Bright Horizons Whetstone Day Nursery and Preschool

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

The learning environment is welcoming, safe and stimulating for all children who attend. Children enjoy a range of experiences that they are keen to take part in.

Children's interests are embraced in the design of the curriculum. This contributes to high levels of motivation and curiosity to learn. The manager's reflective approach and effective self-evaluation demonstrate a clear understanding of where improvements can be made to enhance the environment for children.

For example, she is currently developing the outdoor area and seeking to extend children's access to natural materials. Staff know children well and have... high expectations for them and for what they can achieve. They provide sensitive support to children to help them manage their emotions.

For example, when children demonstrate frustration because their construction models have collapsed, staff quickly respond to support. This helps children build resilience and gives them the motivation to keep trying when things go wrong. Children generally behave well and build relationships with their peers.

Older children learn to play cooperatively together and develop strong social skills. For example, children demonstrate their understanding of sharing when they tell each other, 'When you finish give it back to her, okay?'Children develop their independence. For example, younger children find their own water bottles which are labelled with their names and a photograph.

Older children pour their own drinks from a water jug that is always available. Children enjoy taking responsibility for small tasks such as handing out water bottles to their peers.

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

Staff in the baby room are attentive and caring.

They are skilled in developing the youngest children's communication and language. Babies enjoy songs and stories to help build their vocabulary. Babies demonstrate secure attachments to their key persons, for example they seek reassurance from them when a new adult enters the room.

Staff work closely with parents to ensure that they understand children's starting points when they join the nursery, for example the stage of weaning that babies have reached. The nursery policy is to not introduce a new food until parents have done so at home. Explicit written permission from parents is sought before introducing new foods.

Children become engaged in rich role play. Babies become absorbed in covering dolls with blankets. Staff support learning well by commenting on their actions.

Older children demonstrate their mathematical understanding through play. For instance, they offer visitors to the setting three items from the play kitchen and explain to them that 'now you have 3 cookings'.The nursery has an inclusive and supportive approach for all children.

Gaps in learning are swiftly identified. For example, staff make timely referrals and create individual plans to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.Staff use effective strategies to support the development of children's speech and language.

For example, they offer children choices between two objects. Babies enjoy snuggling in to read stories with staff. Staff notice children's interests and introduce songs that support children's learning well.

For instance, when a child shows an interest in the toy fish, staff sing songs about fish.Older children demonstrate an emerging love of books and stories. They independently access books to read alone and to one another.

They benefit from opportunities to take part in activities that support the development of their fine motor skills. For instance, they play with tweezers from the 'finger gym'. This prepares them well for later writing at school.

However, there are fewer opportunities for them to hear stories and rhymes from an adult. Although the nursery has a curriculum to support children's emerging literacy skills, in practice it is not implemented consistently and is not well understood by all staff.Parents state they feel well informed about their child's progress in the nursery.

For example, staff keep parents up to date with their child's learning and development via a digital app online and newsletters. In addition, there are further opportunities to exchange information at regular parents' evenings. Staff share useful information with parents about norms of child development.

However, there is less information shared that would help parents complement and extend their children's learning at home.Staff report feeling well supported by their manager and the senior leadership team. They speak extremely positively about the quality of the training and induction they receive, as well as the support for their well-being.

Safeguarding

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

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: support staff to implement the curriculum for literacy consistently to ensure that all children make the best possible progress build further on the existing strong partnerships with parents to enable them to extend and complement children's learning at home.