The Blackheath Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy, settled and purposefully engaged in play. They are curious learners and make excellent progress. They benefit from a broad and challenging curriculum. Children are exceptionally well behaved. They play cooperatively and understand rules that promote sharing and safety. When playing with wheeled toys in the outside play area, toddlers ask their friends if they can have a turn. Children understand sometimes they wait for a turn. They use a sand timer and willingly swap when the sand runs out. Toddlers use the dustpan and brush to sweep spilt sand and put it in the bin independently. Older children cooperatively set the tables ready for mealtimes without prompting by staff. During forest school activities, children take turns to climb trees and wait patiently for others to pass, as they know the rules of walking single file along the pathways.

Children have very good relationships with staff and each other. Babies develop strong bonds with their key person and enjoy lots of reassuring cuddles. Staff are nurturing, attentive and supportive, which helps children feel safe and secure. All children, including those who have additional needs, are becoming independent learners. All group rooms are hives of activity with children engrossed in activities that successfully promote all areas of learning.

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

• The key persons know about their children's care, learning needs and interests very well. They meticulously plan focus activities and organise small and large group story and circle times that optimise children's learning potential. High-quality teaching enables all children to make the best progress.
• The ambitious curriculum and high-quality teaching are consistent in all group rooms. Staff know and understand what they want children to learn and in what sequence. Older children are well prepared for school. They show good early writing skills as they write letters and draw pictures of their body parts. They keenly listen to the story about the body and digestive system and take turns to answer questions. They listen well and speak confidently.
• Support for children to enjoy outside play is exceptional. Leaders and managers have specifically designed the new outside play area with wall art and carvings of patterns, numbers, letters and animals. These inspire children to explore and talk about what they can see and feel. Staff hide small clay animals for children to find among the plants. Children show good spatial awareness and skilfully negotiate walkways when using their bikes, scooters and cars. In the large block area, they build and talk about their designs with staff. They play imaginatively in the mud kitchen and talk about the pies they have made. Children have space to run around in the fields. The forest school activities and nature project enable children to gain hands-on experience of nature and living things.
• Toddlers learn about their similarities and differences using mirrors to look at their features. Staff extend children's language skills effectively as they introduce new words. They talk to children about how they brush their teeth, developing their awareness of good oral health. Staff pace the activity well and give children time to think and answer questions. They absorb themselves fully in the activity and are interested to learn.
• Staff fully embrace children's creativity with lots of music, singing and dancing. Younger children enjoy exploring a vast range of media. They play with leaves and animals as they sing the farm song with staff. Older children make their own play dough and tell staff that it is too sticky and needs more flour.
• Leaders and managers are evaluative, supportive and always strive to improve. All staff work cooperatively and understand their roles and responsibilities. Staff support children who have additional needs exceptionally well. Staff promote an inclusive approach and give targeted effective support.
• Parents highly praise staff for their caring and positive relationships with children. They value the continuity of care from staff. Parents say that communication is excellent and consistent, including very clear guidance during the COVID-19 pandemic. Also, their children are more confident, and staff give feedback on the imaginative and creative ways their children meet their learning goals.