Next Generation Day Nursey (Barnehurst) Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy, safe and settled at the nursery. They have formed strong attachments and seek out adults for comfort when needed. Children are confident. For example, babies explore the learning areas and the sensory room enthusiastically, building on their curiosity. Staff sensitively communicate with younger children and babies are thriving. Older children build and construct with planks as they develop their physical skills outside. Staff use this opportunity to teach children to take risks and challenge them as they play.

Children's emotional development is strong and younger children interact with one another exceptionally well. Staff promote children's resilience during care routines and children take pride in their achievements when managing their own personal needs. Leaders and staff have high expectations for all children's learning. Overall, they provide a challenging and inclusive curriculum to support all children. Older children learn mathematical concepts, such as number and measure, in an engaging way. For example, they learn to measure and count the number of scoops needed to make their own play dough. All children, including those who receive additional funding, are making good progress and benefit from a well-resourced, organised and stimulating learning environment.

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

• Leaders and staff know children well and talk confidently about what children can do. Staff use children's interests to plan next steps and build on what they already know. For example, children remember what they have been taught and can talk about planets and their properties. Staff use observations and assessment effectively to monitor progress and address any gaps in children's knowledge. For example, staff plan opportunities that encourage turn taking in small groups to support those children who didn't attend the nursery during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic to develop their confidence to play with others.
• Staff encourage children to develop resilience and take appropriate action to support children to manage their own feelings. For example, staff encourage children to try again when they have not won a game. They support children well overall and use praise and encouragement to support children's emotional development. However, in everyday routines this needs to be explored further and adapted to meet some children's individual needs, such as during lunchtime when some children find it challenging to maintain their focus.
• Leaders and staff implement effective systems to share information with parents. Staff inform parents about their children's progress and give specific ideas to support and extend their children's learning at home. For example, staff give regular feedback to parents both in person and via the 'Family' app and send songs and videos to support children's learning. Leaders and staff have exceptionally good relationships with parents and their local community. For example, parents feel supported as a family and there are strong links with local schools.
• Staff benefit from effective observations that highlight areas of strength and development. For example, staff are allocated a mentor and are given detailed feedback. Supervisions are good and support staff's well-being and foster ambition. Leaders encourage staff to develop their knowledge and staff have access to a range of internal and external training. However, leaders need to build on this further to ensure that all staff securely understand how to implement the curriculum consistently.
• Overall, leaders and staff provide a well-planned curriculum to prepare children well for life in modern Britain. However, at times, leaders and staff do not use their knowledge and skills sufficiently to effectively engage with children and families who speak other languages in order to help children make even better progress and catch up with peers.
• Staff interaction is consistently good. Staff are good role models and give thorough explanations when teaching. For example, children listened intently to the rules of a game. Staff provide a commentary during play and introduce new vocabulary to challenge and extend children's learning. Children use a wide range of vocabulary in conversations with adults and their friends.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• ensure that all staff implement the curriculum consistently throughout the daily routines, such as during mealtimes when some children need specific support
• enable all children to express themselves confidently, including children who speak English as an additional language, in order to promote a deeper understanding of equality and diversity.