Kiddi Caru Day Nursery and Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff are caring and attentive towards the children, and this helps children develop a sense of well-being and belonging at nursery. The positive relationships between children and the staff are clear. Babies giggle with delight, bob up and down and clap their hands when staff sing familiar songs to them. Two-year-old children develop confidence to explore the wide range of activities that are available to them. As they explore wooden cars together, children copy staff as staff show them how the cars roll down when they are on a slope.

Staff get to know children well and find out what they know already. They follow children's interests and plan effectively. This ensures that children take part in a range of experiences that help them make progress in their learning. Staff help children to think about what they are doing and to make their own decisions. For example, during an activity to make play dough, after discussion with staff, children choose how much water to put in the mixture. They talk about how the texture changes when the water is added and what it feels like on their hands. Children listen to the staff, and they benefit from staff's positive interactions as they play. Children are busy and interested in what they are doing, and this contributes to children showing good behaviour overall.

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

• The management and staff team work well together. Managers consider the staff's well-being, and they support and encourage staff to continually reflect on and develop their knowledge and skills. Ongoing coaching and discussions about how they work with the children help staff identify their own priorities for professional development. Recent changes to the curriculum, relating to staff being more mindful of children's feelings of well-being and belonging, have a positive impact on the relationships between staff and the children.
• Staff work effectively with children's parents. They keep parents informed about the activities their children enjoy and how these contribute to their learning. Staff find out about the things children do at home and consider ways they can broaden children's experiences. For example, children who have fewer opportunities to play outdoors benefit from walks to the local park, where they begin to learn about nature and develop their physical skills and stamina.
• Staff help children learn to be independent. Two-, three- and four-year-old children choose when they sit down to eat their meals and, with close supervision from staff, they learn to serve themselves. Staff encourage children to challenge themselves and take appropriate risks. Children who are eager to climb are carefully supervised by staff who teach them how to turn around and come down safely.
• Overall, children enjoy listening to stories read by the staff. Children's vocabulary and communication skills are developing as they join in with familiar parts of favourite stories. However, occasionally, when staff read books to large groups of children, consideration is not given to the purpose of the activity or the individual needs of the children. As a result, some children are distracted and lose interest.
• Overall, children who speak English as an additional language have their home language valued and staff help them to learn English. However, there are some inconsistencies in how well these children are supported. Occasionally, some staff do not provide all children with the level of interaction they need to settle in when they first start attending.
• Parents make complimentary comments about the nursery. They say how well staff helped their child settle. Parents like the daily communication from staff, so they know about how their child's care routines are managed throughout the day. Parents comment on the progress their children make in relation to their confidence and how they are learning to share and take turns.
• Staff are effective in setting clear boundaries and expectations for children's behaviour. Children begin to understand the clear explanations staff give them about sharing and considering others as they play. For example, children know to wait for their turn on the slide and not to push their friends because they might hurt themselves. Close working partnerships with parents contribute to a consistent approach for children who require additional support to manage their behaviour.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• improve the organisation of large-group activities to ensure that they meet the needs of all children taking part and maintain their interest
• ensure that staff provide consistent support for children who speak English as an additional language to fully meet their needs.