Bright Little Stars Harrow

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enjoy the time they spend at this nurturing and vibrant nursery. They are greeted warmly on arrival by friendly staff. This ensures that all children feel welcome. Children and staff have positive relationships. For example, staff cuddle children and say 'well done' when they achieve a task. Children also build friendships with their peers. Staff encourage children to work together to achieve a task. They spend time working as a team to find different items in the garden by the sound that the item begins with.

Children behave well. They enjoy learning opportunities. Older children spend time using the 'green screen' to record the story of the 'bear hunt'. They enjoy watching the movie they have created. Children spend time recalling different parts of the story. This supports them to learn about the use of technology and provides opportunities for them to develop their memory and recall skills. The curriculum is well embedded within the nursery and challenges children. There is a clear progression. For example, younger children have opportunities to listen to number songs, such as 'five speckled frogs'. Whereas older children spend time learning about different mathematical concepts, such as 'big' and 'small'.

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

• The nursery is strongly focused on developing children's independence. Children spend time joining in with a variety of activities that support them within this area. For example, they make choices and serve themselves at snack time. They cut a selection of different fruits and vegetables and spend time scooping the flesh out of pumpkins. Older children also put on their own shoes. This ensures that all children have opportunities to develop their independence.
• Staff plan activities to support children to achieve their next steps. For example, staff explain how they would like children to learn to use a knife and fork correctly. They spend time cutting a range of different fruits and vegetables as they explore the taste, texture and smell. This supports children to learn to use cutlery as well as opportunities to explore their senses.
• Staff encourage children to develop their gross motor skills. For example, younger children are supported to begin to walk confidently. Older children have opportunities to develop their fine motor skills. Staff demonstrate how to use different tools and support children to begin to use these.
• Children are given opportunities to develop their vocabulary. Staff introduce new words to children and explain the meaning of these words. For example, staff use the word 'rosemary' as children explore this. Staff also explain the word 'tripod' to children. Children enjoy spending time joining in with singing a range of different songs. Staff sing 'Incy Wincy Spider' to children as they explore animals in the mud tray. This ensures that children hear a wide range of vocabulary. However, on some occasions, activities are too fast paced, and staff need to repeat what has been said. This does not always allow children enough time to process information and develop a clear understanding.
• Staff are passionate about supporting all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities to make progress. They share how they used additional funding to create a sensory den. They spoke about the positive impact that this has had on all children.
• Leaders are passionate. They review practice and have plans in place to develop and further improve the nursery. They talk about the training opportunities that are available to staff and how this supports them within their practice. Staff shared how they feel supported within their roles.
• Parents express how the nursery treats them as individuals. For example, they spoke about the individual support that the nursery offers to them. They shared how this ensures that children feel welcomed and valued within the nursery. Parents also spoke positively about the strong bonds that children have with their key people. They like how the setting supports children to develop their independence.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• plan more effectively to ensure activities are structured to ensure that children have time to think about what has been said.