Kids Planet Chapelfields

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff welcome children warmly as they arrive at the setting. Children are eager to get involved in their play and are delighted to see their friends. Leaders place emphasis on a robust settling-in procedure that effectively supports children's emotional well-being. As a result of these thoughtful arrangements, babies and children demonstrate feelings of safety and security across the setting.

Children are motivated and excited to learn. Staff enable children to experiment and explore using a whole range of materials and resources. Children in the pre-school room are particularly engaged and focused as they make play dough. They skilfully squeeze and press the dispensers to add foam and colouring to their creations. Staff introduce new vocabulary to describe the consistency of the dough. Children use newly acquired language in the context of their play. For example, they describe the dough as 'squidgy and squelchy'.

Children make choices about what they would like to do because staff encourage them to develop their independence. Children have the opportunity to pour their own drinks, wash and dry their hands, and put on their own coats with just the right amount of help. Babies and children are confident and secure in the learning environment. Children make good progress in readiness for the next stage of their education. Leaders ensure that strong links across the rooms support children's learning journey effectively.

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

• Leaders have developed a well-sequenced curriculum. They support staff highly effectively to plan for children's learning. Staff members gather information when children start at the setting. They use this to meet children's individual learning needs. Staff have clear intentions of what they want children to learn and why. As a result, children make good progress.
• Staff feel very well supported by leaders. They receive feedback on their performance, which enables them to further develop their professional role. Leaders ensure that the work load for staff is well managed. Regular staff meetings offer them an opportunity to discuss any challenges and share best practice.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) get exactly the support they need. Staff take prompt action to support parents and ensure children have access to appropriate services. Effective intervention and strong partnership working ensures that all children with SEND achieve the best possible outcomes.
• Staff working with babies have a calm and nurturing approach. Care routines are respectful and babies' unique needs are prioritised. Babies delight in sensory play. They enthusiastically engage in exploring sand and water. Staff regularly sing and use familiar rhymes to support babies' development of communication and language.
• Staff plan interesting opportunities to support children's understanding of the natural world. Children get involved in planting and growing. Staff ensure that a range of natural resources support children's indoor and outdoor experiences. For example, they provide mud, leaves and pine cones for children to explore freely.
• Children are focused and engaged in their play. Staff encourage and enable them to cooperate and take turns with resources. Children respond positively to staff and are keen to play alongside them. They understand the setting's rules and staff consistently support them to behave well.
• Staff interact enthusiastically with children. However, they do not consistently adapt their teaching methods to enable children to further extend their learning. Staff do not provide children with the necessary time they need to think and respond to comments or questions. Therefore, children do not have the opportunity to consistently build on their listening, thinking and speaking skills.
• Parents are delighted with the service on offer. They particularly comment on the support for parents of children with SEND. They share their thoughts about the excellent provision to meet children's individual needs. Parents feel included and involved in their child's learning. They are positive about the effective communication they have with their child's key person.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide development opportunities to help staff to adapt their teaching during their interactions with children, so that they consistently support children's listening, thinking and speaking skills.