Bright Horizons Springfields Day Nursery and Preschool

Preschool

Unique reference number (URN): EY286822 Address: Beacon Street, Lichfield, Staffordshire, WS13 7BJ Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 19/08/2004 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Bright Horizons Family Solutions Limited

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The setting has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not met: The setting has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Leaders and staff work in partnership with families to ensure that they develop good habits regarding attendance and punctuality. They have conversations with parents and carers about patterns of attendance to ensure that children benefit from all experiences across the day. Children typically respond positively to staff and their peers. Staff model respectful interactions and use gentle, age-appropriate interventions to ensure children understand the expectations placed on them. For example, they model how to take turns and share the resources on offer. This helps even the youngest children to engage in cooperative play, such as holding a doll with friends as they sing and dance.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Routines are inclusive and flexible. This approach ensures that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those known or previously known to social care and those with other barriers to learning are equally involved in learning opportunities. Older children demonstrate confidence in building relationships and collaborating with others. They make choices during play and engage well with peers who share similar interests. For example, children are keen to look at X-rays when they talk about broken bones in their role- play hospital.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Firmly embedded routines support younger children to understand what is happening now and next. Babies respond positively to visual cues and move to the low-level sink to wash their hands when they see lunch being delivered to the room. Older children are supported to build their independence through opportunities to serve food and pour drinks. Staff praise children's efforts and achievements, which helps to build confidence and self-awareness. Overall, practising these important life skills helps children become prepared for the next stage of their learning.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders and staff prioritise all children's welfare and wellbeing. They consistently work with external professionals to promote the health and wellbeing of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those known or previously known to social care and those with other barriers to their learning. Staff explain how they promote healthy lifestyles with children in different ways. For example, they have recently completed a self-care week. During this time, staff taught children about concepts of germs and the benefits of effective handwashing. They also share a selection of books that encourage healthy eating. In addition, various visitors, such as those with medical jobs, attend the nursery to discuss their roles with the children. Children's emotional wellbeing is promoted as staff explore the language of feelings using age-appropriate books and stories. Children are also provided with experiences to practise meditation, which supports their ability to become regulated and

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children benefit from a healthy and nutritionally balanced menu in the setting. Staff talk with children at mealtimes about the benefits of different foods with regard to a healthy lifestyle. Leaders work closely with parents and carers to promote oral health, and this is extended through learning opportunities for children in the setting.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders demonstrate a positive approach to inclusion. They are committed to helping staff in developing their skills and knowledge of how best to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), children known or previously known to social care or those with other barriers to their learning. Those with responsibility for coordinating support for children with SEND have clear oversight of the provision. They work closely with parents and carers to meet the individual needs of children. This includes having ongoing discussions and involving parents in identifying barriers to learning and setting appropriate targets. Leaders engage key people and families in planning the use of additional funding to support children's development, taking into account their learning styles and interests.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Staff recognise that young children who experience changes face barriers to their learning as they need to adjust to a new environment and new carer. Their effective management of these changes helps children experience consistent care that prioritises their needs. Parents report feeling supported and included in implementing strategies to help children become more regulated and settled.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders and staff work with external professionals and agencies to extend their understanding of children's physical and sensory needs. This helps ensure that targets are appropriate and purposeful in supporting children's progress, in line with their age and stage of development.

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Achievement Needs attention

Children's achievement is variable because teaching is inconsistent. As a result, some children are not effectively supported to practise, refine and embed new skills and knowledge. In addition, during times when adult interactions are limited, children are not fully supported in extending their thoughts and ideas through appropriate discussion and challenge.

