Kiddies Arena

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Leaders and staff plan enjoyable activities that challenge children to work things out for themselves and make choices about what to do. This helps children to develop positive attitudes as they engage in learning opportunities. Staff agree flexible settling in routines with parents. They gather initial and ongoing information about children from parents. This helps staff to plan effectively for children's individual care and learning needs.

Staff help children to develop their independence, such as when they encourage them to put on their waterproof boots. Children gleefully splash their feet in water as they recreate and recall familiar stories outdoors with staff. Staff provide fun opportunities for children to develop their social skills. For example, children take turns to wash wheeled toys in the pretend car wash. They thoroughly enjoy this activity. They negotiate and play together for long periods.

Staff build warm relationships with children and their parents. They give sensitive advice and support to help parents to understand how to build on their child's development at home. Staff share information about how children learn best with receiving school staff. This shared approach contributes well to the good progress that all children make.

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

• Leaders are ambitious for children, staff and parents. They use successful methods to seek the views of parents and use feedback that they receive effectively. For example, they now organise more regular parent coffee mornings. This contributes well to a two-way flow of information and helps leaders to agree priorities for further development.
• Staff receive regular supervision and leaders support them to gain recognised qualifications. Staff share what they learn from professional development opportunities, such as how to implement an effective outdoor curriculum. Leaders support staff's emotional wellbeing and take steps to ensure staff feel valued. Staff share that they feel well supported and have manageable workloads.
• Staff make good use of resources in the local community and beyond to extend children's learning. Children experience a wider range of books when on regular visits to the library and during visits from a librarian. Children learn about the wider world while on extended outings. They have opportunities to understand more about living things, for example through real life experiences at the zoo.
• Staff support children to develop their communication well, including children with English as an additional language. Staff use successful methods to help children develop their English speaking skills. For example, they invite parents to read at the nursery in their home language and use visual aids to help children build vocabulary. This helps children who are still acquiring English to quickly adjust to new routines and understand what is expected. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are excited to find 'bugs' in soil. They approach staff and unfamiliar adults, eager to interact and show off what they find.
• Children use attractively displayed activities and resources to complete self-chosen tasks. They show that they are independent learners. Staff encourage children to behave well and consider the needs of others. Children invite others to join their play and show concern if they think their friends may need help. Older children willingly complete tasks, such as helping to give out cutlery. They remind their friends to say thank you as they do so.
• Older children have good opportunities to move their bodies. They run, balance and skilfully manoeuvre wheeled toys. Very occasionally, staff do not focus as effectively on the development needs of the youngest children. Staff sometimes leave babies sitting for longer periods before encouraging them to access resources or explore their surroundings. At times, some babies experience less focused interactions with staff.
• Leaders adopt a collaborative approach with relevant agencies when concerns about children's welfare or staff suitability arise. On the rare occasions that complaints are received they are thoroughly investigated. Leaders communicate their expectations clearly with staff. Despite verbal communication with complainants, written outcomes are not always shared with them following an investigation.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen the curriculum for babies so that the youngest children have well planned opportunities to engage in learning and make the best possible progress
• fully implement the complaints procedure so that a written outcome is shared with all relevant parties.