Kiddi Caru Day Nursery Webbs Wood Road

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff build warm, attentive and nurturing relationships with children, creating a calm and emotionally secure environment. They promote children's exploration, independence and familiarity with routines at the setting. Staff engage children by skilfully weaving their interests into play and learning and respond quickly to children's individual needs.

The curriculum is designed to broaden children's experiences through connections with nature and home. There is a strong emphasis on creating a language-rich environment, where communication and curiosity are nurtured through everyday experiences. The curriculum has been shaped by the staff team, based on a clear understanding of what children need to learn and why. This collaborative process has resulted in a well-structured curriculum that staff take pride in, giving them a strong sense of ownership and shared purpose.

Staff place a strong importance on reading stories and using books to support children's learning. Leaders have implemented a lending library to support early literacy through themed story bags. Familiar stories engage children as they join in with repeated refrains and identify characters and settings, such as 'fox' and 'ocean'. Parents report that this enthusiasm continues at home, especially during bedtime reading. This strengthens early literacy skills and nurtures a lasting love of books.

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

• Children enjoy structured activities like 'Sing and Sign,' and focused vocabulary support to enhance their communication and language development. Staff model age-appropriate language, using single words and descriptive terms, such as 'brush, squeeze,' and 'poke' to support early language acquisition. However, the frequent use of closed-ended questions limits children's opportunities to use words to express their ideas, think through problems and deepen their engagement.
• Children enjoy daily access to a well-planned outdoor environment. For example, very young children scoop sand into different containers and toddle around the garden. Older children use stepping stones, set at different heights and distances from each other to develop their gross motor skills and coordination. Children make good progress in their physical development.
• Sensory exploration is a strong feature throughout the setting, with water, sponges and textured play dough used effectively to develop children's curiosity. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), receive attentive support from staff. However, in some cases, tailored strategies and visual supports are lacking, limiting opportunities to fully enhance communication and engagement to develop children's learning further.
• Feedback to staff is embedded through planned inductions and monthly supervision check ins, leading to timely and thoughtful adjustments to practice. Staff meetings effectively communicate curriculum intent, clarify expectations and encourage reflective practice. Leaders prioritise staff well-being, supporting both emotional and physical health in the workplace.
• Staff foster inclusion through meaningful celebrations of cultural diversity, avoiding tokenism and promoting genuine understanding. Children are supported to recognise and respect similarities and differences through stories, discussions and culturally relevant resources.
• Staff make thoughtful adjustments to support dietary needs and encourage positive eating habits. Children prepare their own snack, and they explore the different textures as they cut up fruit. Staff sit alongside children during lunch and children enjoy healthy and nutritious food prepared by the partner setting nearby. Care practices, such as sleep and feeding patterns, are closely followed from home.
• Parent partnerships are strong, supported by regular events, such as parents' evenings, themed picnics and open days. A dedicated parents' board shares key information, including sustainability initiatives and upcoming events, complemented by newsletters and daily updates that capture each child's experiences.
• Staff recognise and praise children's positive behaviours and demonstrate an understanding of how to help children to regulate their own behaviour. For example, giving families ideas of how to support their children at home, such as using sand timers to support children's good behaviour during transitions. Staff are gentle and positive in their interactions with children and model a calm, respectful manner.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance the professional development of staff to build on ways to ask children more purposeful questions to develop children's thinking skills and communication further
• support staff to effectively implement strategies to help all children, particularly those with SEND, to communicate their needs.