Bright Horizons Hertford Day Nursery and Preschool

Inspection of Bright Horizons Hertford Day Nursery and Preschool A1 & A2, The Chase, John Tate Road, Foxholes Business Park, Hertford, Hertfordshire SG13 7NN

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not applicable

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The provision is good

Children are happy and settled and demonstrate secure attachments to the stable, dedicated staff. Children arrive happily and confidently separate from their parents to start their day. Children are emotionally well prepared for change. They have a thorough transition when moving rooms, ensuring they do this with confidence, and pre-schoolers are well prepared for their move to school. Staff know the children well. They tune in to their current interests and use these when planning activities and the learning environment. Staff are interested in what the children have to say and give great value to the children's voice, offering them choices and treating them with great respect. The children learn from staff and model this back, behaving very well.

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The provision is good

Children have frequent opportunities to exercise and play in fresh air. For example, young children learn to crawl through a tunnel and older children run, climb and learn how to pedal trikes. Children have plenty of opportunities to appreciate the living things around them as staff encourage them to look for minibeasts in the bug garden. Staff provide children with a range of sensory experiences daily, which children delight in. Young babies explore oats with spoons and older children investigate sand and water-play opportunities. Staff give children ownership of this play, allowing them to choose how they wish to play in the water. This boosts children's self-confidence and self-esteem.

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need to do better?

n Staff develop children's speech and language skills effectively by reading stories and singing songs and rhymes. For example, young toddlers take part in a daily movement-to-music session, where they wiggle, stretch, jump and clap. Older toddlers take part in a game to discover what is in the box and talk about the different animals that they discover. n Relationships with parents are strong. Parents report effective communication with staff. Parents know what their child's next step in learning is and comment that staff listen to their views, support families and work as a true partnership. n Children develop literacy skills. Sharing and reading books is an important part of learning in each of the different age-range rooms. For example, young babies learn to turn pages in board books and are encouraged to touch sensory parts of the books, and older children listen attentively and join in enthusiastically as

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need to do better?

staff read to them. n Staff encourage children to notice the awe and wonder of the natural world. Children plant seeds and grow their own sunflowers. They also have a herb garden and grow their own fruits and vegetables. This encourages the children to take care of growing things and helps them to understand about healthy eating.

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need to do better?

8 August 2022 n Children learn about healthy lifestyles. They take part in cooking and baking activities in their 'science kitchen'. For example, children have recently cooked the potatoes they have grown to eat for their tea. Children learn about the importance of oral hygiene as they take part in activities to learn how to brush their teeth effectively. n Children have opportunities to develop mathematical understanding. For example, staff offer children rulers and tape measures to measure how tall their sunflowers have grown. Children record these numbers on clipboards. Younger children join in with the number rhyme '5 little speckled frogs' and start to learn early counting skills. n Staff report that they feel well supported by management. They have regular supervision meetings and feel their well-being is a priority. All staff take part in mandatory training and additional training is tailored to individual staff needs.

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need to do better?

n Children are well prepared for their next stage in learning. In the pre-school room, children take part in imaginative play in their 'school' role-play area and are learning to do up buttons and zips on their new school uniform. This helps to boost their self-esteem and self-care skills and helps prepare children for change. n The nursery has recently introduced a new curriculum, which is still being embedded. At times, the planned learning intention of the activities is not clear, and staff cannot always precisely evaluate what progress children have made. However, interactions are positive and staff are skilled at supporting children to access learning opportunities.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff are aware of and can recognise the possible signs of abuse. They know how to report any concerns they may have. Staff complete regular safeguarding training to keep their knowledge and skills up to date. Staff show a good understanding of their responsibility to protect children from wider concerns, such as the risk of radicalisation. Staff are vigilant when children are playing and help children learn to keep themselves safe, such as by applying sun cream and wearing sun hats. Children with dietary requirements or preferences are catered for effectively.

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should:

n continue to embed the curriculum to ensure it is clear what skills and knowledge children are learning through planned activities and play opportunities.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2540732 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10233425 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 115 Number of children on roll 94 Name of registered person Bright Horizons Family Solutions Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01992668049 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Bright Horizons Hertford Day Nursery and Preschool registered in 2019. It operates from Monday to Friday, 7.30am to 6.30pm, all year round. The nursery employs 18 childcare staff, 15 of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year- old children.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the provider received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the setting. n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this was having on children's learning. n The inspector carried out joint observations of group activities with the manager. n The inspector spoke with parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The manager provided the inspector with a sample of key documentation.

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Inspection activities

We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage.

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Inspection activities

8 August 2022 regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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