Bexley Manor Nursery School

Inspection of Bexley Manor Nursery School Bexley Manor Nursery School, 162 Penhill Road, Bexley, Kent DA5 3EA

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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

Staff welcome children warmly and with enthusiasm to help them to settle quickly. There is thorough and sensitive support in place for all children, in particular those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The managers and their staff team work closely with outside services and parents to provide diligent oversight of all children's needs. They adapt activities and the curriculum so that, wherever possible, all children have access to the same experiences as their peers.

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The provision is good

Children across the nursery benefit from the sensitive and close attention from staff. Staff are strong role models who help children to recognise and understand their emotions and regulate their feelings. This helps the children, as they move through the nursery, to manage their own feelings in readiness for school. Staff who work with babies have a thorough understanding of their learning needs. They enjoy singing and talking with babies to encourage their communication skills.

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The provision is good

Staff help children to feel safe and secure. They visit children at home prior to them starting at the nursery. This helps staff to get to know children and their families well. This is beneficial for children as staff make plans for a bespoke settling-in process. Children's behaviour is good, and they play together well in the calm and stimulating environment.

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need to do better?

n Staff have a good knowledge of children's individual needs and interests. They use their observations and respond to conversations with children to plan interesting activities that support children to meet their next steps in development. Children show a keen interest in learning. They engage in activities and explore the indoor and outdoor environment with curiosity and awe. For example, following children's recent interest in planets, they enjoy looking for and moving like aliens, helping their friends as they do this, supporting their personal, social and emotional development. n Staff help to build on children's language. They provide a commentary on children's play and repeat back sounds that babies make for them to understand the back and forth of communication. Children speak to practitioners about their own personal experiences and ask questions to extend their knowledge. Staff introduce words during activities to enhance children's vocabulary.

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need to do better?

n Overall, children gain good independence skills. For example, they learn to recognise their names to find their coats and gain confidence in putting on their shoes and coats. However, staff do not currently encourage children to participate in routine activities, such as setting up and serving snacks and lunch. Despite this, children confidently explore the nursery and select the activities and resources they want.

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need to do better?

20 February 2024 n Staff support children's development and understanding of mathematics effectively. They teach them how to count and order objects, introducing words such as 'estimate' to compare capacity as they fill teddy boxes. Toddlers are fascinated during small-world play and join staff to count the sails on the boat. n Managers and staff place a high value on partnerships with parents to ensure that each child's individual needs are met successfully. Parents are kept well informed about their child's learning and development, and they are encouraged to share their child's achievements at home. This collaborative partnership ensures consistency in the children's care. n Children's physical skills are supported well. They have a range of opportunities to run about in the garden and adjoining field, climb and practise kicking, catching and throwing balls. This helps to develop children's larger muscles.

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need to do better?

Children develop their smaller hand muscles during play dough and painting activities. This prepares them well for the next stage of their learning. n The managers are enthusiastic and dedicated to their role. They use their wealth of experience to lead the staff team well. The nursery has staff who are developing their own knowledge and skills through their ongoing continual professional development to enhance their practice. Staff comment that they feel supported by the managers and that there is an open-door policy. However, the managers recognise effective coaching, supervision and monitoring of staff practice are not fully embedded. Therefore, any gaps in teaching are not always identified quickly.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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should:

n support staff to recognise when to allow children to build on their independence skills, especially during routine activities n strengthen staff supervision and monitoring to enhance teaching further.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 115337 Local authority Bexley Inspection number 10312312 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 36 Number of children on roll 48 Name of registered person Bexley Manor Nursery School Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 020-8309-6055 Date of previous inspection 26 April 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Bexley Manor Nursery School registered in 1992. It is located in Bexley, Kent. The nursery employs 15 members of childcare staff. Of whom, the manager holds a foundation degree in early years and the remainder hold relevant qualifications from level 2 to level 4. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, during term time. Sessions are from 7.30am to 5.30pm. 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 deputy manager led the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about what they want children to learn. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The deputy manager and the inspector carried out two joint observations together. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector.

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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

20 February 2024 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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