Bright Horizons Astley Nursery and Preschool

Inspection of Bright Horizons Astley Nursery and Preschool Higher Green Lane, Astley, Manchester M29 7HQ

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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

Managers are ambitious for children. They have developed a curriculum that promotes children's 'confidence, curiosity and builds their love for learning'. Staff plan activities for children to explore and investigate. For example, children are delighted as they roll a mixture into a ball. They watch in wonder as the mixture becomes runny and drips from their fingers. Children are absorbed in their play and they develop positive attitudes to learning.

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The provision is good

Managers and staff have created ample opportunities for children to develop their physical skills. These are sequenced well to promote progress as children move through the setting. For example, babies practise their first steps and toddlers master walking up ramps and climbing through tunnels. Older children become skilled at climbing, balancing and using wheeled toys. Children are busy and they behave well. For example, they turn-take independently and they speak to each other using lovely manners.

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The provision is good

The key-person system is well embedded and staff work hard to build secure bonds with children. As a result, children arrive happily and they run into the welcoming arms of staff. Children feel secure and ready to learn.

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need to do better?

n Managers and staff receive regular support for their well-being and professional development. For example, managers encourage staff to consider their career progression. They work hard to identify appropriate opportunities to develop staff's interests and aspirations. This supports staff's motivation to further develop their good delivery of the curriculum. n Partnership with parents is a strength of the nursery. Staff regularly speak with parents to plan children's next steps in learning, and parents say they feel fully involved with their children's care. In addition, managers have developed innovative ways to support parents to continue children's learning at home. For example, parents say that the recently introduced book-lending library has helped their children develop a 'newly found love of reading'. n Generally, staff know children well and are responsive to their individual needs. For example, the curriculum is planned and implemented with a clear focus on

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need to do better?

children's learning. However, the quality of teaching is not embedded securely and consistently across the setting. Less experienced staff do not always focus their interactions on building children's knowledge, to help all children achieve as much as they can. n The nursery plans the curriculum to include teaching children to respect and care for the world. For example, staff help pre-school children to grow healthy vegetables. The children are delighted when their home-grown produce is used

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need to do better?

20 February 2024 to prepare their meals. Additionally, the manager has developed a clothes recycling area for families to use. Staff also talk to children about recycling. These experiences help to build children's understanding of their natural environment and how to care for the earth's resources. n Staff understand the benefits of building children's speech. Communication and language are generally well supported. For example, staff working with older children routinely introduce new and interesting words, such as 'investigate' and 'submerge'. However, sometimes, staff do not give younger children the time they need to respond or take turns in conversation. On these occasions, children's thinking and speaking skills are not maximised. n The passion and drive of both the manager and the special educational needs coordinator (SENCo), in supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), is clear. They are skilled at identifying any gaps in

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need to do better?

learning and they work tirelessly to ensure that children receive effective and timely support. As a result, children with SEND make significant progress. n Children benefit from the close working relationships that the nursery has forged with other agencies. For example, leaders have made strong links with schools. As a result, teachers from local schools visit the nursery to meet children and to learn about their progress. This helps to prepare children for their next stage of learning. n The skilled staff encourage children to question and problem-solve. For example, they ask children to consider what might happen if they put various items in water. Children make predictions before they experiment with the items. Staff extend children's learning further, asking the children to consider what might happen if the items are dropped from a height. Children have a wonderful time as they investigate. They are developing the thinking and reasoning skills

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need to do better?

needed to support their future learning.

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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 increase support for less experienced staff, to help embed teaching securely and consistently in all rooms, particularly in babies and toddlers n support staff to allow time for younger children to think and respond in conversation, to help enhance their thinking and speaking skills.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY471981 Local authority Wigan Inspection number 10305478 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

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

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inspection

Total number of places 75 Number of children on roll 127 Name of registered person Bright Horizons Family Solutions Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01942 363620 Date of previous inspection 22 February 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Bright Horizons Astley Nursery and Preschool registered in 2013 and is located in Astley, Manchester. The setting employs 34 members of childcare staff. Of these, three staff hold an appropriate early years qualification at level 6, one at level 4, 20 at level 3 and three at level 2. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, from 7.15am to 6pm all year round except for bank holidays. 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 nursery received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the manager and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The manager joined the inspector on a learning walk. They talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want their 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 manager and SENCo spoke to the inspector about how they support children with SEND. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector carried out joint observations of group activities with the manager. 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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