kGems Day Nursery - Islington

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children quickly separate from their parents and engage with activities that staff provide. Children show they have strong bonds with staff at the nursery as they seek out their familiar adult who greets them with a smile. Children receive praise from staff when they follow instructions, helping to raise their self-esteem. Staff are nurturing and comforting, offering cuddles to babies, particularly when they are unwell.

Staff have high expectations, and all children are making good progress, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds and with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Learning is tailored within an overarching topic of interest for older children linked to children's individual needs and interests. Children are enthusiastic to learn and to share their new knowledge. For example, younger children eagerly request the colours they want for their painting, and older children share their knowledge of how to make play dough.

Children develop a positive attitude towards their learning. Older children understand the procedure as they prepare to go on a trip to the local park. This supports children to develop their physical skills and learn about the local community. They are well prepared for their next stage of learning, including their eventual move on to school.

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

• Children's learning is sequenced well. Staff plan opportunities for children to build on what they know and can do. For example, babies learn to scoop at the sensory tray, while older children strengthen their small hand muscles as they chop fruit for a fruit salad. This helps develop their hand muscles for further skills, such as early writing. All children make good progress.
• Overall, staff are deployed well and children engage in both adult-led activities and those of their own choosing. However, communication between staff is not always consistent, particularly for new or less-experienced team members. At times, staff prioritise small groups or tidying tasks rather than considering where their support and interactions would have the greatest impact. This means that, at these times, children's needs are not always met.
• Generally, staff interactions are of good quality. Children thoroughly enjoy open-ended play, such as exploring with paint or play dough and looking for spiders and spider webs in the garden. However, at times, staff do not recognise when activities can be developed to support children to engage in purposeful learning interactions that interest and challenge them. This means that, occasionally, children's attitudes to learning are not consistently promoted.
• Leaders recognise how to support children who may have SEND. They ensure that all staff are aware of the strategies in place to support children, such as the use of Makaton signing to support children's communication skills. Staff also work closely with other professionals, including speech and language therapists and local authority advisers, to implement collaborative plans for children. Through this, children benefit from a shared approach to their learning.
• Children have effective communication, language and literacy skills. Staff eagerly describe what children are doing and ask a variety of questions. Children enjoy a wide variety of stories read by staff to support children's language and literacy skills.
• Staff carry out children's hygiene routines with care and respect. For instance, staff kindly and sensitively ask children if they can change their nappy. Children respond positively. They have friendly conversations, and the staff discuss with them what they are doing. Staff promote children's emotional security through this discreet and respectful experience.
• Parents speak highly of the nursery, staff and management. They comment that communication is very good, so they know what their children have been doing and what they can do to help their children develop further.
• Leaders regularly review the effectiveness of the education and environment provided at the nursery. They implement training plans to ensure that staff are kept up to date with changes. Staff discuss that they receive regular supervision sessions and how targeted training has supported them in their role. The culture around ongoing self-evaluation and continuous development is positive and supports children's continual development and learning.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review staffing arrangements to ensure children always benefit from consistently high-quality practice
• develop staff interactions to increase children's attention and focus on learning during activities.