Building Blocks Preschool Nurseries Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are excited to arrive at the nursery. Staff welcome families warmly and chat to them enthusiastically about the activities planned for the day. Children are secure in the routines at the nursery. They separate from carers with ease before putting their bags away and joining their friends to register.

Children display high levels of confidence. Staff encourage this by providing opportunities for children to demonstrate their skills. Staff consistently praise and reward children for their efforts, creating an environment where children's perseverance is valued. For example, during circle time, children receive 'high fives' and stickers when they recall the sign language they have been learning.

Children enjoy a wide range of interesting, age-appropriate activities and resources. Enthusiastic staff are swift to initiate inspirational learning opportunities to support children's development. For example, during outdoor play, staff encourage children to use play equipment as boats and row to imaginary islands. Staff support children's curiosity and language development by encouraging them to describe what they see on the various islands.

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

• Parents speak highly of the manager and staff. They comment on how children enjoy their time at the nursery. Parents value the support and advice that staff offer regarding children's learning and development.
• Staff support children's growing independence in preparation for starting school. Children pour drinks and serve their own fruit at snack time. Staff encourage children to use mirrors to develop essential hygiene skills, such as wiping their own nose and cleaning their face after meals.
• The manager has a clear intent for children's learning. The environment is planned to meet the developmental needs of all children. Staff engage well with children in all activities. They adapt their teaching to support the learning of individual children. For example, children are learning about butterflies. Younger children are encouraged to identify the colours of the butterfly shapes. In the same activity, older children are supported to count and group various quantities of butterflies.
• Staff place sharp focus on developing children's communication and language skills. A high percentage of children who attend speak English as an additional language. Staff engage well with families to develop a good understanding of children's home languages. They use this knowledge to develop a library system. Children and carers share stories in various languages to support children's learning. The manager establishes close relationships with other professionals. This allows her to implement additional initiatives to develop children's language skills in preparation for starting school.
• Staff have good knowledge of children's abilities. They use this information well to extend children's learning in activities. For example, children identify numbers written on the wall. Staff encourage them to select the corresponding number of chalk sticks. They challenge children further by supporting them to write the numerals themselves on whiteboards.
• The manager and staff work hard to implement strategies to support children's understanding of how to manage conflict appropriately. For example, when children struggle taking turns with resources, they independently use sand timers to resolve their disputes. Staff use circle time as a means of reminding children of the setting's rules. Children recall which behaviours are inappropriate and the consequences if they break these 'golden rules'. However, staff are not yet consistent in supporting children's understanding of the effect that unacceptable behaviour has on others.
• Children are beginning to learn the importance of using good manners. Staff are good role models. They always demonstrate polite and respectful behaviour to children and other adults. However, staff do not make the most of daily routines to support children's learning in this area. For example, snack time is conducted in small groups and is very rushed to allow all children to eat. Children do not have sufficient time to engage with one another and practise these essential skills.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support children's understanding of the impact their behaviour can have on others
• make better use of daily routines to support children's understanding of appropriate behaviours in preparation for school.