Kids Incorporated

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children come inside the nursery with big smiles, eager to begin their day. Warm and friendly staff welcome them and offer them breakfast. Staff provide nurturing hugs and reassurance for children who are still settling in. Children feel safe and secure. They build strong and meaningful relationships with staff, who know them well.

Babies receive a range of exciting learning experiences. The knowledgeable staff plan interesting activities that encourage them to explore their senses. Staff know how to keep babies engaged and motivated. For example, they immerse them in interesting storytelling with props. Babies babble with excitement as they explore the items. Staff broaden babies and young children's vocabularies. They frequently add language such as animal names and noises. Communication and language are supported well.

Leaders construct a curriculum that intends to build on children's current interests. Staff implement this by providing children with options to plan their own activities. For example, when children show an interest in the changing seasons, staff take them on a nature walk. Children collect leaves and sticks, which they then use to design a picture. Children's creativity is promoted.

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

• Staff regularly engage children in a wide variety of exciting stories. They read enthusiastically to increase children's interest. Children are confident to talk about their favourite books. They frequently select them and snuggle down in a comfortable corner to look at them with friends. Children's love of reading is increased.
• Staff use assessment effectively to support children's learning and progress. They create next steps for children and share these with parents. Where children have special educational needs and/or disabilities, leaders work closely with parents and professionals. They collaboratively develop and implement plans for children. Through this, children benefit from a shared approach to their learning.
• Overall, staff understand the curriculum that has been developed for the nursery. They follow children's lead and develop their understanding through conversations and play. However, occasionally, activities are not planned accurately enough. This means that, at times, intended learning information is not effectively delivered to children.
• Children actively explore during their play, both indoors and outdoors. Leaders are fully aware of the limitations of outdoor space at the nursery. Therefore, they plan a wealth of exciting trips in the local community. For example, staff take children on outings to parks and open spaces. This is planned so that children can practise movements such as running and climbing. This increases their physical skills.
• Children have frequent opportunities to build their independence skills. For example, children prepare themselves for outdoor play and manage their hygiene routines. Furthermore, older children learn to cut fruit, which they practise at snack time. They demonstrate their confidence and try hard to complete tasks alone. Children's personal development is supported.
• Babies receive sensitive care. Staff ask them kindly if they can change their nappies. They talk and sing with them throughout these experiences. Sleeping routines are managed with the utmost care and respect. Babies settle quickly and calmly. Their needs are met swiftly by the nurturing staff.
• Children behave well. This is because staff consistently remind children of expectations. Children begin to understand rules and learn how to treat those around them. However, at times, staff do not use the language of emotions to support children who are upset. This means that, occasionally, children are not fully supported in understanding how they are feeling.
• Staff report high levels of support with well-being issues. They explain they feel valued in their roles and have meaningful supervision sessions with leaders. Staff explain that leaders provide them with plenty of professional development opportunities. For example, staff are able to access a wide range of online and in-house training. This supports teaching standards to be continually increased.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop how activities are planned and organised to consistently provide children with meaningful knowledge from intended learning
• support staff to increase children's understanding of emotions and feelings during interactions.