Kids Planet Austhorpe

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children flourish in this outstanding nursery. They arrive motivated and quickly engage in purposeful play. Babies seek comfort from familiar adults and respond with delight to warm and attentive interactions. These trusting relationships help children feel deeply secure. Staff gather rich information from parents from the start. Ongoing, two-way communication helps families feel valued and confident to support children's learning at home.

Children show exceptional behaviour. For example, in the 'fairy garden', they take turns, share ideas and support one another without prompting. They demonstrate high levels of independence. For example, they use spoons to serve food and pour their own drinks with control and confidence. Staff model calm, respectful interactions. They set clear, consistent expectations. Fundamental British values guide daily routines. For example, children show kindness, patience and cooperation. They treat others with care and respect. Every child feels heard, valued and confident.

Leaders set high expectations for every child. They design sequenced learning programmes with a strong focus on communication and language. These programmes build step by step through each nursery room and age group, helping children secure key skills over time. Staff respond swiftly to feedback from schools. For example, they increase opportunities for mark making and fine motor skills to support school readiness. Staff expertly introduce vocabulary and give children time to respond. They identify gaps early. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive tailored support and make excellent progress. All children leave confident, capable and exceptionally well prepared for school.

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

• Children confidently express their ideas through building, drawing, role play and imaginative design. Staff follow children's interests and build learning around them. For example, children decided to make belts and bracelets using wool. Staff supported them to cut lengths safely and choose colours for their designs. Children then helped one another to put them on, celebrating their creations with pride and developing confidence, teamwork and creativity.
• Children develop strong mathematical understanding through rich, hands-on experiences. For example, while building an obstacle course, they use size, weight and shape to plan and construct safely. They compare lengths, predict balance points and test ideas. Children are not afraid to make mistakes and learn from them. Staff regularly count with children and use language around shape, size and measurement. Children solve problems confidently and apply mathematics with enthusiasm and independence.
• Children develop an exceptional love of reading and literacy. Outdoors, they enthusiastically share stories with staff, actively joining in and discussing what might happen next. They independently use story sacks and props to retell familiar tales with rich language. Reading at home is strongly promoted through a well-used lending library. Children create characters and storylines through role play, drawing on knowledge and vocabulary learned from books.
• Children develop excellent speech and language skills. Staff present information clearly and support understanding through gestures, signs and repetition. They model accurate vocabulary, repeat words back correctly and praise children's efforts. Children speak confidently and clearly. They hold conversations with visitors, share their ideas with enthusiasm and communicate their thoughts with growing fluency.
• Children develop a deep understanding of the world around them. For example, during regular visits to a local care home, they explore toys from the past and talk with residents about their memories. These meaningful interactions bring history to life. Staff build on this by teaching children about people who help us. For example, children use small-world play to explore emergency roles, showing empathy and respect.
• Leaders demonstrate a strong commitment to continuous improvement. They actively seek the views of staff, parents and children to shape meaningful change. Leaders closely monitor practice and provide tailored training and hands-on support to deepen knowledge and reflect current thinking in early years. This helps staff to continuously grow in confidence and skill, directly enhancing children's learning and progress. Staff well-being is prioritised, with manageable workloads and support aligned to individual strengths and interests.
• Parents praise the nursery's strong impact on their children's development. They highlight the smooth settling-in process and the dedication of knowledgeable staff. Children make excellent progress, particularly in their language development. They value how staff build children's independence such as using cups and cutlery confidently. Families say their children have 'progressed beyond expectations' and 'flourished' at the nursery.
• Leaders plan moves through the nursery very effectively. Children adapt confidently as they progress through different rooms. Staff build strong relationships and share key information to ensure smooth transitions. For example, children tidy away belongings and manage personal needs with increasing independence, showing they feel secure, capable and ready for change.