Blueberry Nursery School

Inspection of Blueberry Nursery School 5 Davigdor Road, Hove, East Sussex BN3 1QB

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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 Outstanding

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The provision is good

Children enjoy their time at this home-from-home nursery setting. Staff know children and their individual characters very well. Children form close relationships with their key person, who listens intently as children animatedly share their news. Children learn to be kind and considerate. They develop an awareness of the feelings of others, for example noticing when a child does not have a paintbrush, before sharing their own. Children demonstrate that they feel safe, secure and valued.

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The provision is good

Children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language, learn to be effective communicators. Staff place great importance on developing children's early communication skills and create ambitious activities that promote children's oracy and extend their vocabulary. For instance, pre-school children learn new language, such as 'air', 'oxygen' and 'carbon dioxide', as they explore what living things need to survive.

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The provision is good

Children are curious and spend lots of time engaged in activities they find interesting. This helps them develop their concentration skills. Children learn to follow instructions. Even babies demonstrate their listening skills as they put items in the bag when it is time to tidy up. Toddlers learn to take care of their environment, carefully sweeping sand from the table and making sure to collect every grain in their dustpan. This helps children develop positive attitudes towards their learning.

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need to do better?

n The manager uses supervision sessions effectively to identify staff's strengths and training needs. Staff have regular opportunities to update their skills and extend their knowledge. For example, some staff attend external appointments with children. They use this as an opportunity to learn new skills from parents and other professionals, as well as providing a consistent approach for children's learning. Staff care deeply about the children in their care and want them to do well. n Children develop a love of stories and rhymes, which staff use to deliver their curriculum. Staff skilfully use reference books alongside activities to broaden children's knowledge. For instance, children look through books and study the patterns and colours of butterfly wings before creating their own interpretations. Babies use objects of reference to communicate the songs they want to sing. They copy the actions and make sounds as staff sing familiar rhymes. This helps

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need to do better?

children develop the early skills they will need to support future literacy. n Staff provide children with an abundance of opportunities to learn about the

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need to do better?

13 May 2024 world around them. This helps children make deep connections in their learning. For instance, pre-school children point out seeds in their oranges during snack time. Staff encourage children to recall a recent activity where children planted their own seeds. Children demonstrate that they remember what they have learned as they identify that seeds need lots of water and sunshine to grow. n Children develop a sense of what makes them unique as they learn about cultures, customs and celebrations. For instance, children learn about Eid al-Fitr and how families and friends gather to feast, pray and exchange gifts. During Eid al-Fitr, parents visit the nursery and read stories to children about their own celebrations, being thankful and helping those who are less fortunate. This helps children develop a sense of self, as well as respect for those who are different to themselves. n Staff provide children with lots of opportunities to develop their independence

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need to do better?

skills, preparing them well for next steps in learning, including their eventual move to school. For instance, toddlers concentrate intently as they learn to manipulate fasteners on clothing as they dress dolls. This helps them learn the skills they will need for future dressing. Older children help prepare their own snack, taking care as they pour drinks and spread toppings on their crackers. n Overall, children receive good-quality interactions that promote their learning. However, this can vary in consistency at times. This is due to how some activities are organised. For instance, during mealtimes, babies sit unoccupied while staff prepare their meals. The lack of engagement during this time means that babies become restless and pour their drinks on the table and floor. n Staff work in partnership with parents. Parents have daily opportunities to meet with their child's key person, creating a two-way flow of information that

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need to do better?

promotes children's learning and welfare. Parents report that their children have made 'leaps and bounds' in their progress since attending nursery. Parents know who their child's key person is and what their children will be learning next.

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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 strengthen the organisation of activities, including mealtimes, to ensure all children receive consistently high-quality interactions.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 130672 Local authority Brighton and Hove Inspection number 10342255 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 64 Number of children on roll 104

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Name of registered person

Blueberry Nursery Early Learning Organisation Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01273 733 799 Date of previous inspection 18 February 2020

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Information about this early years setting

Blueberry Nursery School registered in 1994. It is privately owned and is situated in Hove, East Sussex. The nursery is open Monday to Friday, from 8am to 6pm, for 49 weeks of the year. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years. There are 34 staff, all of whom hold qualifications between level 2 and early years teacher status.

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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 manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the provision and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector talked to the manager and children at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector spoke to parents during the inspection, sampled written comments from parents and took account of their views.

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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

13 May 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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