Bright Horizons Witney Day Nursery and Preschool

Inspection of Bright Horizons Witney Day Nursery and Preschool 5 Edington Square, Witney, Oxfordshire OX28 5YT

p.1

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

p.1

The provision requires improvement

The quality of education is variable. However, staff working in the baby room meet children's care and learning needs securely. All children are cared for in a well- resourced environment, which covers all areas of learning. Despite some weaknesses, staff know and understand the learning intentions for activities and their key children's next steps in learning. However, not all staff provide consistently good support for children's care and learning needs, to help promote their further progress. This includes some children who need extra support for their learning.

p.2

The provision requires improvement

Children are happy to attend and settle on arrival. They are confident to explore and make choices from activities and resources, such as when outside. Staff provide interesting activities, which encourage most children to investigate. This was seen at the inspection, when babies and toddlers enjoyed exploring sand and water. Staff generally support children to develop their independence and follow appropriate hygiene routines suitably. For example, pre-school children learn to wash their hands independently before eating.

p.2

The provision requires improvement

Staff who regularly work with children and know them best demonstrate a secure understanding of those who need help with their behaviour and emotions. They implement appropriate strategies to support children. This is helping to promote improvements in children's behaviour.

p.2

need to do better?

n Some staff do not always engage with all children well enough, such as those who occupy themselves happily or wander around. This does not support these children's learning, development and progress at a good level. Staff though demonstrate understanding of what their key children need to learn next. At times, they provide good interactions, particularly during planned activities. n The special educational needs coordinator understands her role securely and works closely with parents and professionals. Some staff work effectively with children who need extra help and meet their needs successfully. For example, staff use and teach other children Makaton to promote communication. However, not all staff provide teaching to meet some children's identified needs. This does not promote all children's progress well enough. n The managers have involved staff in creating a vision for the nursery. They have

p.2

need to do better?

made some improvements such as to the learning environments. There are suitable monitoring processes, including regular observations of staff's practice. However, these do not always identify areas of practice to develop further. This includes senior staff's leadership skills to help them to guide their team's practice more effectively.

p.2

need to do better?

31 July 2024 n The managers support staff, including through training and regular supervision meetings. Staff use new knowledge from training, such as to provide interesting activities. They feel supported by the managers and state their well-being is carefully considered. There are plans being implemented to provide a more stable staff team to promote more consistency in meeting children's needs. n Staff are building on children's skills to regulate their own behaviour. They have introduced strategies, such as calming areas and using books, to explore emotions. However, when staff meet some children's individual behaviour needs, they are not always able to offer other children sustained interactions. n Many children enjoy exploring the sensory activities on offer. For instance, they investigated petals in water and dinosaurs in coloured 'gloop' using their hands. When staff interact with children during these activities, they encourage

p.2

need to do better?

children's language development well. Toddlers benefit from group activities to develop their social and physical skills, such as rolling balls with their friends. n Staff sometimes do not guide children's understanding of healthy practices well enough. This was seen during the inspection, when a small number of children ate the gloop mixture and staff did little to intervene. Staff tried to keep children mostly in the shade during the very hot and sunny weather although did not encourage all children to wear sun hats. However, they offered children drinks regularly to help keep them hydrated. n Babies receive care which reflects their home routines, such as sleep times. This helps to promote their sense of security. Toddlers benefit from well-thought-out lunchtime arrangements, which are calm and supportive. For example, staff continued activities with half of the group while the rest ate lunch. Staff help

p.3

need to do better?

pre-school children gain skills for the future, including learning to clear their plates after eating. n Parents receive a good range of information about children's daily care and activities. Parents provided positive feedback about the nursery and staff. They comment that their children enjoy going to nursery and make progress there, including gaining confidence and language skills.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

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

p.3

should:

n improve staff's skills and awareness of supporting all children, including those who need extra help, to enable them to provide consistently good interactions that engage all children successfully in their learning

p.3

should:

31 July 2024 n develop senior staff's understanding of their roles to help them to guide other staff more successfully to meet children's needs n ensure staff meet children's care needs more consistently to promote their good health effectively n build on the monitoring processes in place to help identify improvements and embed staff's good practice further.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number 2721883 Local authority Oxfordshire Inspection number 10353316 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

p.5

Registers

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

p.5

inspection

Total number of places 85 Number of children on roll 98 Name of registered person Bright Horizons Family Solutions Limited

p.5

reference number

Telephone number 01993221555 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

p.5

Information about this early years setting

Bright Horizons Witney Day Nursery and Preschool registered in 2023. The nursery is open Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm for most of the year. It is closed between Christmas and New Year. The nursery receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years. From September 2024, the nursery plan to offer funded places to children from the age of nine months. The nursery employs 21 staff. Of these, 15 hold recognised early years qualifications at level 2 and above.

p.5

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 nursery. n We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment, following information we received about the provider. n The deputy manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n Children told the inspector about their friends and what they like to do when they are at nursery. n The special educational needs coordinator spoke to the inspector about how they support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and children. n The manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation of a group activity. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and

p.6

Inspection activities

outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n Meetings were held with the manager and leadership team during the inspection. n The inspector spoke to staff at appropriate times during the inspection. n A sample of documentation was reviewed, including records of staff suitability. n The inspector gained feedback from a small number of parents available on the day.

p.6

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.

p.6

Inspection activities

31 July 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.

p.6

Inspection activities

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspection activities

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk

p.7

Inspection activities

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Inspection activities

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7