Kiddi Caru Day Nursery and Preschool Bradley Stoke

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children's emotional well-being is given priority. The nursery holds parent sessions prior to children starting to beneficially help children and parents to become accustomed to staff and environment. Children form close relationships with their key person and other staff working with them. New babies are sensitively helped to settle. Staff pick up on their interests and inspire babies' curiosity, offering them lots of reassurance and support to encourage babies to build their confidence to explore. Parents are very positive about the nursery. They say staff show genuine kindness and make sure children are happy, know and understand children and make meeting their needs a priority.

The nursery curriculum is well planned and led by the company's pillars of learning. Staff have programmes of support to help them focus learning intentions into experiences for the children, and they link these closely to children's learning needs and interests. Older children greatly benefit from the creative opportunities available to them and develop many other skills as they do so, such as their dexterity and coordination and a positive attitude to learning. They relish making play dough, selecting the items independently. Staff encourage them to follow their ideas, mixing in fresh herbs and experimenting with different consistencies. Staff join children in their imaginative play and encourage their thinking and discussion. Children construct with large items and link to their experiences, using terms such as 'safety first' and laying out cones and boundary lines. Children make good developmental progress. Children in receipt of additional funding and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported to reach their potential.

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

• Babies and children's care needs are well promoted. Staff ensure that children are comfortable and happy. Babies and toddlers are sensitively supported to get the rest they need. Staff follow children's dietary requirements closely, implementing the nursery's robust procedures.
• Staff give children patient support when they are struggling to manage their emotions or understand expectations. Children enjoy staff's company and show respect for them, listening and adapting their behaviour appropriately. Children learn about the needs of others and the boundaries in place for their safety. They share toys and learn to play cooperatively. Staff offer timely and effective help for children who require perceptive intervention and additional support.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. Parents appreciate the nursery's online communication app and the information that staff share on this, keeping them up to date with what their children are doing throughout the day. Regular conversations are also undertaken with parents to help support children's learning at home. However, staff do not forge links with the other settings children attend to share information for future planning and a consistent approach for children.
• Staff encourage children's interest in books. They read stories to the children, and babies love to snuggle in to look at a book with staff. Children enjoy borrowing books from the nursery's lending library, looking at these with staff as they settle in for the day or taking one home to share with their parents.
• Staff use clear speech to help develop children's communication. They supplement this with actions and signs to ensure that they gain babies' and children's attention and help their understanding. However, at times, staff do not plan their focused group times and ensure that daily routines are well-coordinated to fully support children's attention, engagement and learning.
• Children develop their independence skills. Older babies learn to feed themselves using their cutlery. Toddlers pour their own drinks, and staff give them useful tips and time to try to help their success. Older children serve themselves food, enjoying the responsibility of doing these tasks themselves.
• Young children develop their physical skills age-appropriately. Staff encourage babies to crawl about and pull themselves up to stand, beneficially building their strength. Toddlers develop their coordination, copying yoga positions that staff model. They balance on equipment in the garden, with encouragement or a helping hand from staff, building their confidence to tackle challenges.
• Management have led the staff team strongly since the takeover of the nursery by the new parent company, very closely supporting enhancements to practice and the provision. Staff feel listened to and supported in their roles. Senior staff are undertaking leadership training to help them lead their new teams. However, this is in the early stages. The management appreciate more is still needed to help staff evaluate their effectiveness and bring about further change.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• build links with other settings children attend, sharing information for future planning and a consistent approach
• support staff to more effectively plan routines and group times to ensure children's continued listening, attention and engagement
• continue to support staff skills and their ability to reflect on and enhance their practice.