Bright Horizons Southfields Day Nursery and Preschool

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders work with staff to monitor children's progress and decide the support provided. They ensure that resources in each playroom, including outdoor areas, are age-appropriate and accessible. Staff receive relevant training to develop their knowledge to observe and assess children's learning. This enables staff to offer strategic support to disadvantaged children, such as those who need assistance with hearing. Staff also promote children's home languages to help them feel more settled in the setting. When children require extra support with the English language, staff make reasonable adjustments during group activities. This approach helps to reduce barriers to children's learning.

Staff have experience working with other professionals, such as teachers of the deaf and speech and language therapists, to support children's learning. Typically, staff gather and share information with parents and carers about their children's progress. However, recently, staff have not maintained the same level of communication with parents. This has an impact on providing children with a consistent approach to their learning and care needs. Currently, the setting does not have any children receiving additional funding. However, leaders express their commitment to ensuring that any available funding will be used to meet the needs of all children.

Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention

Staff interactions with children are mainly supervisory, as they focus on daily tasks, such as cleaning tables and floors. This means that, at times, children play for extended periods without input from staff. Children do not benefit from all learning opportunities. When staff do engage with children, their interactions are weak. For example, during story time, while staff include children, they do not allow enough time for them to think and respond. This lack of engagement limits children's communication and language development. Although staff occasionally use mathematical language, such as 'empty' and 'full', their overall interactions with children are generally limited. This leads to children losing interest and becoming disengaged. As a result, children do not always achieve the progress of which they are capable of.

Staff observe and assess children's learning to make reasonable adjustments to reduce barriers to their learning. This includes ensuring resources are suitable and accessible for children's levels. However, leaders do not have a complete understanding of staff knowledge and curriculum implementation. This hinders their ability to make timely improvements. Consequently, teaching is weak and inconsistent.

During art and craft activities, some staff engage more effectively. They help children to enjoy interactions while creating and matching dots. Staff provide regular opportunities for children to exercise and have fresh air. Children enjoy testing their physical skills on ride-on toys. Staff praise children for their actions, fostering positive relationships with them and their peers.

Achievement: Needs attention

Not all children make rapid and sustained progress in relation to their starting points. This means children are not as well prepared for their next stage of learning and development. During some activities, children do not always receive effective engagement in their learning, such as during painting activities and story time. This has an impact on children's learning, including their language and mathematical skills.

However, children make some progress in their personal and physical development. For instance, they gain self-help and independence skills, such as at mealtimes. Children know the routines of washing hands and toileting. Children who face barriers in their learning, such as those who speak other languages, receive timely support. Children behave well and are ready to listen to songs and stories. Children play well together, share and take turns. They develop the skills they need to develop friendships.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Staff promote a welcoming and inclusive environment, which helps them to form positive relationships with children and their families. This has a positive impact on children's wellbeing. Children are happy and enjoy cuddles with staff. Staff are kind and approachable, modelling polite words, such as 'thank you', to instil positive manners in children. They are typically attentive to children's age and developmental stage when setting expectations. For instance, during mealtimes, staff gradually promote children's independence, increasing the level of difficulty as they grow older. Over time, children develop the ability to feed themselves and clean their plates. They show confidence and self-sufficiency.

Staff actively teach children the importance of playing together and listening to one another. For example, during outdoor activities, staff encourage children to take turns while watering the plants. Children learn to care for other living things, developing their understanding of the world. Staff help children to follow their behavioural expectations in an age-appropriate manner. They promote children's punctuality and attendance in preparation for school. If children are absent, staff check on them with a phone call to ensure their wellbeing.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Staff create secure and responsive relationships with children through a key-person system. This helps them to understand children's individual care needs, such as dietary requirements. For example, staff know how to soothe children and use their mealtime routines to help with the settling-in process. This approach is particularly beneficial during recent staffing and operational changes in the setting. Children show resilience in adapting to changes.

Staff support children who may face barriers to their learning. For instance, they have supported previous children effectively with hearing impairments. Staff are also familiar with the procedures for administering medication to maintain children's health. They typically promote children's physical health and safety well. Children have regular opportunities for exercise and fresh air. They enjoy playing and exploring, including in outdoor spaces. Older children, for example, use ride-on toys to test their physical skills and stamina. Children are eager to play and learn.

During mealtimes, staff supervise children well and encourage social interactions. They provide children with healthy meals that cater to their individual dietary needs. At sleep times, staff adhere to appropriate procedures to ensure children are comfortable and safe.

Leadership and governance: Needs attention

Leaders do not evaluate their setting rigorously enough to identify areas for development. This is partly due to insufficient oversight. When leaders take actions, they fail to address the underlying causes of any weaknesses. For example, leaders do not have an accurate understanding of staff performance. This hinders their ability to swiftly identify training needs and improve the quality of provision. As a result, some staff do not feel fully supported in fulfilling their roles and responsibilities effectively.

Additionally, leaders have not adequately reflected on the quality of teaching, which limits the progress some children can make. They have also not ensured that information-sharing with parents is open and precise. This means parents are not always fully informed about all aspects of their children's care and learning, including how the setting operates.

That said, leaders have reviewed the setting's procedures for recording children's accidents and staff-to-child ratio requirements. This includes a temporary relocation of some children to other settings to ensure their safety and welfare. Leaders also have procedures in place to ensure that any children who face barriers in their learning are referred to relevant agencies for support.