Blue Orkids @ Queens Park Community Nursery

Inspection of Blue Orkids @ Queens Park Community Nursery Queens Park Community Nursery, Marlborough Road, Bedford MK40 4LE

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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 thrive at this welcoming, community-focused nursery. Staff focus on supporting children's communication and language skills successfully. Children hear staff speak clear and meaningful words to them. Staff use visual cues to support children's communication needs, so children at different levels of development learn essential skills. When children leave the table without packing away their lunch box, staff call their name, show the children their lunch box and point to their bag. This helps children to understand the next part of the routine and behave well. Swift and regular assessments help identify when staff need to target children's speech and language skills more intensely. This helps ensure that children receive intervention quickly.

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The provision is good

Staff provide a range of experiences that children enjoy. They model how to use tools for play dough and use descriptive words to encourage children to copy. Children roll and pinch the dough with their hands and fingers to help strengthen their small finger muscles. They use brushes to paint their hands. Staff encourage children to mix the colours to find out what happens. Children explore the paint with their fingers, enjoying the feel. This helps to stimulate young children's sense of touch and help them to explore experimenting with resources in a fun way.

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need to do better?

n The leadership team is dedicated to giving children the best start in life. They put children and families at the heart of everything they do. They ensure that vulnerable children are helped in a variety of ways. Leaders use funding wisely, basing it on the evidence of children's needs, for example increasing their physical skills with resources or sending home meal vouchers. They are aware of the specific needs of the community and enhance their provision to build gaps in children's experiences. They invite storytellers and musicians to the nursery so that children can enjoy a wide range of events. n Leaders adopt a very reflective practice model and help staff to reflect on their practice. They use regular observations of staff's teaching and training and supervision meetings. Staff report that leaders support them effectively. As a result, they are motivated to work with children. n Staff support children to settle in quickly to the nursery. They visit the children

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need to do better?

and parents at home to obtain detailed information that they use to foster children's development. When children visit the nursery, staff provide activities that children like to help them feel comfortable and become engaged in learning from the very start. Staff spend time playing and talking with them to begin to build bonds. As a result, children feel secure and confident in the nursery. n Children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported. Staff have high expectations for children to achieve the best they can

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need to do better?

12 August 2025 from their starting points. They work with parents and other professionals, including schools, extremely closely to ensure that these children receive all the available support to develop. This means these children move on to school smoothly because services have been secured. n Staff help ensure that children are constantly learning through play. They help children count pieces of play dough accurately. Staff join in children's role play with babies, teaching them to be gentle when cuddling the dolls. Outdoors, staff stand nearby reminding children to safely steer bikes and move about climbing frames competently. These opportunities help children to develop their interests and confidence. n Staff have secure plans to support children's learning. All activities have been carefully provided for the children in attendance. However, at times, staff do not adapt their teaching to the children's needs. For example, staff continue to focus

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need to do better?

on the learning intention when children have moved on in their play. Occasionally, children wander from the activity, reducing their learning time. n Partnerships with parents are strong. Parents are complimentary about the nursery staff. They receive regular communication about their child, including development checks. Parents report that their children settled in quickly and that their children are 'talking more since coming to nursery'. They value how the nursery supports them as parents, including the nursery food bank and attending meetings together.

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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 help staff to further develop their teaching skills to adapt their focus, according to children's needs during play.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2733407 Local authority Bedford Inspection number 10398151 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 44 Number of children on roll 72 Name of registered person Blue Orkids Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01234 261703 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Blue Orkids @ Queens Park Community Nursery registered in 2023. The nursery operates each weekday, from 8am to 4pm, all year round. It employs eight members of childcare staff. All hold appropriate early years qualifications, ranging from level 2 to level 7. The nursery provides government-funded places for childcare and receives specific funding for disadvantaged children.

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Inspection activities

n The provider and the site manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want the children to learn. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and considered their views. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this is having on the children's learning. n The site manager and the inspector carried out joint observations of planned activities. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and read parents' written testimonials and considered their views. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery. n The children talked with the inspector during the inspection.

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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

12 August 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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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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