Bright Horizons Tonbridge Day Nursery and Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happily, settle quickly and are soon ready to start their day. Staff have taken care to design the environment to ensure that all children can access the toys and equipment they need. In the baby room, the youngest children play with smiles on their faces. They enjoy exploring the room and pulling themselves up on the low-level furniture. In small groups, children enjoy taking part in rhymes and songs. They are encouraged by staff to join in with the actions and to sing along. The oldest children develop their independence through selecting their own games and activities. They show confidence in asking for the resources they need. In the outdoor area, children enjoy experimenting in the outdoor kitchen, where staff encourage them to use new vocabulary while they play.

Children behave very well and have lovely bonds with staff. Staff hold conversations with the children, teaching them how to take turns and respond to each other when talking. The older children chat happily with one another as they play and understand how to be kind and take turns. The well-being of the children is at the heart of staff's plans, and children receive interesting experiences through local visits and thoughtful activities. For instance, children have taken part in outings to the supermarket and library and enjoy taking part in gardening activities.

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

• Leaders and managers are very supportive of staff and work well as a team. They ensure that staff workload is manageable and prioritise staff well-being. Managers provide regular team meetings and one-to-one supervisions to support staff to develop their knowledge and skills. Staff continually strive to improve their professional knowledge and practice. They benefit from regular training and professional development opportunities. All staff contribute to effective communication.
• Staff implement a curriculum that is well sequenced and interesting. They build their curriculum on what they want children to learn by the time they go to school. Staff explain how they break this down into smaller steps so that children can achieve their goals. For instance, they understand how to support children in developing their mark-making skills. The younger children are supported by staff to use chunky brushes, and the older children can use thin paintbrushes independently and with the correct grip. This demonstrates the progress they have made in this area of learning.
• Children access a wonderful variety of resources in mathematics. For instance, they access many natural materials and take part in activities such as making play dough and threading with pasta tubes. However, there are times when staff do not consistently introduce mathematical vocabulary or develop children's counting skills as they play. This does not fully promote their early mathematical development.
• Parents are well informed about their child's development and progress. They have daily conversations with their child's key person. Parents talk about the 'nurturing nature' of the nursery and how it is a 'collaborative and caring environment.' The manager invites parents to coffee mornings every few months, along with parent meetings, to discuss the progress of children.
• The development of children's communication and language is given high priority. They enjoy a range of stories to support them in learning new vocabulary. Staff know the importance of speaking clearly and calmly to children. They ask children questions to check their understanding. For instance, staff read in small groups, ensuring that all children listen and join in with familiar parts of the story. Staff have also introduced a lending library from which children can borrow books to take home, to promote a love of reading.
• Children have lots of opportunities to investigate and explore the world around them. Staff plan exciting activities in which children can make predictions and investigate what may happen in their play at all ages in the nursery. For example, younger children enjoy engaging in sensory experiences, such as exploring the sand. Children in the toddler room learn about floating and sinking as they experiment with objects and materials. Pre-school children thoroughly enjoy scooping flour and mixing it with water to make play dough. Children demonstrate a positive attitude to learning through high levels of engagement.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide more opportunities for children to count and use mathematical language in their play, to further their knowledge of numbers and mathematical concepts.