Kiddi Caru Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive in the nursery. They enthusiastically learn through their purposeful play and through the meaningful interactions they have with highly receptive and skilled staff. Babies and very young children feel flour and pour water to help make their own play dough. Older children build on a similar activity, recalling the ingredients and quantities they need to make their dough. They work out what to do if they think their mixture feels too dry or too wet before adding herbs and spices to make their dough unique. Children say it smells 'delicious' and is soft to knead. Later, children use the dough to help them strengthen their hand muscles. They use songs to describe the movements they use while they roll, squash and chop their dough. This contributes to children's readiness for writing.

Very young children show their fascination for sea creatures frozen in ice. They tap the ice and rummage in the shallow tray to find other creatures and plants. They spontaneously return to the tray throughout the day, feeling the water when the ice begins to melt. Staff narrate what children see and feel and talk about the objects found. They give children time to repeat words and find out what they remember when children go back to the tray. This helps to build on children's developing vocabulary and understanding of the world around them.

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

• The dedicated manager has very high expectations of the staff. She supports them to continually develop their professional knowledge, helping to ensure highly effective teaching methods are consistently used throughout the nursery. This contributes to the excellent progress children make in their learning and development.
• Staff know the children very well. They use their accurate assessment of children's progress to create a child-centred curriculum that builds on what each child already knows and understands. Staff sensitively move children's learning on at a pace suited to their needs. Through their excellent understanding of sequential teaching, staff ensure children are immersed in memorable and meaningful activity. Children foster a love for books, and babies thrive in an environment of two-way communication to help promote excellent skills in communication and language.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported very well. Dedicated staff work closely with external professionals to help ensure that the support and care given is tailored to the precise needs of children. Detailed plans are shared with parents, helping to ensure that appropriate, consistent support is given at home and at nursery.
• The manager and staff have exceptionally good relationships with parents and carers. Although parents do not routinely come inside the nursery to drop off and collect their children, staff ensure that a wide range of resources, information, fresh fruit and a small foodbank are always accessible. In addition, parents are welcome to spend time sharing stories and games with their children in a purposefully created nook inside the building. Regular open days focusing on different celebrations and activities encourage parents to spend time with children and staff in the nursery, further strengthening their relationships. Through their understanding of children's lives at home, staff plan activities and provide resources that introduce new and exciting experiences to children, helping to accelerate learning.
• Children are encouraged to take well-managed and age appropriate risk in their play. Staff help children think through how they can keep themselves and others safe. For example, staff ask children what a familiar nursery character, 'Risky Roo', would advise them to do while they climb, balance or use tools in their play. This helps to strengthen children's ability to self-regulate their activity and build resilience. Staff are effectively deployed, allowing children to choose the location in which they prefer to learn. They sing a song while they are supervised to walk up and down the stairs and know to put on sun hats and sunscreen in hot and sunny weather. This contributes to children's awareness of personal safety.
• Children behave very well. Minor disputes are quickly resolved through negotiation. Staff give gentle reminders when necessary, helping children consider the feelings of others. Children are curious, enthusiastic learners. They remain occupied throughout the day. Staff do not rush children to make decisions, allowing them to strengthen their skills in thinking and solving problems and to build resilience while they persevere to complete what they are doing. Staff effectively use their professional judgement to know when to let children play and learn without interruption. This contributes to children's ability to independently learn in preparation for school.