Katie's Kindergarten

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Since the last inspection, improvements have been made and embedded in practice. For example, staff are very clear about the curriculum they are delivering and know how they want children to learn. Children are making good progress in their learning and development as a result. Staff have worked hard to consider the recommendations from the previous inspection. They have made changes to take these into consideration when working with the children.

The setting provides a welcoming environment. Children are eager to enter and settle quickly into the familiar routine of the day. Staff are kind and considerate in their interactions with the children. They are sensitive to children's needs and respond calmly. They know the children and are able to offer emotional support when needed.

Children behave well. Staff use various activities for them to express and manage their feelings with support. During circle time, they discuss their home lives and talk about what may cause them to worry. For example, they share their views about the fireworks that they will see at the weekend. Staff remind children of the boundaries within the nursery. They gently remind children why they should not do something, offering clear explanations.

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

• Staff accurately assess children's development and identify any learning needs to inform the planning of the curriculum. For example, they recognise that when children are not confident and stable in their movement, they introduce soft-play resources to encourage climbing and promote balance.
• Staff extend children's language development as they recap and recall the previous days. They talk about what children do at home. They sensitively correct children's vocabulary as they talk about a 'nana' being a 'banana.' Staff give a commentary of children's play, enabling children to repeat words and practise their language skills.
• Routine activities enable children to develop and enhance their counting skills. They recite counting songs and rhymes as they go about their play. However, children's mathematical development could be enhanced further to build on spatial awareness, measuring and volumes.
• Children have opportunities to engage in physical activity during the dance session and outdoors. They learn about the changes to their bodies as they feel the cold on their faces. Staff praise children as they manage to pedal forward on the trike. They give them the confidence to pedal faster in the outdoor area.
• Staff enable children to learn outdoors. However, they do not always ensure the outdoor area is fully prepared and resourced. For example, children enjoy playing in the mud kitchen and water area, but the limitations in the resources lead to children waiting to take their turn with the pans and funnels.
• Staff are skilled at encouraging children's engagement in activities. They make activities exciting, which attract the children, as they learn through play. Staff kindly ask before changing children's nappies. They know not to interrupt children's learning when they are fully engaged.
• Children learn about healthy foods and choices. They learn how fruit is good for growing bodies. Children are supported to manage their self-care and follow good hygiene. They try to blow their own noses and ask staff for help when needed.
• Staff encourage children's growing independence. They support them to put on their coats for outdoor play and wash their hands before eating.
• Staff work hard to keep parents up to date and build professional relationships. Staff keep parents well informed about their child's learning and development. This helps parents to support their child's learning at home.
• Staff liaise with other settings where children attend and share information regarding children's learning and development. This ensures that children are fully supported and that any identified learning needs are consistently worked towards.
• The manager carries out supervision with staff, where staff are able to obtain support to progress their professional development. They are able to reflect on their practice. They routinely undertake training to inform their practice.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop further the outdoor learning environment to increase the range of learning experiences for all children, especially those who prefer to learn outdoors
• maximise opportunities for mathematical learning to enhance children's spatial reasoning skills, with particular regard to measure and quantity.