Bumbles Old Swan

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and well settled at the nursery. Staff get to know children well and have a good understanding of their needs and interests. New babies are sensitively cuddled and reassured to help them feel safe and promote their emotional well-being. Staff teach children about the importance of sharing and provide opportunities for them to take turns. When disagreements happen, staff gently intervene and help children to understand expected behaviours. Children behave well and are learning about what is right and wrong.

Staff provide a broad curriculum that is adapted well to meet children's individual needs. High priority is placed on communication and language development. Staff engage children in conversations to help them practise their speaking skills. They introduce new words and rhymes and encourage children to copy. Children are beginning to learn some sign language. They remember how to sign 'boat' and use it in their play. This is particularly helpful for those children who speak English as an additional language and those who do not communicate verbally. Children are prepared for the next stage in their learning.

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

• Leaders have a good understanding of the different things they want children to learn. They plan an ambitious curriculum that considers what children already know and can do. However, the implementation of whole group activities is not well thought out. Often, groups sizes are too big which means not everyone can be involved. Some children struggle with the noise levels of larger groups which hinders their concentration. This does not help all children to engage well and get the best from these learning experiences.
• The support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is effective. Staff recognise when children are at risk of falling behind and seek additional support from leaders. Children benefit from targeted support to help address gaps in learning. Leaders have links with outside professionals and make timely referrals when necessary. This helps to ensure all children make progress from their individual starting points.
• Overall, the nursery routines are well-embedded. Children respond to non-verbal cues, such as 'the tidy up bell' and know what is happening now and next. However, some transition times are unorganised and too long. For instance, children wait for long periods at nappy changing time and when they are getting ready to play outside. Consequently, children become fractious and unsettled as they are not engaged in purposeful play and learning.
• Literacy development is well promoted. Older children learn to recreate familiar stories using pictures. They skilfully recall key parts of the story and put them into the correct order. Children learn to hold pencils correctly and begin to form some recognisable letters. Younger children take part in dough activities to strengthen their hand muscles in preparation for early mark making. Children are developing some of the skills they need for school.
• The key-person system is well embedded. Staff get to know all children and the 'buddy system' works effectively. During periods of staff absence, remaining staff have a clear understanding of how to support children's care and learning needs. This ensures that children feel emotionally secure, and their learning is consistently promoted.
• Children have daily access to the well-equipped outdoor area. They use the equipment with confidence and manage risk safely. Children balance on tyres showing good levels of control. They use the climbing wall with determination eagerly navigating to the top without support. Children demonstrate good physical strength and agility which contributes to their overall good health.
• Parents are happy with the quality of care provided. They receive information about children's development and how this can be extended at home. Parents are kept updated of staffing changes and always know who their child's key person is. Parents of children with SEND feel supported with referrals and liaisons with outside professionals. This helps to provide continuity in children's care and learning.
• The dedicated leadership team are passionate about providing high-quality care and education for children. They have introduced more consistent procedures to support staff development. However, these are not yet fully embedded. Staff have a thorough induction, supervision meetings and some training to help them fulfil their roles. However, performance feedback and professional development opportunities are not yet targeted specifically enough on staff's individual areas for development. Consequently, there are inconsistencies in the quality of education.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review the implementation of group activities to help all children engage and get the most from the learning experience
• support staff to implement more effective transitions between routine changes to prevent children from becoming unsettled
• strengthen the procedures for staff professional development to provide more consistency in the quality of education across the nursery.