Brightsparks Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children of all ages have access to a stimulating environment.

They arrive happy and eager to learn. Children show that they are happy and feel safe. For instance, they form close attachments with staff and firm friendships with their peers.

Staff offer plenty of cuddles and reassurance for children who are new to the nursery. Children behave very well. They display good manners and are kind and respectful.

Children are confident to engage with visitors and share their views. For example, younger children eagerly show the inspector the play dough animals they have made with the cutters. Children's communicatio...n skills develop well and they articulate what they know and can do securely, although children's skills in mathematics are not as supported.

This positive attitude creates a secure foundation for the next stage in their learning. Partnerships with parents are strong. For example, parents state that communication is good and they like the new online journals the staff have adopted.

Staff encourage children's independence, and older children enjoy the role of being helpers. Expectations are high for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Appealing and challenging activities help all children to build on what they already know and can do, and they achieve well.

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

Staff are well qualified and are supported well to gain further qualifications. All staff access regular safeguarding and first-aid training. The management team has an ambitious but realistic vision for the nursery.

Staff feel involved in decisions that affect their practice and they have embraced the recent changes in how children's progress is tracked. Staff eagerly share new ideas with others to support children's learning further. For example, they regularly use the bucket activity to develop children's listening and attention skills.

Staff monitor children's progress effectively. Where they have any concerns about a child's development, they speak to the parents and any other professionals who are involved in the child's care, so they are able to plan appropriate activities. Children make good progress, including those with SEND.

Stories are promoted very well within the nursery. Older children enjoy using their knowledge of favourite stories to re-enact them in their play. Staff skilfully ask questions to inspire children's ideas further.

Older children are pleased to show how well they remember a familiar story. Younger children are keen to explore factual books to look for birds in the garden. This supports their early literacy development and communication skills well.

At times, staff do not make the most of opportunities to extend children's understanding of mathematical concepts to increase their problem-solving skills.Partnerships with parents are good, and parents' feedback is positive. Parents comment on the healthy menus and how welcoming staff are when they are new to the setting.

The key-person system is effective throughout the setting. Staff know children well and share affectionate bonds with them. Older children settle quickly into their room, and younger children, once settled, are happy and content.

Staff plan effective adult-led activities that are focused on what children need to learn next. This helps children to develop good skills across all areas of learning. For example, younger children enjoy using the telescopes they made to look for birds in the garden.

Older children enthusiastically discover Arctic animals in ice as they melt their ice blocks.Children have daily opportunities to enjoy time outdoors to develop their physical skills. Young children and babies enjoy moving the ride-on cars to enhance their gross motor skills.

Older children enjoy weekly sports sessions to develop new skills.Staff support children to share, take turns and be kind to each other. Children develop early friendships and seek out others to share their experiences.

They work together during activities and help one another. Children behave very well.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Managers have rigorous recruitment procedures in place to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children. They monitor all staff's ongoing suitability to work with children. All staff complete mandatory training to ensure that their safeguarding knowledge is up to date.

All policies are regularly reviewed, refreshing staff's understanding of them. Staff have a good knowledge of safeguarding practice, including the reporting procedures. Consequently, they are aware of the procedures to follow should there be any concerns regarding a child's welfare.

The managers ensure that daily risk assessments are carried out. This helps to keep children safe.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nextend children's understanding of mathematical concepts to increase their growing problem-solving skills.

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