kGems Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children receive a warm welcome at this friendly and inclusive nursery. They settle well and develop strong bonds with the caring staff. Children demonstrate that they feel happy, safe and emotionally secure. They enjoy their time at the nursery and confidently explore the stimulating environment. Children have access to a wide range of learning experiences indoors and outdoors. This includes a 'sensory' room which provides a quiet and calming place for children to relax. Children have many opportunities to develop their small-muscle movements in preparation for early writing. For instance, toddlers use their fingers to make circular marks using paint and sand. They explore play dough, squeezing and rolling it between their palms. Older children are keen to have a go at writing and carefully form the letters in their names. Children respond positively to the staff's high expectations. They show an enthusiastic approach to learning and are kind and helpful to others. Children enjoy responsibility and are confident to do things for themselves. For instance, they competently serve their own food at mealtimes, feed themselves independently, and carefully scrape and clear away their plates after eating. Older children are considerate and thoughtfully offer to help their younger peers.

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

• The manager has a clear and ambitious vision for the nursery. She works effectively with the staff to deliver high-quality care and education for children. Staff say that they feel valued and well supported. They explain how regular training and development opportunities help to enhance their practice and improve the outcomes for children. For instance, staff describe how they have broadened the opportunities for children to practise making marks, which has strengthened their early writing skills.
• The curriculum is broad and well sequenced. Staff know what children can do and provide good support for their interests and future learning. They identify where children's progress is less than expected, and work effectively with parents and other professionals to provide targeted support. Consequently, all children, including those who receive funding and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make good progress from their starting points.
• Staff sing, talk and read with children throughout the day, to help develop their communication skills. They understand when to simplify their speech and introduce pictures and objects, to help children make choices and understand routines. This supports all children, including those who speak English as an additional language and those with SEND, to become confident communicators.
• Children explore a range of materials and learn how to shape and join resources, to create pictures and models. For example, children glue pieces of tissue paper onto paper elephants, to recreate the character from a favourite story. However, staff could do more to help children convey their own ideas and feelings through expressive arts and design.
• Staff provide group activities, such as circle times, as a way to share information and ideas with children. However, they do not always organise these activities effectively, to cater for the differing needs of the children taking part. Consequently, some children lose interest and do not learn as much as they could from these experiences.
• Children behave well and are respectful towards adults and other children. They receive positive praise and gentle reminders from staff, which helps them to understand what is expected of them.
• Children learn to look after their physical health and well-being. They spend lots of time in the nursery garden and enjoy vigorous exercise, such as weekly football coaching sessions. Children help staff to grow, harvest and cook vegetables, which they incorporate into the nursery's healthy meals and snacks. This helps children to develop positive attitudes to healthy eating.
• Parents value the care and affection shown to their children at nursery. They describe warm and friendly relationships with staff, which makes it easy to share information about children's needs. Parents describe how they receive regular photographs and details of their children's time at nursery, via an online app. These strong partnerships promote good consistency for children's care and learning.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen further staff's understanding of how to promote children's creativity, imagination and self-expression
• support staff in the planning and delivery of group activities such as circle time, to ensure that all children benefit as much as possible from these learning experiences.