Kids Planet Boston Spa

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and settled in this warm and welcoming setting. They leave their parents and carers with a wave, excited to start the day. Children have good relationships with staff. They chat happily with them about a recent trip to a play centre and their favourite toys at home.

Staff support children's emotional well-being well. Children learn about their feelings and what to do if they feel sad or angry. For example, children learn breathing techniques that help them to regulate their emotions. Staff set clear behaviour expectations. As a result, all children behave well. They listen carefully and follow instructions.

Children have a positive attitude to learning. They are excited to get busy and explore the activities on offer. This is because the curriculum is based around children's interests. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well. Any funding that is received is used effectively to support their learning and development. This helps to ensure that all children, including those with SEND, make good progress.

Children have lots opportunities to learn about the world around them. They take weekly trips to forest school where they build dens and learn about nature. Some children are busy learning how to speak Spanish words, while others enjoy trips to the local library, parks and shops. Children also enjoy visits from 'people who help us'. They talk enthusiastically about a recent visit from the fire brigade. This allows children to learn across all areas of the curriculum and prepares them well for the next step in their education.

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

• Children enjoy the programme of activities on offer. Babies and younger children benefit from sensory experiences that enable them to learn through all of their senses. For example, they experiment using water, fruit and flowers. They giggle with delight as they catch petals in their fingers before smelling them. Older children enjoy using their imagination to make a 'Jungle for Tigers'. They work together well to find resources to use outdoors. However, at times, activities are too challenging for younger children's stage of development. Consequently, sometimes, younger children are not able to take part fully in activities.
• Staff support children's growing communication skills well. Consequently, children are confident communicators. Babies benefit from lots of meaningful interaction. They sing songs, play with instruments and are offered a gentle narrative as they play. Younger children benefit from stories read enthusiastically by staff. They giggle at the funny noises that staff make as they read. Older children have lots of opportunity to engage in meaningful conversation. They talk confidently with the inspector about their play and what they enjoy learning.
• Children benefit from a nutritious home-cooked meal every day. They enjoy fruit for snack and drink fresh water that is available throughout the day. Mealtimes are a social occasion, for example older children engage in meaningful conversations with their friends and staff about how to stay healthy and strong. Babies and younger children demonstrate their perseverance and determination as they 'have a go' at feeding themselves independently. This is met with lots of encouragement and praise from staff who support them.
• Children enjoy being independent. Younger children smile proudly after washing and drying their own hands. They choose resources that they would like to use during play and replace them when finished independently. However, older children are not consistently given the opportunity to do things that they are capable of doing for themselves. For example, at lunchtime, some older children are not given the opportunity to scrape their own plate. This does not support their developing independence skills.
• The leadership team puts high emphasis on staff well-being. Staff benefit from regular training, which continually supports practice. Staff have regular catch ups with the leadership team to ensure that their well-being remains high. Newer staff members talk about the 'fantastic' guidance they have received since starting work at the setting. As a result, staff say they feel happy and very well supported.
• Parents are very complimentary of the setting. They talk about they how well their children have settled and the 'brilliant' relationships their children have with their key person. Parents are happy with the communication strategies that the setting uses to inform them of their children's learning and development.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop staff's understanding so that they consistently provide activities that are well matched to children's varying ages and stages of development
• ensure that the development of older children's independence is supported consistently.