Bright Horizons Milford Day Nursery and Preschool

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are happy and safe in this stimulating environment. Babies explore the new textures of sponges and fabric and begin to develop skills, such as sitting independently.

Younger children enjoy the outdoor area. They develop their physical skills by walking across a secure bridge and happily chasing bubbles. Staff encourage children to be independent and carry out small tasks.

For instance, during lunchtime older children pour their own drinks and after they have eaten they clear away their plates. Children learn from a varied curriculum. Older children explore mathematical concepts throughout the environment.
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For example, children use a tape measure to determine the distance cars travel down the ramp and write down the numbers from one to 20. Staff support children's play effectively. They help to stretch their thinking skills and build on their knowledge.

Children make good progress. Children have plenty of opportunities to develop their writing skills using a range of tools. For instance, younger children use blocks of ice paint to make lines and marks on paper.

Children display excellent behaviour and follow the rules. Children risk assess their own activities effectively. For example, older children know the dangers of large blocks falling from the table as well as when to put the safety latch on the tape measure.

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

A highly effective programme of training reinforces the quality of staff's practice. Leaders prioritise staff's well-being through a varied range of training opportunities, regular supervision and team meetings. As a result, staff say they feel valued and are able to professionally develop.

The effective key-person system ensures staff have a good knowledge about their key children. Staff obtain meaningful information from parents about their children when they start. This helps children to settle easily and to develop secure attachments with warm, caring staff.

Staff use effective questioning techniques which allow children to think critically. In the pre-school room, children are challenged to describe different types of materials to extend their vocabulary. Staff give children support and positive praise for their ideas.

Even when a child gives an incorrect answer, the staff member praises the child's attempts.Leaders are reflective and have high aspirations for the setting and there is a continual drive for improvement. They use information gathered from parents, staff and children to make further enhancements.

Leaders successfully create a culture of evaluative practice throughout the nursery. Room leaders use knowledge of their key children and the environment to make further improvements.Children enjoy a variety of activities across all areas of learning.

Staff provide all children with new experiences and exciting opportunities. They regularly think of imaginative ways to enhance experiences for children. For instance, younger children discover new types of vehicles in the construction area and push vehicles through cornflour gloop to make tracks.

Care practices are successful in helping to promote children's good health and well-being. Children receive wholesome and nutritious meals and snacks. Staff help children understand how to keep themselves healthy.

For example, staff in the nursery room discuss the benefits of eating a mix of different foods for a balanced diet.Parents have lots of opportunities to share their views with the setting. Some parents say that their children are making admirable progress.

They can see that their children's confidence and social skills have improved. Staff share children's progress through regular conversations with parents. However, current strategies to share information formally fail to reach all parents.

All children, including those with special educational needs, receive effective support from staff and leaders. Although staff plan around the children's abilities, some staff do not have high enough expectations for children's learning. As a result, the most able children do not always make as much progress as they are capable of.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff are vigilant about children's safety. They attend regular training to ensure their safeguarding knowledge is up to date.

As a result, all staff can easily recognise and identify known signs of abuse to ensure the safety of children. Staff and leaders accurately record and know how to monitor any concerns effectively should the need arise. Additional to this, leaders and staff have a clear understanding of the procedure to follow and actions to take in the event of a concern.

Leaders implement an effective recruitment procedure and robust induction programme. This ensures that staff are suitable, and continue to be so throughout their employment.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen staff's focus on ensuring accurate assessment of children's development in order to extend their learning to the highest level continue to develop the already excellent partnerships with parents by offering more opportunities for all parents to formally discuss and share their child's progress.