Kiddiwinks Day Nursery (Blackburn) Limited

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy to attend the nursery. They cheerfully wave goodbye to their parents and are excited to start their day. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, parents leave their children at the door, where their key person greets them. This has had a positive impact on children's independence. For example, they confidently organise their own belongings and put their slippers on ready to explore. All children have support to make choices throughout the day. This helps them to grow in confidence and promotes high levels of engagement in learning.

Children have strong attachments with staff, seeking them out to show them what they are doing, or to enjoy a cuddle. They enjoy listening to stories and singing songs with the enthusiastic staff. Children benefit from staff's good support during play. Staff talk to children about what they are doing and make gentle suggestions to introduce new skills. In the construction area, staff help children use photographs of landmarks to inspire their builds. Children use their imaginative skills well as they use their model to act out scenes from well-known films.

Children excitedly go outside at different times of the day. They develop their physical skills as they reach and pull themselves up on the climbing frame. Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour and calmly support them to interact kindly as they play. For example, they assist children to line up and take turns with the resources.

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

• Staff know their key children well. They regularly observe what children know and can do. Staff identify what each child needs to learn next. They collaborate weekly to organise learning opportunities that reflect these needs. The manager regularly evaluates the children's progress with their key person. She monitors progress, looking for gaps in development. Where gaps are identified, staff plan focused activities to help children catch up. However, staff do not always consider how much impact this has on children's learning.
• Communication and language development is a key focus. The manager has completed specific training in this area. She now works with staff to develop their skills in supporting children's language development. Staff use flash cards and pictures with younger children to build their vocabulary. They talk to the children about what they are doing and ask them open questions. Older children name words that begin with a certain sound each day. Children are increasingly confident communicators. However, not all children use the new words regularly in play and interactions with staff. Therefore, they cannot always recall words when answering questions.
• Parents say that staff are accommodating and responsive. They feel supported and informed about what their children are learning through online learning journals. Parents use these journals to send in pictures of what their child is doing outside of nursery. Staff use this to talk to children about where they have been, or to plan activities. For example, staff ask the children about their weekend and reference the pictures to promote discussion. Children smile as they remember and delight in telling staff what they have seen.
• Leaders focus on the well-being of staff and children. They offer a range of activities, such as drama and yoga, to give children opportunities that they may not otherwise have. The committed leader sources teachers to visit the nursery weekly. This enables staff and children to relax and learn new skills alongside each other. In addition, children go on the nursery minibus to visit the woods and take part in swimming lessons. They develop their physical skills and learn about the differences between these environments and where they live.
• The caring staff have created a warm and inclusive setting where all children are welcomed and celebrated. They work with outside agencies to ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities can fully access the learning opportunities that nursery offers. Leaders work with the staff team to create an environment that celebrates similarities and differences. Staff read stories to children about making friends and what makes everyone unique. Children think about differences in appearance and learn that they can be friends with everyone.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• consider more precisely the impact of planned activities on children's learning to check progress against intended learning.