KellyTots

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff create a calm, nurturing atmosphere, where children can feel safe, valued and well cared for. They build warm relationships with children, helping them to settle quickly and form secure attachments. Babies show confidence as they explore their surroundings, knowing familiar adults are close by. Older children develop a strong sense of belonging through the celebration of their voices such as when staff display their words and ideas around the room.

Leaders have designed a curriculum that focuses on helping children become confident, independent learners who are ready for the next stage in their education. Staff place a strong emphasis on building children's language, confidence and social skills. They plan activities based on what children enjoy, using songs, stories and engaging play experiences that help them talk, listen and understand. Staff refresh activities throughout the day to motivate children.

Staff support children effectively to understand expectations. Children behave well and show respect for others. Staff use songs, visual cues and calm language to support turn-taking and help children manage their emotions. Children learn to cooperate, wait their turn and support their friends, for example by helping during tidy-up time or offering toys to one another.

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

• Leaders reflect honestly on what works well and what needs to improve. They have recently focused on strengthening planning across rooms to make sure activities match children's age and stage of development. While they provide training, carry out peer observations and gather feedback from staff, systems to monitor and evaluate practice are not yet consistent. This reduces leaders' ability to pinpoint where improvements are needed and raise the quality of teaching to the highest level across all rooms.
• Leaders build strong relationships with families. Parents say staff are welcoming, approachable and keep them well informed about their child's care and routines. They value the regular updates and feel confident that staff understand and respond to their child's individual needs.
• Staff use what they know about children to plan activities that reflect their interests and support their next steps. They observe children closely, talk to parents and work together to understand how each child is developing. This helps them adapt the curriculum so that children make steady progress.
• Staff identify children who need extra help and put the right support in place. They work closely with parents and other professionals to understand children's needs and plan suitable strategies. This means children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are included in all aspects of nursery life and make progress from their individual starting points.
• Leaders design the curriculum to support children's communication and language development successfully. Staff model language clearly such as labelling objects and action words. They ask open questions and encourage children to make choices such as choosing between foods or describing what they are creating in play. With younger children, staff focus on helping them understand and respond to simple words and phrases, using signs, repetition and visual prompts. Children build vocabulary, express their ideas and develop confidence in speaking.
• Staff use mealtimes to promote social interaction, encourage good manners and model language. However, children sometimes wait for long periods with little to do, and staff do not consistently extend learning during these times. Staff occasionally offer refined sugary foods that do not align with healthy eating messages, which reduces the impact of wider teaching about making healthy choices.
• Staff manage transitions between rooms with care and flexibility. They plan gradual transitions based on each child's individual needs, and allow flexibility to revisit previous rooms where needed. Staff help children to feel secure, build confidence and develop positive relationships in their new environment.
• Leaders and staff provide a rich and varied outdoor environment, where children can explore, take safe risks, and be physically active. They set up spaces for climbing, balancing and imaginative play using natural resources. Children build confidence, develop coordination and learn to cooperate with others through shared play and problem-solving.
• Leaders and staff plan a well-sequenced curriculum to help children learn to understand and manage their feelings. In the baby room, staff build secure attachments and model gentle, caring interactions. As children grow, staff help them name their feelings and manage these when they get upset. In pre-school, staff help children gain more independence to manage setbacks and show confidence in social situations such as performances to a small audience.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• extend monitoring and evaluation to identify all areas where staff need support, and use the information to inform planning for professional development
• review and enhance mealtime routines to maximise learning opportunities and provide consistent messages about healthy eating.