The Old Station Nursery - Bridgetown Preschool and Out of School Club

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff have high expectations of all children, and their well-being is of the utmost importance. Children arrive happy, they form close relationships with staff and make friends. This helps them to settle, and feel safe and secure in this inviting, nurturing setting.

Children thrive in this well-thought-out and stimulating environment. Everything is safe and accessible to children. This enables children to be independent and make choices, which in turn builds their confidence. Children enjoy playing with play dough, they skilfully use a range of tools, such as scissors and various rolling pins to roll and cut it. They also use tools to make marks on the play dough. As they do this the children and staff talk to each other about what they are doing, and the marks they have made. Children use their imaginations and manipulate the dough to create food. This supports children's small hand muscles, imagination and their communication and language skills. Staff are excellent role models. They are kind, respectful and teach children the nursery rules. All children behave well, are motivated to learn, and make good progress. This ensures they are ready and well prepared for their next stage in learning and transition to school.

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

• The nursery curriculum is designed to provide children with the sequence of learning they need to make good progress. However, the ongoing learning for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is not always linked to their interests or preferences in play. Staff do not always know what strategies to use to fully support what these children need to learn next, in order to make the best possible progress.
• Staff provide challenges and resources in order to extend children's learning. For example, children enjoy dressing up and mark making. Therefore, a dressing up and role-play area has been set up with a range of mark-making tools. Some children call it an 'office', others call it a 'doctor's surgery'. Children enjoy 'writing notes' and 'letters'.
• The nursery environment reflects its community and is welcoming. The manager and team know all of the children and families well. The setting celebrates all of the children that attend, their culture, festivals and family. This contributes to children's high levels of self-esteem.
• Self-help and independence are weaved throughout everything children do. For example, children confidently select and access what they want to play with and do. They can put on their own coats and wellingtons ready for outdoors. Children are also able to competently tidy up, wash their hands and serve their own meals.
• Children enjoy being active and being outdoors. They are offered healthy snacks
• Inspection report: The Old Station Nursery - Bridgetown Preschool and Out of School Club 2 9 February 2023 and meals. Throughout these routine activities, staff teach children the importance of regular exercise and healthy eating.
• Parents are generally happy with the nursery. However, some parents report they are not sure how well their children have settled. Although the setting shares pictures and information with parents, not all parents know what their children are learning and what the setting is doing to prepare children for their next stage in learning and eventual move to school.
• Children benefit from the strong links the nursery has made with the school. The manager and staff invite teachers from the school to visit the children. They also hold meetings with the reception teachers to discuss and review what the setting needs to do, and has done, to prepare children. This ensures that children are well prepared for school, are safe and have a smooth transition.
• Communication and language is well supported across the nursery. Staff are good role models and give children time to talk and test out their ideas. For example, children like books and story time. They listen carefully as staff read to them and enjoy sharing their ideas about what they think will happen next. Children also enjoy talking about the story, the characters and sharing their favourite parts.
• Staff feel very supported by the setting's leaders and managers. They feel valued and their well-being is of the utmost importance. Staff receive regular supervisions and they find this very supportive. They receive regular training opportunities to support their practice.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support all staff to know and understand targeted interventions for those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to promote their ongoing learning and development even further
• strengthen partnerships with parents and improve communication, so that all parents are fully informed about the plans for their children's learning.
• Inspection report: The Old Station Nursery - Bridgetown Preschool and Out of School Club 3 9 February 2023