Bright Horizons Balham Day Nursery and Preschool

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are well settled, confident and feel at home at this nursery. Staff build strong relationships with children.

Children enjoy cuddles and reassurance from caring staff, which helps them feel secure. Staff teach children to be independent, such as by teaching them to wash their own hands and regulate their emotions. For example, they notice when children have not yet learned to do things for themselves and sensitively offer help to avoid children becoming frustrated.

This also helps them understand the expectations for their behaviour.The manager is ambitious for the children to be ready for school. She plans an... ambitious curriculum that helps them build on what they can do.

All children make good progress. Staff teach children to take care of their environment and keep themselves safe. Pre-school children help to make safety checks in the garden, such as looking for large puddles and litter that needs clearing, while toddlers enthusiastically help sweep up fallen leaves.

Children are curious to explore a range of natural materials, such as wooden blocks, sticks and leaves. They use these to initiate their own games, such as making shapes and patterns, which supports the development of their imaginative skills.Children learn about the world around them.

Staff provide a variety of non-fiction books that help children talk about their experiences and different cultures. Children have opportunities to grow plants in the garden and learn new physical skills, such as yoga poses. These experiences enhance children's knowledge and understanding of the world.

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

Children's personal, social and emotional development is supported well. Staff give them lots of praise and encouragement, which supports their self-esteem and confidence. Children learn to make choices as they access a range of easily accessible resources throughout the day.

This helps them develop their own interests.Children learn to be independent. This is evident when pre-school children pour their own milk and water at snack time.

They help staff clean up their spills. Toddlers are supported to serve their own lunch and help make their own beds for sleep. Children are supported to carry out self-care tasks, such as washing their hands and using the toilet by themselves.

This helps them develop the skills they will need for later life.Children have access to a range of books that extend their thinking and give them opportunities to talk about topics such as nature, modes of transport, and different cultures. Children are interested in books.

They listen to stories and talk about the pictures. Older children enjoy taking books to share at home. At times, daily routines such as handwashing disrupt story times, which means children do not learn to listen and attend to stories as much as they could.

Staff have a good understanding of how to support children's communication and language development. They repeat simple words and phrases so that children hear the correct pronunciation and learn new vocabulary. Toddlers choose the songs they want to sing and join in enthusiastically.

Pre-school children enjoy weekly 'show and tell' sessions, which helps them develop confidence to speak to others and share their experiences.Staff identify children who have delays in their development. Staff have undertaken appropriate training and use this knowledge to implement strategies that support children's development, such as 'bucket time' to help children learn to play in small groups, build their vocabulary and maintain attention.

This means all children make good progress.Children are extremely well-behaved. Staff help them resolve issues, such as taking turns with the musical instruments.

Children learn to follow simple instructions, such as scraping their plates after meals. They learn to regulate their behaviour well. For example, they wait patiently for their turn.

Children have positive attitudes to their learning. Staff identify children's interests and use these to engage children in their learning. Children show good levels of concentration and perseverance in their play.

Leaders and managers have identified individual staff's strengths and weaknesses to put appropriate support in place. Staff say they feel they work well together as a team. Staff talk confidently about the training they have undertaken and the impact this is having on the children.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff receive regular child protection training. The manager keeps up to date with local safeguarding concerns.

All staff recognise the signs and symptoms of abuse. They know the procedures to follow to report any concerns they have, including reporting allegations against adults working with children. The manager has implemented effective risk assessment procedures, which also involves children learning to identify risks in the environment.

Staff describe the precautions they take to minimise choking, such as 'red dot' resources and chopping food. All staff complete Disclosure and Baring Service checks, and most hold paediatric first-aid certificates.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: further develop opportunities for children to develop their listening and attention skills, particularly during story times.