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Achievement Needs attention

Despite these weaknesses, children generally enjoy play. Pre-school-age children are curious and articulate. They show interest and demonstrate enthusiasm in listening to music when staff introduce a record player and vinyl. Younger children show interest and fascination as they engage in sensory play, exploring water and frogs while staff accompany their play with familiar rhymes.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

While leaders have designed a thoughtfully structured curriculum that offers engaging experiences accessible to all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, children known or previously known to social care and those with barriers to their learning, there are some significant inconsistencies and weaknesses in teaching. These include the lack of clearly defined learning intentions, which limits children's learning. Overall, staff present age-appropriate experiences for children that reflect all areas of learning. They weave in some mathematical concepts as they support children to sort and count objects. Children can recognise different shapes and colours through their play. However, staff interactions do not consistently extend children's learning and build on what they already know and can do. On occasions, children spend prolonged periods of time with little or no interaction from staff. During these times, children become bored or disengaged.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Children develop an early love of books, stories and song. Staff provide some opportunities for children to engage with language-rich experiences. Babies and younger children enjoy sharing books with staff, turning pages and pointing to familiar objects while snuggling closely for comfort and connection. Throughout the setting, children join in action rhymes and dancing games, confidently choosing friends to join in. These experiences support children's early communication skills and help them develop rhythm, rhyme and social confidence.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

There are some significant weaknesses across curriculum and teaching that limit children's learning, and impact on their engagement. Leaders are reflective and demonstrate an understanding of the nursery's strengths and areas for development. They evaluate the provision effectively and identify that driving secure safeguarding knowledge and understanding has impacted on the quality of curriculum and teaching.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Staff report positively on their wellbeing and share that they feel included and valued. Supervision sessions facilitated by considerate leaders contribute to staff members identifying their need for professional development. Leaders support staff in identifying their strengths and building on areas for development through varied opportunities for further learning.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders build and sustain professional working relationships with external agencies. They provide opportunities for staff to discuss children with other professionals, which helps to ensure a cohesive approach to supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those known or previously known to social care and those with barriers to their learning. Leaders use additional funding effectively to prioritise the needs of individual children.

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Compulsory Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register.

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Register

When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

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Voluntary Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the voluntary part of Childcare Register.

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Register

When we check if settings meet the Voluntary Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children participate in many interesting learning experiences during their time in the setting. However, staff do not typically focus sharply enough on what they want children to learn as they engage in these opportunities. The quality of teaching and interactions is inconsistent, and staff do not plan effectively to support children's skills to challenge their learning. This means that children are not making as much progress as they could with more effective planning and more consistent high-quality interactions.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children are happy and settled in this inviting setting. They demonstrate that they feel safe, familiar and confident with the daily routines. Babies and children benefit from an effective, firmly embedded key-person system, as leaders pay attention to the connections children make with staff and provide ongoing support when they first start. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, children known or previously known to social care and those with other barriers to their learning benefit from the clear oversight of leaders responsible for ensuring they access timely and appropriate support. This helps children make progress from their starting points.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children promptly engage in a range of learning experiences upon arrival. They develop positive relationships with their peers, and these can lead to early friendships. Older children play collaboratively, assigning roles as they engage in imaginative play in the well-resourced hospital role-play area that staff have created. Children benefit from spending time in the large outdoor learning environment. Some choose to sit and draw with their friends, demonstrating competence in pencil control, making careful, considered marks that result in recognisable and detailed pictures. Other children develop their gross motor skills, strength and stamina as they push wheelbarrows and use gardening tools. Children demonstrate kindness to others and cooperate well by taking turns and sharing resources. This creates a harmonious, lively buzz throughout the setting.

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Next steps

To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must take the following actions by the assigned date:

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Action Completion Date

improve the quality of teaching so that all children remain fully engaged in learning and make sustained progress from their individual starting points 15/09/2026

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Address:

Beacon Street Lichfield Staffordshire WS13 7BJ

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Address:

Registered person: Bright Horizons Family Solutions Limited

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Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:00

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Action Completion Date

provide appropriate training and professional development opportunities to ensure staff consistently offer quality learning and development experiences for children 15/09/2026

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About this inspection

The inspectors spoke with leaders, practitioners, special educational needs coordinators and parents during the inspection.

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About this inspection

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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Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The setting is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care. services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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

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