Kids Planet Billinge

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children receive a warm welcome from staff who know them well. They separate from their parents with ease and explore the stimulating learning environment that staff have planned for them. The nursery's robust settling-in process ensures that staff build strong relationships with children and their families. Consequently, children show they feel safe and settle quickly into their nursery routines. They enjoy their time spent with those who care for them.

Leaders have designed a clear, broad and ambitious curriculum. Overall, this is implemented well and helps all children make good progress in their learning over time. Young children start their day singing the welcome song with their friends. They select their photograph to self-register. Toddlers cuddle in with staff for their favourite story, and older children spend time outside exploring the snow that has fallen overnight. The curriculum helps children learn about similarities and differences between themselves and others, as well as the world around them. Staff model behaviour and expectations well. For example, when introducing a new game, staff demonstrate the game to children several times so they know what is expected of them. Children are supported to use their manners and say 'please' and 'thank you' in their conversations. Staff provide children with praise and encouragement throughout the day. Consequently, children's self-esteem and confidence are increasing.

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

• Leaders monitor the quality of the provision closely and know that the overall quality of education is good. Through effective self-evaluation, they have accurately identified that the provision for two-year-olds is an area of focus and, for these children in particular, the curriculum is not always taught as leaders intend. Leaders have taken decisive action to review staffing structures and to implement a robust plan. This is helping them ensure that all children receive high-quality learning experiences across the nursery.
• Children's personal development is supported well. The nursery provides children with healthy food and snacks, which they eat with gusto. Children are taught to be kind and caring to one another, and they play cooperatively with friends. However, staff do not consistently implement the setting's hygiene procedures. Occasionally, staff do not wash their hands after wiping children's noses and before handling food. Additionally, at times, they do not encourage children to be aware of the need for good hygiene and self-care. This hinders some children's learning about preventing cross-infection.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and children in receipt of additional funding are well supported. Staff use assessment effectively and act promptly when they have concerns about children's development. They work in partnership with parents and external professionals and each other to plan and monitor appropriate targets for each child. These robust approaches help to ensure that all children who attend nursery make good progress in their learning and development over time.
• The curriculum offers a wide range of opportunities to help children strengthen their large- and small-muscle skills. Babies are supported by staff to use their whole body to create marks on large pieces of paper with paint. Toddlers use a range of small tools to pick up coloured ice in their sensory tray. When outside, older children work hard with their trucks and diggers to collect and move the snow over a ramp. These fun experiences, along with planned sports and games, support aspects of children's physical health and development well.
• In most rooms, the curriculum for communication and language is implemented well through back-and-forth commentary during play. Children enjoy singing songs, learning action rhymes and reading books. Staff use a range of strategies, such as sign language, to support all children's communication. Children are becoming confident speakers.
• Leaders and staff have good systems and processes in place for the general management of most information and records. For example, confidential information about staff and children is held securely. However, leaders do not have a consistent approach when following procedures to log and manage all complaints and concerns from parents. This reduces their ability to analyse the details needed to help them make the most effective responses.
• Leaders and staff have effective arrangements in place to support children in managing their behaviour. Consequently, children behave well. For example, children learn to share and take turns. They follow staff instructions and help each other tidy away their resources in preparation for lunchtime. Children are respectful of each other and their environment.
• Partnership with parents is strong. Leaders and staff place great value on forming relationships with parents and carers. Parents who are new to the nursery feel reassured about leaving their children as staff have taken time to get to know them. This helps children feel settled and secure in their new environment.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• monitor the success of improvements being made to the provision for two-year- olds to help make sure that the intended curriculum is delivered to the same consistently high quality in all areas of the nursery
• strengthen the implementation of hygiene procedures to help children learn more about personal and self-care
• review the internal procedures for the oversight and management of concerns and complaints.