Kiddi Caru Day Nursery and Preschool Crews Hole

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy, safe and secure. They enjoy talking with staff about what they know and can do. Children are guided to develop creative skills in many different ways. Babies laugh and smile as they use their bodies to paint marks on a large piece of paper on the floor. Toddlers make artwork using flowers and twigs. This helps them explore their imagination and share their own ideas. Children are kind and take turns sharing toys.

The curriculum is good and prepares children for the next stage of learning. The nursery has a strong focus on supporting children's physical development. Staff help toddlers make music with percussion instruments and move to the rhythm. Children develop coordination and balance. Staff motivate older children to enjoy running. They discuss with pre-schoolers why running makes them feel breathless. Babies build their core strength as they climb through little tunnels.

Staff recently told Ofsted about an incident and a breach of the requirements. Staff dealt with this promptly and appropriately. They have thoroughly examined the broader risks connected to the incident, and significant changes have been made. Staff have taken action to ensure the premises and equipment are safe, and to reduce hazards to keep children safe.

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

• Staff help children understand and express their emotions confidently. They read stories to pre-schoolers, teaching them new words for their feelings. Staff guide children to recall times when they felt different emotions and how these feelings changed their facial expressions. Children listen well and join the discussion.
• Staff recognise how vital it is to build strong relationships with children. They understand the positive effect this has on learning and development. A key-person system is in place, which includes a buddy system for staff absences. Staff who work only during term time, mostly have children assigned to their care who also attend term time only. However, some pre-school children who attend all year round have a different key-person during the holidays. Consequently, some staff temporarily care for several key-children, which limits their ability to support children's learning and development further.
• Children are kind to others and engaged learners. Young children concentrate on one activity for a long time. When children struggle to share toys or take turns, staff speak in calm voices and support children in understanding how their behaviour impacts others.
• Toddlers speak with increasing confidence. Staff have meaningful conversations with children, giving them time to think and reply. Pre-school children planting seeds talk about how plants need water and sunlight to grow. In the baby and toddler rooms, staff offer extra help to children who do not speak English as their first language. Staff learn basic words in the child's language to aid their development. However, in the pre-school staff do not implement support strategies fully, to help children who speak English as an additional language to increase their vocabulary and communication skills even more.
• Staff well-being is important to leaders. Staff report that they feel supported and valued in their role and enjoy working in the team. Leaders create good working conditions and hold regular team-building days. For example, they recently organised a family sports day for staff.
• A good curriculum is in place, which develops children's curiosity. Staff know how to implement it. Children have free access to a wide variety of toys and activities. However, staff do not review their plans for the use of funding for disadvantaged children, ensuring it is used effectively and all children reach their full learning potential.
• Parent feedback is positive. They comment on being well informed about their child's progress and the various activities their children take part in. Parents report that their children are happy when they attend the nursery, and they recommend the nursery to others.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop the key-person system in the pre-school even more, to help staff support children's learning and development further
• extend strategies to support pre-school children who speak English as an additional language, to increase their vocabulary and communication skills even more
• review and enhance how funding is utilised, to help children reach their full learning potential.