Fennies Kings Hall

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children make good progress in their learning from their starting points. They benefit from a varied curriculum that offers interesting activities to develop their curiosity and imagination. Overall, children are happy at the nursery. Staff are warm, kind and engaging. They welcome children into the setting and support them to settle. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, handovers are still occurring at the main entrance door, although consideration is being given to reviewing this arrangement.

Older children are confident communicators and express their ideas well. Their interest in buildings and castles has prompted a topic where they learn about different structures from around the world. They skilfully navigate where construction pieces can go to make a shared model. They busily use masking tape to make their creations and design with a purpose in mind.

Younger babies are nurtured and enjoy cuddles with staff. They laugh with delight as they play 'peekaboo'. They are developing their physical skills as they show increased confidence while using the climbing equipment. Babies learn to make connections with others. For example, staff encourage a simple turn-taking game while pushing cars down the ramp. Babies are quick to recognise the expectations and patiently wait for their turn and clap excitedly.

Toddlers are beginning to develop their independence. They respond to their own physical needs, such as getting a tissue to wipe their nose, and know how to dispose of this safely. Children enjoy the rhyme and repetition of familiar songs and some enthusiastically join in singing and copying actions. Toddlers show pride when they are chosen to help set the table up for lunch and understand routines, such as scraping their plate after eating.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• improve the effectiveness of the key-person arrangements, to ensure that all children are able to build secure bonds to support their emotional well-being, particularly around transition times
• strengthen staff's knowledge of how to use story time to engage children and to maximise opportunities for communication and language development.