Bright Horizons Coulsdon Day Nursery and Preschool

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children begin to learn about their own cultures and those of others.

Their home languages are celebrated well. For example, children learn about a variety of food from around the world, such as okra, plantain and yam. Older children successfully write 'welcome' in a variety of languages.

They recognise, value and share their languages, backgrounds and traditions to further celebrate their uniqueness. All children develop a sense of belonging and they are emotionally secure. For instance, children keenly leave parents when they first arrive.

They find their picture labels and hang up their coats and hats. Olde...r children eagerly look for their picture to register their arrival. Children's independence and self-help skills are promoted very well.

They demonstrate this when they skilfully serve themselves at mealtimes, make good attempts to fasten their coats and put on their own shoes. Children follow the routines of the nursery with great enthusiasm. All children behave very well given their different ages.

Babies benefit from close relationships they build with key staff. They thoroughly enjoy their time together in a nurturing environment. Babies begin to play alongside each other and watch each other with great interest.

They steadily develop their communication and language skills over time and repeat single words. Overall, babies make very good progress from when they first start and they are well prepared for their next stages in learning and development.

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

Leaders share their strong vision for the nursery with the staff team.

They consistently strive to improve practice and the provision. Overall, any weaknesses are quickly acknowledged and addressed. Improvements are implemented through policy updates, staff training and performance management, and manager meetings.

For example, procedures for children's drop-off and pick-up procedures have been strengthened further. Parents welcome new home-learning opportunities, such as reading resources from a lending library. Leaders understand their responsibility to notify external agencies of all significant events in a timely manner to meet requirements.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, leaders make every effort to minimise the spread of infection. For instance, visitors and parents entering the premises have been reduced and face coverings are requested. Leaders have prioritised building relationships with parents since restrictions have been eased.

Toys and resources are regularly sanitised, and these procedures have been updated to ensure all resources are safe for children.Most children benefit from plenty of fresh air and physical exercise throughout the day to further promote their good health. However, this is not always consistent, particularly in the baby room.

Older children thoroughly enjoy a wide range of experiences outdoors. For example, children keenly ride tricycles and confidently climb a fixed climbing frame to further develop their large muscles. Children of mixed ages enthusiastically throw balls through large hoops to help promote their hand-to-eye coordination and physical abilities.

Staff consistently praise children for their achievements to further promote their self-esteem.Overall, staff constantly encourage children's imagination to a good level. For example, children make 'mud cakes' in a mud kitchen and toddlers keenly explore a range of wooden food, toy animals and small-world people.

However, occasionally, staff do not always provide ample opportunity for pre-school children to extend their imaginative skills to an even higher level.Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those with medical conditions are supported to a high level. Staff work closely with parents and external agencies to ensure the best outcomes for all children.

Parents describe the care their children receive as 'amazing' and say it 'cannot be faulted'. Children who are entitled to additional funding make very good progress over time. Leaders act with integrity to ensure all children receive the highest level of support, particularly those with SEND.

The broad and varied sequenced curriculum further supports children's communication and language skills to a good level. Interactions between staff and children help to ensure all children's communication and language skills are consistently supported well. For instance, older children enjoy listening intently to stories.

All children remember and respond to a selection of songs and rhymes. Staff skilfully use new words, such as 'jiggle' and 'squidgy', to help extend the youngest children's vocabulary.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff have good knowledge of safeguarding, including wider safeguarding concerns. They understand how to make prompt referrals to external agencies, such as the local authority designated safeguarding officer. Leaders ensure that staff continue to be suitable to work with children through regular supervision.

Staff identify and minimise any potential risks to children's safety during daily safety checks. The premises and gardens are secure. This helps to ensure no child can leave unsupervised, and no visitors can enter the nursery without close supervision.

Staff are deployed well throughout the nursery and supervise children and activities well. This helps to promote children's safety and welfare.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nincrease opportunities for children to have fresh air and physical exercise, particularly in the baby room provide greater opportunities for pre-school children to build on their imaginary play.