Bright Horizons Southgate Day Nursery and Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The manager is caring and strives to embed the nursery's ethos. Staff are welcoming and friendly. This helps all children to feel valued and respected. The premises are safe and secure, and children are unable to leave the nursery unsupervised. The nursery is vibrant and organised well. Children have access to a garden. They learn to develop their fine- and gross-motor skills. Staff plan activities according to children's interests, so that they enjoy interacting with stimulating resources. There is a well-established staff team. Children easily make bonds and form attachments.

Children are happy and look forward to coming to nursery. The manager and leadership team promote a culture of vigilance. They teach children about health and safety using a superhero called 'Candy Floss'. The nursery is inclusive and staff attend relevant training to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Children develop self-awareness and self-esteem. They proudly ask staff to look at them when they are playing. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the nursery remained open. However, staff noticed an impact on children's communication and language development. They introduced a lending library to encourage children to read books at home.

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

• The manager and staff have developed a bespoke curriculum and toolkit to support children to make progress in all areas of their learning and development. For example, the curriculum for children's physical development is designed to promote music and movement. Children learn to play musical instruments in tune with the rhythm and beats. They also learn to build their attention and listening skills.
• Although there is a clear curriculum intent, there are inconsistencies in how staff implement this. For example, some staff teach children about phonics before they are ready for this stage of learning. Therefore, some children lose focus and do not benefit from what is being taught.
• The curriculum for communication and language encourages children to take pleasure in being read to. Children handle books with care and point to pictures as they recall words. Staff model new vocabulary for children and include it in their play. They teach children through different stories, and children demonstrate their new knowledge when they play. They teach children about different stories, who demonstrate this new knowledge when they play. Children learn how to be creative and show high levels of concentration and engagement.
• Staff are warm and responsive, and act as excellent role models. They teach children about feelings and relationships. Children learn how to share and take turns in their play. They develop the confidence to make friends and form attachments to their peers. Babies also learn to seek out familiar adults when they need to be comforted.
• There is a thorough induction programme so that staff can carry out their roles and responsibilities effectively. The manager and her deputy provide regular training to staff about how to embed the curriculum. However, they do not consistently ensure that what is being taught is implemented across the whole curriculum.
• There are good links with both senior leaders and the local authority. The manager receives ongoing support and supervision to evaluate and develop the nursery. The manager values staff's professional development, and staff receive mentoring to support their personal growth.
• Parents are happy and say that the nursery is highly inclusive. The nursery provides excellent support for children with SEND, which makes parents feel at ease. There is a good process in place for parents to receive feedback about their children's progress. Children who are learning English as an additional language quickly learn to speak English.
• Children quickly learn about health and self-care routines. They know why they wash and clean their hands. Staff provide a rich and stimulating learning environment, which encourages children to engage in conversations. Children develop their imagination skills as they play at the water tray, using fishing rods and commenting that they are making 'fish soup'.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• plan activities more carefully so that all children are fully engaged in their learning
• support all staff to develop a thorough understanding of the curriculum so that what they teach is properly embedded and consistent across all areas of learning.