Bloomsbury Street Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

Children and their parents receive an extremely warm welcome on arrival at the nursery.

Children settle exceptionally well, and there is a highly effective key-person approach, enabling children to make excellent bonds with staff. Staff caring for the youngest children recognise their non-verbal cues. For example, when babies direct their gaze to different toys, staff completely understand their desire to explore this.

This enables babies to be fully active in leading their play experiences. Babies thoroughly enjoy a game of peekaboo with staff, eagerly awaiting the member of staff to drop the fabric and say 'pe...ekaboo'. Staff extend babies interest in this sensory play with simple yet innovative activities.

They use sign language constantly and to excellent effect, and even the youngest of children begin to use this. For example, babies make the sign for washing hands and then receive support to use the sink. Babies turn on the tap themselves and wash their hands, showing that this is a skill already learned and practised.

Children learn to be highly independent from an extremely early age. They learn to access the self-care stations where they locate their drinks cup. This is instilled early on and, therefore, becomes natural to children.

Children develop an extremely strong love of books and reading from the moment they join the nursery. They can often be found enjoying looking at books independently or sitting with staff becoming completely immersed in their interactive experience. Children continually hear new words.

For example, each room have key words that staff weave into their interactions with children so that they hear this consistently. They also hear additional words such as 'stegosaurus' and 'pterodactyl', challenging their speaking skills and extending their word banks even further.Toddlers show exceptional development in their ability to negotiate the balance beams independently and with immense care.

They take turns on the climbing equipment and wait for their friends to descend the slide without needing intervention from staff. Key persons and staff have an excellent knowledge of each child's learning needs and styles. They seamlessly weave what children need to learn next and the manager's intent for the curriculum into every interaction.

This enables all children, including those learning more than one language and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to make the best possible progress.

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

The manager is extremely focused on ensuring that children are at the heart of everything they do and that they are the 'beat that runs through the nursery'. Staff show an excellent commitment and dedication to making a difference in supporting children and their families.

They are extremely reflective and are constantly seeking ways to improve and grow as a setting.The manager has an exceptionally clear vision and understanding of how to plan a curriculum that is unique for each child. Staff gather an extremely wide range of information from parents to enable the process of relationship building from the outset.

The excellent process for settling children into the nursery and as they move throughout the age groups enables children to make exceptional bonds with staff.Staff have an exceptionally clear understanding of why they plan and provide the activities and experiences for children. They recognise the theory behind the learning, which stems from the training they receive.

The basis for the plan for what children need to learn next is innovative and inspiring.Staff are very nurturing, and they show great kindness to children and their families. This enables children to feel extremely safe and secure in their nursery environment.

Staff are completely respectful of children's choice and fully value their opinions. For example, they ask if they can change their nappies and use sign language to reinforce what they are asking.Leaders and managers have an excellent understanding of their roles and responsibilities.

There is an exceptionally effective management structure that enables the whole team to drive consistent and continual improvement. Staff report that there is an exceptional team ethos, where they receive endless support for their development and well-being. They comment that they feel listened to and that the extremely high levels of training on offer enables them to feel completely valued.

Support for children with SEND is exceptional. Staff receive highly effective support from the special educational needs coordinator. They have an abundance of time and training to enable them to seek and explore all avenues of additional support and funding for children.

This enables all children to flourish and make the best possible progress.Staff adopt strong and extremely successful partnerships with parents and others involved in children's care and education. Parents completely value staff's support and guidance about child development and feel completely involved in their children's time at the setting.

They comment that they wish their children could remain at the setting forever. Staff continually share children's learning so that parents can seamlessly continue this at home. Leaders and staff work ceaselessly with parents to enable children to thrive.

Staff manage children's behaviour in extremely positive ways. They use sand timers to indicate changes in routines to young children, such as identifying when it will be time to tidy up for lunch. These very young children join in with the tasks of putting away the resources and receive high levels of praise encouraging them.

Staff sing a song to aid the process, which also praises children for their efforts and so they continue to help.Staff access a wealth of training opportunities to enhance their professionalism and training even further. They successfully evaluate each training event and use the knowledge to disseminate this to the rest of the staff team.

This enables staff to make exceptionally well-targeted changes to each age-group room.

Safeguarding

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