4kidz Childcare Ltd @ Gosling

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children make good progress in this calm and nurturing nursery. Children form secure attachments with staff, helping them to feel safe and secure. Staff provide an ambitious curriculum and create a learning environment that sparks children's interests, which they are eager to explore. For example, staff provide an interactive and enjoyable way for children to explore and understand the concept of pirates. Children make telescopes from paper and use maps to embark on a treasure hunt in the garden.

Staff support children to behave well with positive role modelling. They support children to share resources and ensure that all their friends are included in their play. Timers are used to help children understand this concept. Staff provide plenty of praise when children successfully share, helping to build on their self-esteem and form positive relationships with their peers.

Children have a strong sense of belonging within the nursery. Staff promote a democratic environment. They encourage children to self-register when they arrive and vote for the book they would like to read. Photos from home are shared in 'show-and-tell' group activities. Children take turns to stand up and talk about their holidays and activities. This helps children to understand what makes them unique.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

• Staff show a secure understanding of the needs of their key children. They know what they need to do next to progress their learning and development. Staff set out a range of interesting activities and resources to support and build on these identified next steps. For example, babies enjoy finding small world toys hidden around the room to build their confidence in exploring independently. Occasionally, staff do not ensure resources are readily available for older children to follow their own interests as they play, which sometimes interrupts their learning.
• Staff focus on children's communication and language development throughout the setting. Staff get down to the babies' level and make good eye contact. They repeat words that babies use, such as 'choo choo', as they play with a train, helping them to build on their speaking skills. Staff weave mathematical language into their interactions as they talk to older children about shapes. They draw big circles and little circles, helping children to understand the concept of size.
• Staff work well as a team. They communicate effectively with each other to ensure that transitions through the day are smooth and support children's learning experiences. However, sometimes, staff do not communicate clearly with children when carrying out care duties, such as nappy changing, to ensure
• Inspection report: 4kidz Childcare Ltd @ Gosling 2 February 2024 2 they fully understand these routines.
• Children have plenty of opportunity to build on their physical development. Babies explore an indoor climbing frame. They build strength in their legs as they climb up the ladder. Staff provide encouragement saying 'ready, steady, go' as they glide down the slide. Older children learn to manage their own risk as they jump off the 'jumping table' in the garden.
• Staff understand the importance of ensuring that children are well prepared for the transition to school. They focus on key skills such as promoting independence and developing fine motor skills. Staff work closely with local schools, sharing important information about the children. They provide opportunity for the children to meet teachers, aiding a smooth transition as they move to the next stage of their education.
• Staff work closely with a range of external professionals to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They use strategies such as 'bucket time' to promote concentration levels. Visual cues are used to help children understand routines throughout the day. Parents speak highly of the support they receive to ensure their children make good progress from their starting points.
• The manager is highly reflective. There is a clear action plan to continually develop and evolve the nursery to meet the needs of the children. Staff are well supported within their roles. They have access to a wide range of focused professional development opportunities that enable staff to maintain a high standard of care and ensure that children have the best possible outcomes.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• consider the organisation of resources for children to access so they can follow their own interests without interrupting their flow of play
• support staff to communicate with children more clearly when carrying out care duties, such as nappy changing, to provide children with a better understanding of why these routines happen.
• Inspection report: 4kidz Childcare Ltd @ Gosling 2 February 2024 3