Kiddies Corner Day Care

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and flourish in this welcoming and stimulating environment. The effective settling-in procedures help them to feel secure from the start. Children form strong bonds with the staff, who have exciting and engaging activities ready for them on arrival. Children make friends, play together nicely and successfully solve problems. For example, children confidently find clues on each puzzle piece and work together to complete the puzzle successfully.

Children benefit from a varied curriculum that meets their needs and learning styles well. Toddlers explore while they develop their physical skills outdoors. For instance, they enjoy using the 'ride-on' bicycles and practising their balance on the various equipment. Children have access to resources that develop extended concentration and engagement. Staff show an in-depth knowledge of each child's character and sensitively encourage each one to flourish.

Children are confident and independent as they select their own activities. They are eager to try new and interesting activities and show confidence in their achievements. For example, children 'paint' with coloured shaving foam. They make marks on a see-through acrylic screen and turn to smile at their key person, beaming with pride. Staff are good role models and remind children to use good manners and follow the expected code of behaviour.

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

• Staff identify all children's next steps in learning. They use their knowledge of what children know and can do to plan fun and ambitious activities. All children are extremely well-prepared for the next stage of their education, particularly when they practise their independence skills. For example, younger children gain confidence when they use the stairs, such as going from sitting on the stairs and bumping down to walking, using the handrail. Older children are encouraged to persevere with cutting up cucumber for the resident African land snail.
• Staff support the communication and language development of younger children, those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and those with English as an additional language well. For example, they intentionally use repetitive and simplified language to scaffold communication. However, at times, staff working with the older children do not model the correct or more complex language, to fully extend the communication skills of these children.
• Children with SEND are supported well. Staff are dedicated to implementing agreed strategies with parents and other early years professionals. An independent speech and language therapist is used to closely liaise with practitioners and parents, to develop targeted individual learning plans for children. Leaders have a good understanding of how children develop, and this supports children to make good progress.
• Children explore the outdoors and learn about nature. They enjoy activities that offer them challenge and learn how to manage risks. For example, they practise skills in woodwork using real tools. Staff celebrate children's completed designs by displaying them in the outdoor area. Children visit the local area. For instance, they make regular trips to the local shops and nearby wildlife park. However, children do not have many opportunities within the nursery to learn about diversity and the world beyond their own.
• Parents value the daily communication that they have with staff. They receive regular updates about their child's endeavours while at the nursery. Staff work hard to document children's progress. They share special and 'wow' moments with parents, with the expectation that children continue to embed learning beyond the nursery. Parents are encouraged by ideas and strategies that they can use at home, to ensure a consistent approach to their child's development.
• The leadership team have a high quality vision for the nursery, and lead in an inspirational way. They constantly evaluate the provision to make sure that the needs of all children are met. For example, staff have recently visited other settings as part of a review to strengthen group times in their own nursery. As a result, children benefit from bespoke activities that appeal to their age and stage of development, as well as help them to make good progress with their planned next steps in learning.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• increase the support for staff to effectively model correct and more complex language, to fully extend the communication skills of older children
• review and improve ways to further develop children's understanding of the wider world and other communities beyond their own.