Bear’s House Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement The provider does not ensure that staff consistently deliver an ambitious curriculum that meets the needs of all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

At times, activities lack a clear intention and sometimes do not reflect the age group they are intended for. Consequently, while children make some gains in their learning, this is not rapid enough to ensure they gain the skills needed for their move on to the next stage in their education.Despite variations in planning and staff support for children's learning, children are generally settled and enjoy their play.

Children fol...low their own ideas well, with younger children completing jigsaw puzzles with great skill and older children making good attempts at writing their names. Babies explore sensory play activities with curiosity and interest. However, at times, staff do not plan activities that accurately reflect what children already know and can do and what they need to learn next.

At these times, children do not engage, or they lose interest, because activities offer too little, or too much, challenge. For example, babies and young children are not developmentally ready to identify their name from laminated cards shown to them during group time. Staff promote children's understanding of the golden rules for behaviour.

Children enjoy the company of their friends and generally play well alongside each other. Older children act as mentors to new children. They show kindness and care for their friends as they pour younger children drinks of water at lunchtime.

However, at times, staff provide inconsistent messages to children when disagreements occur. For example, they move young children away from the situation without explanation. This does not help children understand how to regulate their behaviour on their own.

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

The provider does not have clear oversight of the quality of the provision overall. Leaders do not accurately identify all priorities for further improvement. They do not place a robust focus on identifying and monitoring the experiences of children who require additional support to catch up in their learning.

However, staff understand and fulfil their safeguarding responsibilities well. They act swiftly on any concerns they have about children, as required. Staff report favourably on workload and support for their well-being.

The provider ensures suitable risk assessments are in place, including for any short-term renovations to the nursery premises. However, they have failed to notify Ofsted of the reduction of space available while this remedial work is underway. Although the impact on children's safety is minimal overall, staff have not planned well for children's learning at this time.

For example, large resources are placed in the centre of the smaller space. At times, this restricts children's movement between activities and impacts on children's enjoyment overall.Staff supervision and support are not sufficiently focused on addressing weaker aspects of staff practice.

Leaders do not have an accurate awareness of gaps in staff knowledge. As a result of this, curriculum planning and delivery are not fully successful. For example, there is limited focus on children who show a delay in their communication skills.

Staff do not present information to children in a clear or sequenced way so that children can effectively make links with what they already know. The lack of good-quality support for all children means that some children lack confidence and do not have their voice heard.Although weaknesses exist in some aspects of the curriculum, staff are effective in supporting children to develop a love of reading and literacy.

Children show good recall for favourite stories. Staff suitably support children's emerging communication, as they sing with babies and promote new vocabulary. Young children join in with action songs with enthusiasm.

All children show enjoyment when they play outside. The inconsistencies in the curriculum mean that some activities are less effective than intended. However, older children show determination as they jump across stepping stones and take care to balance along the wooden plans of an obstacle course.

Younger children enjoy exploring colourful balls and make good attempts at throwing and catching.Staff adequately promote children's personal development. Children enjoy nutritious meals and snacks that reflect their dietary needs and stages of weaning, as appropriate.

Staff have suitable regard for the organisation of mealtimes. For example, they encourage older children to use cutlery and encourage them to pour their own drinks. Staff ensure appropriate levels of supervision, including at mealtimes and when children play outdoors.

They support children to learn about the diverse community they live in, through interesting topic work, such as comparing the different homes children live in.Children's emotional well-being is promoted reasonably well. Babies benefit from familiar staff who are on hand to provide reassurance, or a cuddle, as needed.

Staff use the information they gather from parents to support new children to settle into nursery life. For example, staff reference words from children's home languages, which helps older children understand the daily routine. However, due to weaknesses in the curriculum, there are fewer opportunities for children to develop their resilience or confidence to overcome challenges.

Links with parents and professionals are suitably established. Parents are given useful information on their child's day at nursery, including ideas on how to support learning further at home. For example, parents loan interesting resource bags where they take part in cooking or craft activities at home.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage, the provider must: Due date support staff to plan and deliver a coherent curriculum that is sequenced and understood so that teaching is consistent and builds on what children know and can do 06/05/2025 improve the arrangements for supporting children with SEND that includes working in partnership with other professionals so that timely assessment and referrals are made, and effective support is put in place as.

06/05/2025