Kenwood Day Nursery Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive in this friendly and relaxed nursery. They develop strong relationships with staff from the beginning of their time at the nursery. Children are happy and settle in well. Staff implement highly effective key-person systems to ensure that they get to know children as individuals as well as their families. They work closely with parents to gather information about children's lives outside of the nursery, and they use the information they gather to provide a very good continuity of care for children. Staff have high expectations of what all children can achieve. They support children's learning through an ambitious curriculum that provides children with enriching experiences. Staff show interest in children's achievements and constantly praise their efforts.

Staff are positive role models. They teach children to be kind and to use good manners. There is a strong emphasis on promoting children's independence. For instance, children learn to manage their own hygiene and personal care. Children are proud to show that they can carry out tasks such as washing their hands independently.

Children are safe in the nursery. They are encouraged to develop a 'can-do' attitude. Staff supervise children carefully. Daily risk assessments allow staff to be aware of, and eliminate, any potential hazards.

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

• Children make good progress in their communication and language development. Leaders help staff to understand the positive impact that a keen focus makes on children's development. Overall, staff support children's progress well. They identify any delays early, allowing opportunity to work effectively with families and other professionals to deliver specific, targeted support.
• Children develop a positive attitude to learning. They demonstrate high levels of curiosity, concentration and enjoyment. For example, children's imaginative play is enhanced when staff share the story 'Ten Little Dinosaurs'. This allows children to become focused in their learning.
• Sometimes, staff do not consistently support children to build on what they know and can already do. For example, younger children are encouraged to write their names, but some have not yet developed the skills to use a pen correctly. This does not help children to build their skills sequentially, which means this learning is too difficult for them.
• Occasionally, the deployment of staff during transition times of the day is not considered as effectively as possible. This means that children sometimes lose interest and become unengaged in their activity, impacting on their development.
• Children behave well. 'Golden rules' are in place to help staff reinforce positive behaviour. Children understand these and say that they need to walk inside and run outside. Staff encourage children to take responsibility for completing tasks. This includes asking them to help set up the table at lunchtime. As a result, children are able to make positive choices.
• Staff support children to take appropriate risks and encourage them to have a go at trying things for themselves. For example, children are challenged to climb and find different ways to move across the garden. They learn to take care because risks may have consequences, such as falling. Children are developing resilience and learning to manage their own risks.
• Leaders are dedicated and driven to providing high-quality care and education. They offer regular and supportive supervision to staff, tailored to the needs of the individual. As a result, staff morale is high.
• Leaders ensure that staff training is carefully planned to help children to be supported in their learning. For example, recent training in 'nurturing babies' has resulted in staff designing learning environments to ensure that children receive challenging play experiences. The learning environments engage children well and motivate them to play and learn.
• Parents are positive about the setting and the care and attention their children receive from staff. They highlight how much progress their children have made over time. Staff regularly update parents on their child's progress. Parents appreciate the information they regularly receive and the ideas for how to support their child's learning at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• improve staff's understanding of how to build further on what individual children know and can do
• deploy staff effectively in order to provide consistent and purposeful interactions for children that build on their existing skills and knowledge.