Christchurch Kindergarten Children's Nursery Limited

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff build lovely bonds with children and confidently explain where each child is with their learning and what they need to learn next. Staff plan and provide a wide range of activities and resources to follow and develop their interests. For instance, children and staff work together to create an area where children can run around a circuit. Staff observe and quickly adjust the area using shapes to indicate to children where they need to slow down to avoid accidents. Children instantly respond to the change.

Children learn about numbers and one-to-one correspondence as they select the number of balls that represent the number on their card. Children use mathematical language as they can identify nine is a bigger number as it is more than five. Children eagerly count how many children are in the group and ask for magnifying glasses when a ladybug is discovered on a leaf to enable them to count the spots. Behaviour is very good as children know show self-control as they wait patiently for their turn. Children begin to tidy up, they sing as they complete the task by putting toys away as they work together with their friends to quickly complete the task.

Staff identify children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language. Children are well supported by bilingual staff, who help children in their home languages, while also supporting them to learn English. The leadership team put early interventions in place to support children from the very start of their time in the setting. Managers and staff work very closely with other professionals and parents to ensure children can access the additional support they need. The carefully planned curriculum, with individual tailored next steps for all children, sequences learning by building on what children already know and can do.

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

• Children access a broad and interesting curriculum that provides them with experiences they would not typically get. Staff recognise when children have not had the opportunity to gain skills and plan activities that narrow the gaps in learning. They identify appropriate individual next steps and incorporate these into activities that children are interested in. All children are well prepared for the next stage in their learning.
• Staff incorporate mathematical development into children's play. They introduce words, such as 'small, big, more, less', to extend children's mathematical language. Children make predictions about which number is bigger and who has more as they count with one-to-one correspondence. They are developing some of the mathematical skills needed for their move into school.
• Children learn about activities that support a healthy lifestyle. Staff talk to children about healthy foods and what needs to be included in their lunch box. Children follow good hygiene routines, such as handwashing, and are learning about the importance of oral health. Children take part in exercise sessions, such as yoga, to help build their physical strength. This helps to promote children's overall health and well-being.
• Staff act promptly when they have concerns about children's development. They develop effective partnerships with parents and other professionals to ensure that appropriately targeted plans are in place. This helps to ensure that all children's needs are met and any gaps in learning are closed.
• Skilled staff implement the curriculum well. They demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of how children learn. Staff model new vocabulary and use the correct pronunciation. They ask open-ended questions, such as 'What do you see', to support children's thinking. Children are motivated, active learners. They make good progress in their learning and development.
• Partnership working with parents is effective. Staff work closely with parents to share information and support smooth transitions for children. Parents receive information on what children are learning and how they can support their children at home. Activities are regularly planned for parents to join their children in the setting. Parents feel involved as they have daily handovers, information on an online application and receive termly summaries of their children's progress.
• Leaders and mangers are constantly reflecting and evaluating practice to ensure children's needs are consistently well met. However, on occasion changes in practice are not incorporated into the setting's policies and procedures. In addition, they are not reflected in documents, when gathering and sharing information on children's individual needs. As a result, not all parents are aware of changes, for example, to the requirement of food coming into the setting for sharing during setting celebrations.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• ensure procedures for information sharing are consistently updated to reflect changing practice in the setting.