festivals at the nursery. This teaches children to be part of a wider society and helps them to prepare for life in modern Britain. Staff work closely with the parents of children who speak English as an additional language and learn the pronunciation of key words, so that they can use these during play.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to develop their practice when building children's emerging communication by giving sufficient time to think and respond to questions.