Brighter Beginnings Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy in the setting, as they are supported by kind and caring staff who build good relationships with them. They are inquisitive and developing their curiosity. For example, children explore and experiment with a range of materials, such as real sprouts, carrots and limes as they make 'potions' and soup using ideas from a favourite story. Children demonstrate positive attitudes to learning and are eager to join in activities. They are learning about cause and effect. For instance, they dip different items in paint and observe the marks they then make, supporting their early writing skills.

Children make good progress in their learning and development because staff have high expectations of what they are able to do. They can competently undertake tasks for themselves. For instance, they chop up their own fruit and pour their own drinks. This helps them to gain good levels of independence. Children behave well and they know and understand what is expected of them in the setting. They are developing their problem-solving skills. For example, staff fill containers with balls and tubes with ribbons and then encourage younger children to work out how they can get them out.

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

• Leaders are committed and passionate, with a clear vision for the setting. They have a good knowledge and understanding of how children learn and there is clear intent for what they want children to achieve. Overall, this helps children to benefit from a wide range of purposeful and interesting activities, indoors and outdoors.
• The manager and staff continually identify ways to give children further life experiences. For example, they arrange visits from the firefighters and dentists to talk to children about the jobs they do. This helps to broaden children's understanding of the world around them.
• Leaders work closely with staff, supporting them to improve their practice and staff feel well supported in their roles. However, there are still some aspects of teaching which require development. This means there are times when children's learning experiences are not always fully extended.
• Partnership with parents is good. Parents comment that leaders and staff regularly update them about their child's learning and development, through conversations, stay-and-play sessions, workshops and using a digital system. This helps to create a collaborative approach to meeting children's care and education needs.
• Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities well. For example, they monitor development closely and provide specific activities to support children's development. This helps to ensure children receive the extra help they need.
• Children have good opportunities to learn about nature, growth and decay. For instance, they create bee friendly spaces, bug hotels and grow herbs and potatoes, which they make into soup. This supports children to learn about where their food comes from and what creatures need to stay alive.
• Children make good progress in their physical development. For example, they use their strength to roll around big tyres and their coordination skills to navigate climbing equipment. This helps children to use and manipulate equipment with increasing control.
• Children are learning about healthy lifestyles. For instance, they clean their teeth each day and use their imagination when pretending to be doctors. This helps children to think about what will help to keep them healthy.
• Staff help children to develop their social skills and articulate their needs and wants. For example, they work with them to help them communicate in different ways, such as using images to convey the things they might want to do. This supports children to make choices and helps them to make decisions confidently.
• Staff provide children with an abundance of praise and positive encouragement. They recognise the efforts that children are making and comment on how well they have done. This helps children to build their confidence and try out new experiences.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• continue to work with staff to enhance the quality of teaching to the highest level.