Golden Kidz Daycare

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff at this setting know the children well. They are kind and caring and children forge close relationships with them. Children actively involve staff in their play. For example, they chase staff to put them in 'jail' when pretending to be police officers. They seek staff out for reassurance, when there are visitors in the setting. Staff find out information from parents before children start and use this to help children settle from the outset. Settling-in sessions are geared to each family's individual needs. Consequently, children are happy to attend and eagerly settle to their chosen activities.

Staff implement a broad curriculum that is based on the seven areas of learning. They provide activities that support children to have the skills they need to prepare them for the next stage of their learning and eventual move on to school. Children are eager to join in, both with adult-led activities and their own child-initiated play. They concentrate as they correctly complete an alphabet puzzle, placing the letters in the correct order on the board.

Staff talk to children about the 'golden rules' of the setting and explain to them the reason why these are important. For example, children know that they need to help to tidy away the toys so that they do not get broken, and that if they leave toys on the floor someone could fall over them and hurt themselves.

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

• Leaders and staff have worked hard to implement changes since the last inspection. They have worked closely with the local authority and acted on their advice. As a result, the quality of the provision has significantly improved. That said, these improvements are still in their infancy and need to be monitored to ensure that they continue to be embedded fully into practice.
• Leaders who are responsible for the daily running of the setting are knowledgeable and can reflect on the current practice. They recognise areas where further improvement can be made to raise the quality even more. However, they are not always confident in their own abilities to succeed at the role.
• Leaders have implemented strategies to provide support for staff. Staff benefit from regular supervision meetings, where they discuss their key children, share ideas and discuss any training they feel would benefit them. Leaders and staff work well together as a team. They ask each other questions to test their increasing knowledge, especially with regard to safeguarding, and evaluate the changes they have made to make sure they benefit the children.
• Staff carry out observations and assessments to help them identify where children are in their learning. They use this information to recognise any gaps in children's learning and to create next steps for children to work towards. They introduce initiatives to help them support children's ongoing communication and language. As a result, children make good progress in all areas of their learning and development.
• Staff plan activities around topics that are based on children's current interests. Children learn about people who help them, such as a nurse, a dentist, firefighters and police officers. Staff introduce games to help children to recognise and talk about these people. Children can match the top and bottom of the uniforms and link it to the person. However, there are times when staff do not fully extend children's learning or provide them with time to explore and consider answers for themselves.
• Staff teach children about their emotions. Children can recognise if they feel sad or happy and link their feelings to a corresponding picture. Children's behaviour is good. They tidy away after activities and choose to help to wipe the table after snack time.
• Children develop their imagination as they play in the role-play area. They pretend to cook and make drinks for staff. Staff teach children about safety as they talk to them about checking that the drinks are not too hot. Children know which foods are good for them. They know that apples are good for them and cake is not. Children enjoy a range of healthy snacks, such as yoghurt and fruit.
• Partnerships with parents have been improved. Staff share information on an online app or verbally, depending on parents' individual preferences. They tell parents where children are in their learning and provide ideas for them to continue with their children's learning at home. Staff are bi-lingual and can communicate with parents whose first language is not English. Parents say that they are happy with the setting and the information they receive.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• monitor the effectiveness of the new changes to ensure that the quality of the provision continues to improve
• help those who are responsible for the daily running of the setting to have the confidence to realise their own abilities in achieving the role
• support staff to recognise how to fully extend children's learning and when to provide time for them to explore and consider answers for themselves.