Bright Horizons Parsons Green Day Nursery and Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff develop close and secure bonds with children. As a result, children are settled in this welcoming and positive environment. They smile as they arrive and are eager to explore the many exciting activities that staff plan for them. Leaders are ambitious for all children. The curriculum is well sequenced across the nursery. Staff help to build on what children already know and can do. Babies hold their water beakers, and children sweep up, pour drinks and self-serve their food. This helps children to develop their independence and skills for the future.

The key-person system is effective. Staff are knowledgeable and talk to children about their experiences at home. For example, they share photos with children and talk about the arrival of a new baby. Staff find out about all children's care routines at home. They use this information to help children to settle easily into the nursery.

Staff are clear about their expectations and explain why certain behaviours are not acceptable. Children behave well. They use good manners and take turns. Children are confident and motivated to learn. Staff are positive role models. They are polite and listen to what children say. Children listen to stories that staff have carefully chosen to support their understanding of staying safe. They learn about online safety in an age-appropriate way. Staff interact warmly with children during nappy changes and while children wash their hands. This supports children to feel safe and secure.

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

• Since the last inspection, the manager has worked closely with staff to make good improvements. The manager has used regular supervision, training and meetings to help to ensure that staff understand their roles and responsibilities and develop their practice. Staff comment that they enjoy working in the nursery and feel supported. The manager is committed to making ongoing improvements.
• Staff have made improvements to the curriculum for communication and language, which has a positive impact on children's learning and development. Following recent training, staff use signs, pictures and visual aids to support children's communication skills further. Staff listen to children with interest and ask questions. Children are good communicators. They enthusiastically express their ideas and experiences. For example, during role play, children talk about visiting a restaurant to celebrate Lunar New Year.
• All children, including children who speak English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make progress in relation to their starting points in learning. Children who need additional support to close any gaps in their learning benefit from targeted teaching that helps them to progress. Children develop the skills they need for the next stage in their learning, including their eventual move on to school.
• The manager has a clear vision for the nursery and provides good-quality care and education. Staff work well together and know what they want children to learn. They closely observe children and plan for their next steps in learning. Staff incorporate children's interests into planning. They provide activities that capture children's imaginations and engage them well. However, occasionally, some activities do not challenge the most able children as much as possible. For example, staff do not consistently give children opportunities to master new skills, such as using scissors.
• Children behave well and are curious to learn. They build positive relationships with their friends and staff. Children focus on activities well. They are kind to each other and support each other when they need help. Children use sand timers to help them to learn to be patient and wait their turn. Staff praise children as they learn new knowledge and skills.
• Children enjoy a healthy diet prepared by the nursery cook. They learn about nutritious food and oral health. Children develop their independence and self-care skills. They know to wash their hands and use tongs to serve themselves at mealtimes and snack times. Children have opportunities for physical development. Babies crawl and pull themselves to stand. They explore treasure baskets and grasp objects. Children participate in yoga sessions and play in the nursery garden.
• Partnerships with parents are good. Parents talk positively about the nursery and the progress their children make. Staff provide parents with regular updates on their children's progress and information on what they are learning and need to learn next. However, on occasion, staff do not communicate information thoroughly enough in relation to key people and transitions to ensure that parents are aware of this.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to extend learning for the most able children further
• strengthen communication with parents to help to keep them even better informed about their children.