Bright Horizons Southampton Nursling Day Nursery and Preschool

Inclusion: Expected standard

Staff have high expectations for children, including those who face barriers to learning. Staff regularly and effectively use assessment to quickly identify any emerging needs in children's learning and development. Leaders then work with staff to implement strategies to support children's needs. For example, staff use 'Now and Next' boards to support children to understand the routine of the day. Staff use a cycle of observe, assess, do and review to identify whether strategies in place are effective in reducing any gaps in learning or whether they need further review. This helps to ensure children's learning is supported effectively.

Leaders work closely with external agencies to ensure children receive the support they need. They implement strategies from external agencies, such as speech and language therapy, into daily practice. This helps to ensure a joined-up approach to supporting children's learning and development.

Leaders ensure additional funding is used to support the needs of individual children, such as purchasing resources to further support their development.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders understand the quality of teaching and staff's curriculum knowledge within the provision, and there are clear plans in place to develop the quality of teaching further. Overall, staff have a clear understanding of the curriculum aims. For example, a key aim is to develop children's independence as they progress through the nursery.

Staff use assessment well to identify children's next steps and build on children's knowledge as they progress through the nursery. For example, children progress from using bottles to open cups for their drinks. However, at times, there are inconsistencies in staff's understanding of how to extend and challenge learning further, in line with the curriculum aims. Leaders have already identified this as an area for further development and are taking steps to strengthen this further. For example, leaders role model high-quality teaching and different approaches that staff can take to develop practice further.

The curriculum has high expectations for all children and has a consistent focus on children's personal, social and emotional development as well as children's communication and language. Staff support communication development in a range of ways, including modelling vocabulary and repeating words back with clear pronunciation for children to hear. Children frequently listen to stories and sing songs, which helps to develop their language skills further.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children, including those who face barriers to learning, make steady progress in their learning and development. Children gain the age- and stage-appropriate skills that they need to be prepared well for their next stage of learning, such as the transition to school. For example, children learn to take care of their self-care needs independently.

Children are able to communicate their thoughts, ideas and wants in a variety of ways. This includes using nonverbal methods to make their thoughts known, depending on their ages and stages of development. Children learn to take turns as they patiently wait for their turn at a game.

At times, children have inconsistent opportunities to extend their ideas and interests to further encourage their progress.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders and staff have established a positive environment with high expectations for children, including those who face barriers to learning and their behaviour. Staff ensure their expectations are age- and stage-appropriate for each child. They work closely with external partners to ensure adaptations are in place to support their high expectations for all children.

Children develop warm and trusting relationships with the kind and caring staff. Staff regularly praise children for their efforts, which supports their self-esteem and self-confidence. Typically, children behave well, and staff act as positive role models. For example, staff model how to take turns while playing tabletop games. However, at times, delays in routines, such as transitioning into a mealtime, have a minor impact on children's behaviour and engagement with learning as they become restless.

Children play collaboratively together and invite others to join in their play. For example, children proudly create a puppet show together. Children are kind and caring towards each other and staff. For example, children show empathy and include each other in their play. They recognise similarities and differences and adapt their play to ensure all children can be included.

Leaders work closely with families to promote the importance of attendance and punctuality.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Children, including those who face barriers to learning, have secure attachments with their key person, who knows them well. This helps them to feel safe and secure at the provision. This also encourages children to take on new challenges, such as learning to walk, as they feel well supported by staff.

Staff support children as they learn to understand and regulate their emotions. For example, they label their emotions to help children as they learn to recognise these. For instance, they label the emotion 'surprised' when the pirate pops out of their game. Staff teach children about healthy habits and provide support as they start to manage these for themselves. For example, staff encourage children as they learn to wash their own hands ready for mealtimes.

Overall, routines meet the needs of the children. However, occasionally, there are delays in the routines and transitions of the day. For example, the transition into and out of mealtimes is delayed as staff are not fully prepared for the next part of the routine, which has a minor impact on children. This is because, although their needs are met, such as by staff preparing a space for them to rest, on occasion, these are not met swiftly.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders and staff have worked hard to meet the actions raised at the last Ofsted visit. They have ensured that they are able to identify any weaknesses in practice and that they provide effective coaching and mentoring to staff. This supports staff with their professional development as well as raising the quality of the provision. Leaders ensure that requirements around children being in sight and hearing during meals and children being appropriately supervised are now being met. Leaders and staff now show a secure understanding of the signs and symptoms of choking and how to minimise the risk. Leaders have developed staff's understanding of risk assessment policies and procedures to ensure that risks are appropriately identified and mitigated against.

Leaders have developed their understanding of the strengths and areas for development within the provision. They are able to accurately reflect on the provision and put appropriate strategies in place, such as training and coaching to continue to strengthen the quality of the provision. Staff are supported well with their wellbeing and workload and are keen to continue their professional development.

Leaders build effective partnerships with parents and external agencies. This helps to ensure they can support the family as well as the child. For example, they have set up a 'swap shop', which enables parents to access clothing and shoes should they need to.