Kiddy Academy Huntscross

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children's confidence soars in the care of the dedicated leaders and attentive staff at this safe and inclusive nursery. They build strong relationships with staff, who support children's welfare and development well. For example, key persons work together when children move to a new room in the nursery. This supports staff to provide consistency for children's individual needs. Children's emotional well-being and happiness are highly supported, ensuring they are ready and able to learn.

Children are enthusiastic and active learners. Staff plan activities that are based on children's interests and that build on what children already know. Children are eager to explore and engage well in a broad range of activities, such as exploring with paint to mix colours, making their own play dough and problem-solving to arrange recycle bins with the correct waste. There is effective support from staff to help children learn the skills to prepare them for the next stage in their development.

Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. Children understand the routines and confidently follow instructions. For example, they take off their own wetsuits and shoes when they come inside. Children learn to share and take turns when playing with each other. They are kind and considerate, and they use good manners. Staff praise children's efforts and achievements, building high levels of self-esteem and encouraging them to have a 'can-do' attitude to their learning. Children behave extremely well and show care and empathy towards each other.

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

• Staff plan an ambitious, exciting curriculum, which is designed to give children a wealth of experiences. Staff regularly observe as they play with the children. They are well qualified and experienced. Overall, teaching is good. However, on some occasions, staff do not specifically link what they want children to learn to the activities that they provide, so children do not get the most out of the experiences provided.
• Staff support children's communication and language skills. They introduce new words for children to extend their vocabulary. Children listen to storytelling, engaging with ideas of what could happen next and repeating familiar phrases. Older children are confident speakers, and they express their ideas well. Staff engage in conversations with children, eagerly listening to what is being said. This supports children's confidence and self-esteem.
• Children are developing their understanding of the world. For example, they learn all about different occupations. They say, 'A paramedic drives the ambulance to save people.' Staff use what children already know to talk about visits to the doctors where they have had their vaccinations and what they are for. This ensures children are being taught how to keep themselves safe and are making sense of the world around them.
• Staff understand the physical development needs of children and babies. They help babies to climb inside and to pull themselves up onto nursery equipment that is just at the right height. Staff guide older children to persist at throwing hoops onto cones and riding wheeled resources with skill. Furthermore, children join in with yoga sessions to help develop their flexibility and coordination skills. This encourages children to explore freely and become confident and physically strong.
• Staff help children to learn essential knowledge about the words associated with feelings. They skilfully use books, such as 'The Colour Monster', to identify the names of different emotions. Staff and children practise using the facial expressions that may indicate a certain emotion. Children use words to explain how they feel. This helps them to manage their feelings well.
• The support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is strong. Staff work closely with parents and external agencies to ensure the best outcomes for all children. Leaders act with integrity to ensure that children with SEND receive the highest level of support. For example, staff complete specific training to support children's individual needs. This means staff are fully informed about any care or developmental needs to support children.
• Leaders place a strong focus on the well-being of staff, who appreciate the support that they receive. They reward and praise staff for their efforts. This results in passionate and enthusiastic staff who have high ambitions for children's care and learning.
• Parents are very positive about the nursery. They confirm there is strong communication, and they feel very informed about their children's care routines and how staff are supporting their children's development. Staff offer parents ideas about how they can help support their children's learning at home. This contributes to promoting children's development.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• build on staff's knowledge of the curriculum intent so they are clear what skills and knowledge they want children to gain from all experiences.