Bright Sparks Nursery

Inspection of Bright Sparks Nursery St Peter's Church Hall, Stoke Park Drive, Ipswich, Suffolk IP2 9TH

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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 Not applicable

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The provision is good

Children arrive excitedly and express their keenness to attend, as they happily wave goodbye to their parents at the door. They confidently hang up their belongings on their peg, highlighting that they feel comfortable and safe in this friendly and inclusive nursery. Children build trusting attachments to staff. Staff get to know children before they start and spend individual time with them. All children benefit from an effective key-person system, which means staff identify and plan for individual children's next steps in learning. For example, when several children are at the same activity, the younger children have the same opportunities to develop their scissor skills. Staff attentively hold paper for them to cut and model how to hold scissors correctly.

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The provision is good

Real-life experiences and continual access to outdoor play, enhance and inspire children's natural curiosity to learn about the world around them. During the current theme of 'bugs', children experience caring for and nurturing caterpillars and how to treat living creatures with care and respect. When the butterflies are released, staff explain how delicate their wings are. In response, children sensitively provide space for the butterflies to safely fly away. Staff praise their positive behaviour which reinforces the kind and respectful behaviours expected of them.

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need to do better?

n Children highly anticipate trying new things and immerse themselves in the stimulating activities provided. Children demonstrate their motivation and passion to learn and succeed. For example, when children begin to draw a sunset picture, they independently check the colour chart on the wall to make sure when mixed together, red and yellow make orange. Staff praise them for their creative thinking and for solving problems themselves. This helps boost children's self-esteem and encourages their further independent learning. n Staff's sound knowledge of children's next steps means they adapt activities to extend individual children's learning. For example, during a messy, foam activity staff introduce various sensory materials such as cooked and dry spaghetti. This fosters children's imaginary play as they giggle and pretend the soft spaghetti is worms. Children who speak English as an additional language are developing

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need to do better?

confidence to use new descriptive words, such as 'slimy', in this fun and interactive activity. n Skilful staff are tuned in to children's emerging language and they use Makaton sign language to enhance children's social communication skills. Staff's careful consideration of using books, further extends children's vocabulary. As a result, all children make good progress in their speech and language development. However, occasionally, staff do not consistently provide enough time for children

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need to do better?

3 July 2025 to respond to questions, so that children can practise and fully extend their speech and language skills. n Staff model kind and respectful behaviours which children emulate, as they play cooperatively with their peers. Small focus groups help children recognise and accept the needs of others. These groups provide opportunities for children to sing, listen to stories and learn new skills, such as turn taking. Children make jokes which demonstrates their developing sense of humour and self-confidence in social situations. n Children are developing many of the key skills they need in preparation for early reading. For instance, they learn to recognise their names at self-registration. Parents applaud the book-bag system where they can read with their children and extend their children's learning at home. n Children show they are becoming independent in managing their personal needs, such as washing their hands independently before eating. However, at

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need to do better?

times, staff complete tasks for capable children, such as opening food packets at lunch. This reduces opportunities for children to practise and become increasingly independent in their self-care skills n Parents praise the superb progress their children make and how they feel part of a 'second family'. They appreciate daily updates about their children's progress and achievements. n The supportive management team provides good opportunities for staff training and support. They work closely with staff to ensure any gaps in children's learning are swiftly identified and the right support is provided to ensure all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, achieve their best outcomes.

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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 focus on consistently supporting children to become increasingly independent in managing their self-care needs in preparation for starting school n build on staff's questioning techniques to enable children to have more time to think, respond and verbalise their ideas and thoughts.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2722724 Local authority Suffolk Inspection number 10398503 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 35 Number of children on roll 39

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Name of registered person

Bright Sparks Nursery (St. Peter's Church, Ipswich)

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reference number

Telephone number 01473 602270 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Bright Sparks Nursery registered in 2023. The setting employs six members of childcare staff. Of these, five hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and above, including the manager, who has a qualification at level 6. The setting opens from 8.30am to 4pm, Monday to Friday, during school term time, and children attend for a variety of sessions. The setting provides government funded places for all eligible children.

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Inspection activities

n The manager and the inspector completed a tour of the nursery, both indoors and outdoors to understand how the early years provision and curriculum are organised. Additionally, the manager showed the inspector the premises and discussed how they ensure it is safe and suitable. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors and assessed the impact that this had on children's learning. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of group activities with the manager and also discussed self-evaluation. n The special educational needs coordinator spoke to the inspector about how they support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. n Children communicated with the inspector during the inspection. The inspector spoke with parents and carers during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector held a meeting with the management team. The inspector looked

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Inspection activities

at relevant documentation, such as evidence of the suitability of the staff working in the nursery and a selection of other records.

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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

3 July 2025 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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