Best Friends Day Nurseries

Communication gives Best Friends Day Nurseries its clearest character: in January 2023, children used home-language words, gestures and pictures of emotions to express themselves. These are concrete ways to help a child make their needs understood.

Best Friends Day Nurseries has capacity for 49 children, from birth to five, at 28 Tuffley Lane, Tuffley, Gloucester, GL4 0DU. Ofsted rated it Good at its 4 January 2023 inspection. The practical strengths of that account sit alongside two improvement points: sharing children's learning plans between staff and supporting younger children during changes of routine.

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for children's learning and care, with play supporting communication, physical development and preparation for later learning. In January 2023, babies explored toy animals while adults supplied their names and sounds; scooping pasta into containers gave them another way to experiment with tools and movement.

Toddlers practised throwing and catching outdoors and used the climbing frame's steps in January 2023. Preschool children matched letters using name cards, while shapes attached to cork boards prompted conversations about size, colour and the moon. The activities linked handling materials with language, rather than treating these as separate tasks.

Community experiences also featured in January 2023. Children chose books at the local library and observed seasonal changes on park walks. A visiting vicar played guitar, parents brought pets, and stories were read in children's home languages. Those experiences brought people, books and familiar family languages into learning.

At the January 2023 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and good progress among children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff recognised when extra support was needed and worked with families and others to plan learning around children's needs.

In January 2023, key persons understood children's abilities and next steps, but colleagues did not consistently receive that information. This matters because a child needs continuity of support across the adults caring for them.

School preparation in January 2023 included school visits or teachers meeting children at nursery, alongside practising changing clothes for physical activities. These were practical introductions to new adults and greater independence.

Care runs Monday to Friday, with opening hours of 7.45am to 5.30pm. The nursery operates across the year, closing on bank holidays and for one week at Christmas.

In January 2023, the nursery received funding for early education for children aged two, three and four. That is a dated account of participation, rather than a statement of today's funding arrangements.

• Continuity between adults. In January 2023, children's next learning steps were not communicated consistently across staff. Look for how the key person's plans reach everyone supporting your child.
• Changes of routine. In January 2023, food preparation and clearing away diverted staff attention, leaving younger children less engaged and some disagreements unnoticed. Support during these transitions deserves attention alongside planned activities.
• Your attendance pattern. Opening hours span 7.45am to 5.30pm on weekdays. At a visit, which booking patterns would fit your family's week?

Best Friends Day Nurseries merits consideration for families seeking weekday care across the year, with communication and practical independence prominent in its January 2023 account. The Good judgement provides a dated assessment of quality. The strongest decision points are how learning plans follow children between adults and how younger children receive support when the day's routine changes.