Bright Horizons Heron Quays Day Nursery & Preschool

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Staff provide a range of experiences to motivate children's creativity. Older children are delighted as they listen to the saxophone and move their bodies to the music.

Toddlers enjoy pretending to be animals. Babies explore different media and materials. The management team and staff have high expectations for individual children.

They have strengthened ways to manage children's behaviour positively. Children learn to take account of the needs of others. They feel safe and confident to approach staff, should they need help.

Young children adapt well to the presence of a visitor. Older children develop a posit...ive sense of themselves. They are keen to talk about their experiences, for instance in reference to photographic displays of their work.

Children display curiosity to explore. Toddlers place objects on a weighing scale and examine the effect. Staff tune in well to their interests and support them effectively to help them learn to test out ideas.

Children develop skills that help to prepare them for next stages in their learning. Children who speak English as an additional language make good progress in their communication and language development. The management team continues to guide staff to consistently deliver group activities more effectively to achieve the best outcomes for children.

Children do not have consistent opportunities to learn about the use of technology.

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

The management team reflects well on their practice. They have significantly improved the programme for children's learning since the previous inspection.

Regular monitoring of teaching practice and focused training opportunities have helped staff to strengthen the observation, assessment and planning processes, ensuring they provide an ambitious curriculum for the children.Staff plan challenging activities to stimulate children's learning. They teach older children to learn to use tools such as scissors during activities, so that children learn to coordinate their movements.

They guide the paper with one hand as they use scissors to cut around a picture with the other hand. These activities help to support children's physical development.Staff teach children to learn to regulate their behaviour.

For example, older children learn to follow instructions, such as 'stop' and 'start', during group activities. Staff provide consistent opportunities for children to learn what is expected of them.Babies form close emotional bonds with their key persons.

For instance, they feel comforted as they snuggle in their key-person's arms. Staff share information regularly with parents about children's day at the setting. This enables parents and staff to work together to support continuity in children's experiences.

Staff ensure that individual children's dietary, religious and medical needs are met. They provide regular opportunities for children to exercise in the fresh air. Children develop a healthy lifestyle.

Staff provide a range of opportunities to enhance children's mathematical development. Babies learn to complete simple jigsaw puzzles. Toddlers learn to use mathematical language.

They load a toy aeroplane with people and state that there are 'many people' on the plane. They confidently say number names in order up to 10.Children build on their early literacy skills.

They listen attentively to stories. Staff provide them with opportunities to learn to use resources, such as a clipboard and mark-making equipment, effectively.Occasionally, some group activities are not delivered most effectively to fully strengthen opportunities for children to achieve the intended learning.

For example, staff plan an activity for toddlers to learn to paint letter shapes, but do not use the most effective strategies to deliver their learning intentions. That said, children do continue to enjoy these activities. They begin to explore mixing colours and staff quickly adapt their teaching to sustain children's interests.

Children benefit from opportunities to learn about people who make a positive contribution to the community. For example, children learn about firefighters and policemen.The new managers monitor staff's emotional well-being on an ongoing basis and support them well to manage their workload effectively and to improve their personal effectiveness.

The management team works in effective partnership with staff to support a smooth transfer for children who move to school.Staff have not fully considered ways to increase opportunities for children to learn about the use of technology.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Managers monitor staff suitability on an ongoing basis. Managers know the procedures to follow in the event of allegations against staff. They understand their responsibility to inform Ofsted in a timely manner.

Staff know how to identify and refer concerns for children's welfare. The management team shares the setting's policies and procedures with parents, including those relating to safeguarding, complaints, health and safety and illnesses.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: continue to strengthen staff skills to use the most effective strategies, particularly during group activities, to fully enhance opportunities for children to achieve the intended learning strengthen opportunities for children to learn about the use of technology.