Brambly Hedge Forest School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Managers and staff have worked extremely hard to make the necessary improvements since the last inspection. Staff put children at the heart of everything that they do. They have a deep respect for children and encourage them to be kind to others.

Children thrive in this welcoming and friendly nursery. They have the freedom to explore their environments in safety and can make choices in what they want to do. Staff keep any risks to children minimised, enabling them to stay safe from harm.

Children appear content and settled and are very keen to learn. Staff play alongside the children, supporting them when they need hel...p. They know their key children very well and understand their developing personalities.

Staff have high expectations of how children behave and of what they can do and achieve. Babies delight in watching bubbles fall to the ground and pop. Young children enjoy watching and smelling a fire burn and learn about fire safety.

Older children are excited to dress and feed baby dolls, preparing them for a new baby that is soon to arrive in their home. Staff are well qualified and skilfully use their knowledge of child development to plan for each child's learning. They build on what they know as children move through the nursery.

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

Staff are aware that when children start at the nursery, their experiences are very different. They offer children a wide variety of activities and learning experiences. The play environments are warm, bright and stimulating.

Children can move to the resources easily and are happy to pick and choose what they need. Babies have space to crawl, learn to walk and explore different objects. Young children are curious to know the names of garden birds.

They are excited to get their hands sticky as they make bird feeders, using pine cones. Older children enjoy role play as they prepare tea or build a new house. They practise their listening skills together as they hear different sounds.

Children then choose a picture of what has made the sound. All children have plentiful opportunities to play outdoors, benefit from fresh air and learn about nature.Children eat home-cooked, healthy and nutritious food, according to their specific dietary needs.

They sit together at mealtimes, as a social occasion. Children have many opportunities to become independent. For example, they serve their own food and drink and use their cutlery well to eat their food.

Although older children wash their own cups in turn, others who are waiting sometimes become easily distracted and bored.Staff talk positively to children as they play and during care routines. Children appear emotionally secure with staff and go to them if they need a cuddle or support.

Staff praise children for their efforts and children behave exceptionally well for their age and stage of development. They encourage children to join in with songs and rhymes, helping to promote their language skills. However, the use of background music does not always allow children to fully hear the separate sounds of what is being said to them.

This is important for those children whose communication skills need more focused support.Teaching is good. Staff watch what children do and check how they are improving on a regular basis.

Children are making good progress in relation to their starting points. They are learning the skills necessary for the future and are rapidly becoming confident learners. Staff support children to work together and solve problems.

This helps them to have a can-do attitude in their play.Partnerships with parents are effective. Staff share with parents what their children have done on a daily basis.

They offer books to parents and give them ideas of how to extend their children's learning in the home environment. Parents comment favourably on the staff team. For example, they say that staff are supportive and understanding and that their children are less anxious than before they started at nursery.

Managers ensure that staff have the training they need and check that they are supported emotionally. This means that staff feel valued and positive about their work. Staff work well with outside agencies to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Managers have detailed systems in place for recruiting new staff. The induction process is thorough and ensures that new staff fully understand the nursery's policies and procedures.

Staff have a very sound knowledge of safeguarding. They know what do to if they have a concern about a child, another member of staff or the manager. The provider ensures that staff are aware of wider safeguarding issues, such as the 'Prevent' duty and the dangers of having extreme views.

The indoor and outdoor learning environments are securely maintained. Staff pay close attention to any risks when children are playing.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: review the current mealtime routine with the older children to help them remain engaged and to make the most of all learning opportunities consider the impact of background music on children's ability to listen carefully to sounds and words and develop their communication skills further.

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