Kiddies@home

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children leave parents with ease as they arrive at the nursery. They have strong relationships with staff. Babies say 'hiya' to staff as they enter the room, and they enjoy cuddles when they are tired. Staff are aware that since the COVID-19 pandemic some children need more support when they start nursery. Settling-in sessions have been extended to allow new children more time to become familiar with their surroundings.

Children behave well. They show care and concern for others as they help their friends to stand up after they fall over. Staff remind children not to run inside and provide clear explanations why. Children engage in activities of their choosing and confidently follow their own interests. Staff support babies' communication and language development as they read books and sing songs with them. They introduce new vocabulary as they play alongside them. They repeat words, such as 'stomp stomp', as babies move animals around a tray of cereal. Older children develop their physical skills in the garden. They work together to move large, soft play blocks to create a 'house'. Children learn about the world around them. They intently examine a woodlouse they find. Children say it is 'prickly' as staff encourage them to hold it and describe how it feels.

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

• The manager and staff have a clear understanding of what they want children to learn. They gather information from parents and complete regular assessments to identify gaps in children's learning. The nursery's special educational needs coordinator is confident to work with other professionals. She shares strategies with parents to continue children's learning at home, and she follows targeted plans to support children's individual needs. This supports children to make good progress in their learning and development.
• Staff provide opportunities for children to progress across the seven areas of learning. Older children are encouraged to develop their imagination as they play alongside each other in the role-play area. They confidently approach visitors, engaging them in conversations, saying 'I made you a coffee' as they hand them a cup. Babies develop their physical and sensory skills as they explore paint using their hands and different small tools. Staff teach them how to dip sponges in paint to make marks on paper. However, on occasion, staff do not build on what children already know and can do to extend their learning further.
• Staff build children's self-esteem. Older children are given daily 'monitor' tasks to complete, such as handing out lunch to their friends. This builds confidence and gives them a sense of responsibility. Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. Children are friendly, polite, and react positively to staff's instructions. Older children shout 'team work makes the dream work' as they are praised by staff for putting their toys away.
• Staff give children opportunities to develop their independence and make choices. For example, they enable them to select what they would like for snack and encourage them to pour their own drinks. Staff use visual aids with children who need support to express their feelings and to assist them with following the daily routine.
• Parents are complimentary about the 'homely' nursery and say staff are 'amazing'. They report they are regularly updated on how their children are developing. Staff share ideas regarding how they can continue children's learning at home. Parents say they like the 'enrichment activities' the nursery offers, such as French lessons and forest-school sessions.
• The manager provides staff with regular professional development opportunities. For example, staff attend specific baby training to extend their knowledge on how to care for this age group. The manager carries out regular supervisions with staff. This gives them the opportunity to discuss their professional development and receive feedback as well as checking on their well-being. The manager invites teachers in from local schools to meet the children and to share information with them. This helps prepare children for their next stage in education.
• Children confidently talk to staff about their home life and what they do outside of nursery. However, although staff teach children about the world around them, they are not always proactive in finding out information about children's uniqueness and different backgrounds, and in celebrating these.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to build on what children already know and can do by extending their learning further during activities
• increase staff awareness of children's individual backgrounds so they can celebrate what makes them unique and improve their understanding of each other's similarities and differences.