Curious Explorers Nursery and Preschool @ Bromstone

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The leaders have made significant improvements to safeguarding, the quality of teaching and the organisation at the nursery since the last inspection. All staff play a part to ensure that children's protection and well-being are paramount. Leaders and staff are dedicated to providing an engaging and exciting environment for children to learn and progress.

Children enter the nursery and seek out the warm and welcoming staff. They settle almost immediately as they are greeted with offers of appealing games and social interactions with friends. There are now vast opportunities to develop across all areas of learning. The environment has been adapted to create more purposeful learning spaces. For example, children love to visit the play dough creation station and the inviting home corner. The quiet spaces provided offer children the chance to calmly share a story with a friend. Due to the commitment of staff and the improvements made, children now remain at, and engage well in, activities for longer periods of time. They make independent choices in their play and enjoy the friendly interactions provided.

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

• Leaders and staff have made an extensive effort and show a genuine commitment to improving their standards since the last inspection. They have engaged very well with the support of the local authority. For example, they are now more thorough in ensuring they have a secure oversight of safeguarding and how they organise the provision to ensure that they best consider the needs of all children. This has had a genuine impact on the quality of care and education. Staff share that there have been significant improvements in the morale of all staff.
• Overall, children behave well. Children are encouraged to use manners and are reminded that their actions have consequences. However, this is not always consistent among the staff team. At times during independent play, some children are not always given clear rules and boundaries to follow.
• Independence has been made a clear development area for children of all ages. For example, children have access to their own plates, cups and cutlery. They make good attempts to chop and slice their own fruit and vegetables during snack time. Children learn to count the number of spaces available before seating themselves at the table. They learn the independence and decision-making skills they need for their future lives.
• Staff plan appealing activities for children to enjoy. For example, an interest in dinosaurs leads to exciting imaginary play. Real leaves and sticks, as well as chia seeds, provide resources for children to imagine stomping their chosen dinosaur through swamps and forests. They learn new vocabulary as they explore the different textures, such as 'squishy' and 'sludgy'. Children show fascination at the facts read out by adults during their interactions and sharing of associated books. Children develop their imaginations, creativity and a love of literacy from an early age.
• Children of all ages enjoy the adult-led group time. For example, they sing songs, discuss the weather and learn simple sign language for communication. However, occasionally, the intent for the group activity is not always clear, and planning is less focused to ensure the best possible learning opportunities. However, this does not detract from the overall good quality of teaching from which children benefit.
• Parents share that the setting has made partnerships stronger. Staff ensure that they offer flexible arrangements for discussions and feedback about children's needs and progress. Parents comment that children have been notably more willing and excited to arrive at the nursery for their session. They notice the progress made by children, particularly with their speech and language and improved confidence.
• Leaders are dedicated to continually improving the setting. They ensure the well-being of staff and make sure that they have opportunities to evolve in their continuing professional development. For example, they have assigned a newly appointed special educational needs coordinator to oversee the arrangements for those children who need additional support. Leaders give staff well-being high priority, which means that they can give children and families the best possible care.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• improve consistency in how staff support children's understanding of the rules and boundaries that help to keep them and their friends safe during their play
• review and improve group time activities to ensure that children receive the best possible learning experiences.