Kiddi Caru Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and settled at this setting. They make good use of the inviting inside and outside learning spaces and activities based on their interests. Children enjoy learning and are inquisitive as they investigate things that interest them. For example, in the garden, the children find a spider. They creatively build a 'spider web bridge' to enable the spider to travel across the whole construction area. Children work cooperatively to use the boxes, tubes and masking tape. They consider how the spider might travel.

Children develop their vocabulary and communication skills and are confident in making choices and expressing their views. Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is good. Staff know the children very well and use this knowledge to ensure that all children get the best out of their time in the setting.

Children learn to regulate their own behaviour well. They are kind and respectful of each other and their environment. Staff support babies and younger children to settle quickly, providing them with their individual comforters and gentle reassuring cuddles. Staff support children to socialise and play cooperatively and to learn skills missed due to the isolation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Children make good progress from their individual starting points. Staff encourage curiosity and provide exciting learning experiences. For example, children use ice to create an environment for sea animals. Children learn how the ice feels and ask questions about why the ice gets smaller as it melts.

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

• Parents praise the highly effective partnership they have with staff at this nursery. They feel the key-person system is central to their children being able to settle quickly. Staff build strong bonds with the children and their family. They provide good care and reassurance. Parents feel their children have made good progress with their confidence and vocabulary development.
• Staff support children's communication and language development well. Children experience a range of activities that support early literacy skills, such as learning to sing and sign, listen to stories and explore mark making. Children are confident communicators and express their views through gesture, words and alternative communication systems. Print and photos within the rooms and outside inspire children to ask questions.
• Children learn about different cultures, festivals and languages. For example, children learn French during their play and routines. Staff use print around the room to label objects in French. Children celebrate a range of cultural events across the year. They have access to a range of books and resources that consider our diverse society. They learn about choice and tolerance as part of everyday play.
• Staff plan a curriculum based on children's interests and development. They know the children's likes, dislikes and next developmental steps well. However, they do not always incorporate individual learning opportunities into play. Although staff encourage children to express their choice about activities they want to engage in, at times children choose not to take part in activities. This means they are not always challenged sufficiently to try new experiences.
• Children learn about making healthy choices at snack and mealtimes. The chef provides nutritious meals with consideration of dietary requirements and allergies. Children independently manage their utensils to feed themselves and enjoy this social occasion together. Children follow good hygiene and self-care routines. They have quickly become familiar with additional handwashing arrangements. Children learn to become more independent with toileting routines. There are clear procedures in place, should a child become ill or have an accident while at the setting.
• Children learn about bugs and animals in different environments. Staff encourage them to plant seeds and watch them grow. Children adapt role play to act out what they know. For example, the home corner becomes a hairdresser's salon, where the children discover hairbrushes and what they can do. The adults provide resources and enable children to extend their play. While there is a rich and varied range of experiences on offer to the children, early numeracy skills are not always promoted through play and routines, to extend children's mathematical skills even further.
• The manager and her deputy have a clear vision for the development of the nursery. For example, they want to develop the outside area and consider accessibility for all children. Staff paperwork has been considerably reduced, enabling them more quality time with the children.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• sequence the curriculum more precisely, so that staff teaching meets and challenges children's individual needs even further
• provide further opportunities for children to explore and problem solve activities with numbers, shapes and patterns to extend their already good mathematical skills.