Kids Corner Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children form strong, positive bonds with staff. Leaders and staff support children's emotional well-being incredibly well. Staff promptly respond and cater to children's individual needs. For example, staff comfort and use signs or visual cues to help support babies. Staff also sensitively use home comforts to soothe younger children. Children settle exceptionally well in a short period of time when attending the setting. Children demonstrate that they are happy and secure, ready to learn.

Children thrive at this outstanding setting, where staff are passionate about their role as early years educators. Staff have established highly effective systems to support all children's needs. They swiftly identify gaps in children's learning and adapt teaching effectively. Children make excellent progress from their starting points, including those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff plan exciting learning opportunities reflecting children's interests and next steps in learning. For example, staff adapt their teaching when children are painting. Children show an interest painting using their hands. Staff demonstrate different marks such as finger and hand printing which children copy. Staff encourage children to paint both hands a different colour and mix to see what colour it makes. Children learn about mixing colours and share their knowledge with friends. Children sustain attention exceptionally well and build on what they know and can do. They demonstrate exceptionally positive attitudes to their learning.

Children are aware of their responsibilities at the setting. For example, older children tidy toys to where they belong and sweep up loose sand. Staff model throughout and give instructions to encourage all children to work as a team. For example, staff ask children to count the objects as they put them away. Children show enthusiasm to join in to demonstrate their counting skills. Children show respect for others and their environment.

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

• Leaders and staff work incredibly close with parents and other professionals. They gain information and skilfully tailor their support for all children, especially those with SEND. Staff use the information gathered to identify and without delay put in place support. They also carry out their own research to really ensure they provide the best opportunities for each child sharing these effective strategies with parents. This collaborative approach ensures children get the support they need quickly. Children make the best possible progress from their starting points.
• Leaders consistently reflect on their practice. Staff are always finding new ways to improve, change and extend their teaching and the experiences that they provide for children. Recently staff implemented training to support children with SEND. They share best practise with other staff members to help support other children's needs within the setting. Additionally, leaders reflect on their current curriculum and plan to put in place trips to a local allotment to help children learn and care for plants. This demonstrates leader's and staff's ongoing passion to continuously improve the care and learning they have to offer.
• Staff provide plenty of opportunities to build children's independence. Babies learn to self-feed using spoons and toddlers learn to pour their own water. Toddlers keep trying to pour water into open cups encouraged and modelled by staff. Children demonstrate high levels of independence at a young age. Older children confidently use tongs with good control as they select salad at lunch. Additionally, older children enjoy taking turns in being responsible for setting the table. Children demonstrate positive attitudes to their learning and gain important life skills.
• Staff support children to develop a wide range of vocabulary. They introduce new words and help them to extend single words into more complex sentences. For example, staff extend children's role play as they pretend to make tea adding interesting ingredients. Children eagerly join in and learn new words such as 'ginger' and 'cinnamon'. Children repeat and use the new words in context, embedding new language in their play. For example, they say 'I am mixing in the cinnamon.' Children develop their communication and language skills incredibly well.
• Children transition remarkably well to other rooms. Leaders plan adaptations in rooms to get children ready for the next stage in their education. For example, babies use open beaker tops to support them when they move onto open cups in the toddler room. Additionally, staff provide settling in sessions to help reduce any anxieties. Children develop confidence exceptionally well around new people and new situations. This contributes significantly to their ongoing well-being and emotional development.
• Children follow well-established rules and routines. For example, they quickly make a circle and attend their daily tooth brushing session. After, they wait their turn to wash their toothbrushes, putting away in their designated place. Staff are wonderful role models, consistently modelling good manners and expectations. When staff reinforce rules, such as using 'walking feet' children can articulate why this is important and where they are able to run at the setting. Children show respect to one another and behave superbly when playing and interacting.