Kiddikins Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive in this highly effective nursery. The curriculum is underpinned by a strong focus on developing children's life skills. For instance, children learn through a bespoke 'home economics' programme of learning that is run by the nursery's cook. Children begin with simple kitchen skills, such as buttering bread, and progress to independently following recipe cards. This enables them to produce a wide range of food items.

There is a significant focus on children's personal development. Children smile with joy as they play together, developing a range of physical skills as they roll down the hill and crawl through the tunnel. They have secure, positive relationships with the staff who care for them. Children's vital communication and social skills are promoted at all times. Older children enthusiastically wave to the toddlers through the window, and the toddlers eagerly respond, waving back in delight.

Children's behaviour is exceptional. They understand what positive behaviours look like. Children show high levels of care and respect for each other. For instance, older toddlers gently help younger children to undo their coat buttons and hang their coats up. Children consistently demonstrate the learning that they have accumulated over time. For example, they listen carefully and take part at group time. Toddlers who are not yet two years old demonstrate high levels of independence as they collect their lunch tray and wait patiently in line before finding a seat.

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

• The overarching aim of the nursery's curriculum is to make the world a better place. Staff strive to support children to grow into responsible citizens who make a positive contribution to the wider world. They help children to achieve this by being excellent role models, showing kindness and compassion and giving children the confidence to lead their own learning.
• When children begin their journey at this nursery, staff meet with their family to obtain detailed information about their individual needs and stages of development. This ensures that children get the right support as soon as they arrive.
• Staff use assessment effectively to ensure that children are making progress. If children are not meeting their expected milestones, staff are quick to implement strategies to support them in quickly catching up in those areas. For example, they will use specific speech and language support activities.
• Children of all ages are thoroughly engaged and progress in all areas of learning as they explore the nursery. Babies and toddlers are given encouragement and support to meet their physical milestones, such as sitting, rolling, crawling and walking. Older children show the confidence to voice their own ideas and lead their own activities. For example, they work out how to make their own play dough.
• Staff use stories, songs and rhymes very effectively to upskill children in their speaking and listening. For example, they set up a play tray with resources from the story 'Goldilocks and the Three Bears'. This supports children to use storytelling language as they remember and retell the story. Children confidently remember the story and use excellent vocabulary in their description.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are extremely well supported. Individual programmes of support are implemented on a daily basis. This means that children with SEND access the same curriculum as their peers and can fully participate in all of the nursery's routines and activities.
• Parents are extremely complimentary of the nursery. They say that staff are supportive, approachable and have helped their children to thrive. They describe staff's communication and support for their families as a strength.
• As children move on to school, they are given the skills they need, such as independence, confidence and managing their own self-care. This enables children to have a strong start. Staff accompany children on their school transition visits alongside their parents in order to provide additional emotional support.
• Staff are very well supported in their professional development, and as a result, they are happy and proactive. Staff each have their own area of leadership, and this directly benefits children. For example, staff with additional training in speech and language ensure that the teaching in this area is of a high quality across the nursery.
• Managers have established excellent links with other professionals in the area, for example with healthcare workers. This ensures that children and families receive rapid access to a range of support and services, such as specialist equipment to support their needs.
• Early years pupil premium funding is used strategically to support the needs of the children in this setting. For example, this year, funding is being used to provide training for all staff in child-appropriate sign language. This will help to support speech and language development for vulnerable children.