Bright Horizons The Park Day Nursery and Preschool

Inspection of Bright Horizons The Park Day Nursery and Preschool 3 Park Avenue, Watford, Hertfordshire WD18 7HR

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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 Good

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The provision is good

Children of all ages demonstrate they are happy and settled in this friendly nursery. They are greeted by enthusiastic staff, who encourage them to follow age- appropriate routines. This supports children to settle swiftly in this nurturing environment. Babies form particularly close bonds with staff. They cuddle up to their key persons during interactive story sessions and seek them out for comfort when tired.

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The provision is good

Children engage deeply in numerous age-appropriate activities in this stimulating learning environment. Babies delight at using their whole bodies to explore the texture of cornflour in a sensory activity. Older children re-create their favourite stories in the woodland trail and grow herbs and vegetables in the well-constructed outdoor area.

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The provision is good

Children of all ages show high levels of independence. Staff support this by encouraging children to complete age-appropriate tasks with minimal help. For example, babies are learning to feed themselves and wipe their hands and faces during mealtimes. Older children take on roles of responsibility within their environment. For example, pre-school children take turns being lunchtime monitors. They place cutlery on the tables and pour water for their friends. This prepares them well for the routines of school.

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need to do better?

n Staff throughout the nursery place a sharp focus on developing children's language and communication. Babies are regularly exposed to a variety of new and descriptive vocabulary. For example, staff use mealtime routines to model new language. They encourage babies to explore whether their 'crunchy' apples are 'sweet' or 'sharp'. Pre-school children develop an extensive vocabulary. For example, when exploring where various animals come from using a globe, children confidently use words such as 'continent' and 'sphere'. n Children play an active role in planning their learning environment. Children in the nursery room vote daily for what activities to explore. Older children form a pre-school council. They attend planning meetings where they discuss what topics they would like to learn about. Staff use this information to create an environment that supports children's interests and learning needs. n Parents are highly complimentary about the managers and staff and the care

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need to do better?

they provide. They praise the detailed communication about children's progress and routines and how this enables them to better support children's development at home. Parents comment on how their children thoroughly enjoy attending the nursery. They acknowledge how the well-established team of staff support children to settle well and make good progress.

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need to do better?

10 May 2023 n Staff sequence children's learning well. They revisit activities regularly to ensure new knowledge is embedded before moving on. For example, pre-school children are creating their own garden area. They have spent considerable time researching different flowers and vegetables. This knowledge enables them to select the plants that will grow and thrive in the environment. n The manager is passionate about her role in supporting children's development. She reflects well on the care the nursery provides, making well-considered changes. For example, the manager has recently adapted the room structure in the nursery. This ensures the environment continues to meet the learning and safety needs of all children. n Staff engage well with children during activities and routines. Staff in all rooms sit with children during meals and snacks. They use this as an opportunity to support children's understanding of healthy eating and appropriate behaviour.

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need to do better?

However, at certain points during the day, staff in some rooms can become preoccupied with completing housekeeping tasks. This can distract them from fully supporting children's learning. n The manager places a sharp focus on supporting the well-being and development of staff. For example, she has recently established a peaceful 'snug' area for staff to reflect and relax in. The manager conducts regular appraisals on all staff to identify areas for development. Staff have access to a variety of online and face-to-face training opportunities to enhance their knowledge. However, methods of coaching are not yet robust enough to enable staff to identify areas to improve their practice.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Managers and staff demonstrate robust safeguarding knowledge. They identify the signs and symptoms of abuse and explain the correct process to follow when reporting these concerns. Staff confidently explain the process they would follow if they felt their concerns were not being addressed. The provider has robust recruitment and induction processes to ensure all staff are suitable to work with children. Staff complete regular safeguarding and first-aid training in line with local authority guidelines. This supports them to keep their knowledge up to date with changes in legislation.

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should:

n ensure staff plan the day to enable them to consistently prioritise children's learning over completing tasks n enhance methods of mentoring to support staff to identify areas to improve their practice and raise the quality of their teaching to a consistently high level.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY305263 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10287389 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 106 Number of children on roll 76 Name of registered person Bright Horizons Family Solutions Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01923 604886 Date of previous inspection 4 September 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Bright Horizons The Park Day Nursery and Preschool registered in 2004. The nursery opens Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year- old children. The nursery employs 18 members of childcare staff. Of these, 12 hold relevant childcare qualifications at level 2 or above.

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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 provider. n The inspector considered the views of parents by speaking to several parents during the inspection and viewing feedback letters. n The inspector looked at relevant documents, including evidence of the suitability of all staff. n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and children during activities. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching to assess the impact on children's learning. n The inspector and the manager completed a joint observation of an activity to assess the quality of teaching. n The inspector held discussions with staff about the monitoring of learning and development in the setting and tracked the progress of several children.

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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

10 May 2023 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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