Brightsparks Day Nursery, Eltham

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children settle quickly and are eager to play. Staff know children well due to them having an individual settling-in process. Staff working with the youngest children learn their individual home routines to support their emotional well-being. Parents report that their children's social skills, confidence, and language have developed particularly well. Staff form positive relationships with children and their families. This helps children to feel safe. Staff have the same ambition for all children and have established effective partnership working with other professionals and agencies. This ensures that all children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), get the support they need.

Staff plan interesting activities to support the curriculum. For example, older children learn about safety as they use tools to tap golf tees into different fruit and vegetables. This promotes the development of their small muscles and problem-solving skills. Children have fun making and exploring play dough, and staff successfully help children to check when more ingredients are needed as children tell them 'it is too runny'. Children experiment as they roll cars along ramps and others eagerly make flower soup in the garden. This helps to develop children's imaginations. They make good progress and learn the skills they need for their future learning.

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

• The manager has a clear vision for the setting. She leads with passion and truly wants all children to achieve. Children benefit from an interesting and balanced curriculum. The manager works with staff to create the intent of the curriculum. They constantly review this and make changes when necessary. Staff provide lots of opportunities for children to revisit and practise new skills. As a result, children are ready for their stage of learning.
• The curriculum for physical development is strong. Children have access to low-level climbing equipment indoors and outdoors. They show delight as they ride around the garden on bicycles and use their feet to push them along. Older children enjoy group games, such as 'duck, duck, goose'. This enables them to be part of a team and develop their social skills. Staff support children's fine motor skills as they provide chalks and paints for children to make marks. These opportunities support children to build their muscles and develop coordination.
• Children are provided with opportunities to read stories and sing songs and rhymes. They enjoy filling in the gaps as staff pause when reading stories. Staff use questions as children play to encourage conversation. However, these questions are often asked in quick succession and children do not have time to form their answers. Despite this, children's language is developing well.
• Mathematics is firmly embedded. Staff introduce numbers to younger children through songs. Older children are confident to count to five and beyond. Children learn about mathematical concepts, such as 'taller' and 'smaller than'. They also recognise various shapes and talk about different sizes during dinosaur play. Ultimately, children develop a positive attitude to mathematics.
• Staff are good role models and have high expectations for children's behaviour. Children behave well and have positive attitudes to their learning. However, at times, children are not supported to understand how their actions impact on the safety and feelings of others.
• Staff feel well supported in their roles. They receive regular supervision and feedback from the manager. There is a focus on their well-being. Regular treats are given and staff appreciation days are celebrated. As a result, staff feel valued and morale is high.
• Parents speak positively about the nursery and the staff. They clearly attribute their children's progress to the nursery and the teaching they receive. Parents say that their children greatly enjoy attending, and the staff are friendly. These positive relationships support the overall emotional well-being of children.
• The special educational needs coordinator works closely with families, staff, and other agencies who are involved in children's care. This enables children with SEND to benefit from highly effective support for their ongoing progress. For instance, staff encourage children with SEND to play with their peers, which helps them to develop good social skills.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• give children more time to think and respond to questions to support their thinking skills further
• support children to understand how their actions impact others.