Broomfield Private Day Nursery Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children experience high standards of care and learning in this welcoming nursery. A great deal of attention goes into finding out about each child and their family. This is so that staff can provide the right environment to support each child to thrive. A wealth of cuddles, words of encouragement and praise promote children's well-being. It also builds their confidence as they encounter new challenges. Effective arrangements are in place to support children to be ready to move to the next room, or to transition to school.

The learning environment, both indoors and outside provides children with a wealth of opportunities to learn and develop. Babies explore what happens when they push buttons on different toys. They develop their grasp as they use chunky paintbrushes to make marks. Two-year olds giggle with delight as they wait for staff to count down from three before they set off. They show focus as they tell their own stories using puppets. In the pre-school room children learn new vocabulary as they identify different animals and find out more about their habitats. They beam with pride when they manage to negotiate the climbing frame independently. Staff are always on hand to provide support if it is needed. Children make good progress from their starting points when they engage in the well-planned learning opportunities provided.

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

• Leaders have identified what they want children to learn as they progress through the nursery. The learning opportunities are well sequenced so children build on what they already know or can do. All staff recognise the importance of laying firm foundations for children's future learning. They place emphasis on developing the prime areas of the early years curriculum. Teaching is effective as staff show children what to do and provide opportunities to embed and practise newly acquired skills.
• Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is a real strength of the nursery. Staff engage with a wide range of specialists and attend additional training so they can meet the needs of children with complex needs. They also develop detailed learning plans for children who they have identified as needing some extra support. Leaders help staff to implement strategies so that children with SEND make progress towards their developmental milestones. Any additional funding is used appropriately in children's best interests.
• Staff in the baby room recognise how to provide opportunities for children to vocalise and respond with smiles and encouragement to build children's confidence. Throughout their time at nursery, children are introduced to plenty of new vocabulary. They are given opportunities to repeat words as they play.
• However, sometimes staff do not encourage children to compose longer sentences. Their questions often require just a single-word response. This does not fully promote children's communication and language development.
• Support for children to develop self-care skills and to become increasingly independent are planned effectively. Babies are supported to feed themselves, under careful supervision. Toddlers are encouraged to find their coats and shoes. In the pre-school room children serve their own food and help to tidy up. Staff are skilled at identifying when children are ready to be toilet trained. They also spend a lot of time helping children to develop social skills, such as playing alongside their friends, sharing and taking turns. This supports children's school readiness.
• There is a good balance between planned activities and opportunities for children to play and learn independently. Children often show considerable levels of concentration such as when they engage in water or sand play. Staff are generally deployed effectively so children benefit from high quality interactions as they play. However, at times some of the quieter children do not get as much chance to participate, for example at story time or during outdoor play.
• Parental feedback is very positive. Effective systems for communication between home and nursery mean that parents know what their children are learning. Parents value the support and advice they receive about issues such as toilet training and sleep routines. Leaders make sure that they keep up to date with local family support arrangements, and regularly help parents to access these.
• Leaders are highly reflective and are constantly reviewing the nursery and considering any ways to develop it even further. They have recently decided to open up a new room to support children who are ready to move from the baby room. They recognise that some children would benefit from a quieter environment with fewer children initially. Staff are consulted on any proposed changes. Staff report that they feel valued and they welcome the way that leaders support their well-being.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to provide children with more opportunities to use short phrases or sentences to develop their communication and language skills even further
• consider how to ensure that quieter children are given even more opportunities to engage in purposeful learning throughout the day.