Bright Swans Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

This nursery has recently opened again after a long period of closure due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic and building work. The provider has worked hard with a new management team to make improvements across the whole nursery.

The team is committed to providing high-quality care and education. Members of the team recognise the different experiences that children have had over the past 12 months and gain valuable information from parents. They use this information well to identify children's needs and help children settle quickly.

Children are happy and show confidence as they explore and play. The manager has i...ntroduced a rich and balanced curriculum that covers all seven areas of learning. Staff implement all areas of learning through offering a range of planned activities and interacting with children during their chosen play.

Staff have high expectations for every child. They have created an environment that sparks children's curiosity and enjoyment.Children engage well in activities and show a positive attitude to learning.

They are confident and eager to share what they know with staff and other children. For example, children chat to staff and their friends about the process of making salt dough and the ingredients they need. They show great muscle control as they mix the dough and create different shapes using a range of tools and cutters.

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

Staff benefit from a rigorous induction and gain a thorough understanding of their roles and responsibilities. The manager has begun to introduce innovative ways to empower staff to share their thoughts and ideas about how to make best use of activities. Staff benefit from training and ongoing professional development opportunities to help build on their skills.

The manager and staff ensure children learn essential core skills that will help them to prepare for later learning. For example, there is a clear focus on developing children's speech, building on their experiences, and helping them to be confident to learn new skills. However, at times, staff do not focus precisely enough on what it is they want individual children to learn from the activities.

Staff provide children with an environment rich in language. They have put individualised plans in place to support children who are not secure in all areas of their communication and language development. Staff speak clearly to children and pronounce words correctly.

They question children, allowing them time to think and respond to gauge their understanding and to challenge and extend their thinking. Staff support children who speak English as an additional language well. They value children's home languages and teach all children familiar words in the different languages they speak.

Staff focus on promoting children's personal, social and emotional development. They plan activities to help children learn about themselves and others around them. Children have created their own self-portraits to celebrate what is unique to them.

Staff encourage children to learn about different cultures and they talk about what festivals they each celebrate. Children learn to respect and value one another. Staff encourage children to recall the rules and to discuss how they are feeling.

Children behave well and show their understanding of boundaries.Staff support children to develop their small- and large-muscle skills in order to develop the physical skills and control needed for writing. They recognise children's different stages of development and generally adapt activities according to children's abilities and interests.

Children excitedly paint a large panel on the fence outdoors with large brushes. Older children show that they can write their name and are beginning to form letters correctly.Staff use props and puppets and exaggerate their voices to hold children's engagement in listening to stories.

They help children to hear the sounds of letters in order to prepare them for early reading. Staff are skilled at supporting children's development in mathematics. Children eagerly count during their play.

Parents speak highly of the nursery and are aware of the progress their children are making. Staff share children's next steps with parents and give them ideas of how they can support their children's learning at home.Staff foster children's independence well.

They consistently encourage children to try to do things for themselves. As a result, children develop confidence in making decisions and they master new skills quickly. Staff provide an outdoor space that enriches children's enjoyment of the natural world.

They plan plenty of opportunities for children to develop their physical skills. For example, children learn to climb, balance and use a range of ride-on toys and bicycles.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

All staff demonstrate a good understanding of their safeguarding responsibilities. The manager tests staff's knowledge of child protection and uses a range of methods to ensure safeguarding is at the forefront of their minds. All staff can recognise wider safeguarding matters.

They are aware of the procedures to follow if they have a concern about a child's welfare and work with other professionals as required. Staff encourage children to think about how and why they should carry out tasks to help keep themselves safe.

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 refine their practice and focus more rigorously on what they want children to learn so each child makes maximum progress in their learning.