Kids Planet Clevedon

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are well prepared for their future learning and gain the skills to be confident and resilient learners. The curriculum focuses well on encouraging children to gain good communication and language skills. Babies love songs and enthusiastically participate in 'Sleeping Bunnies'. They listen well and follow the instructions and actions, laughing together. Young children confidently retell the story of 'The Gruffalo'. They pause and ask questions, mimicking staff. They add to the story for example, explaining how caterpillars eat the leaves and turn into butterflies, showing what they have learned previously. Older children share the humour in a familiar story. They fill in missing rhyming words and predict what comes next with certainty. Children vote on which book to read next, developing an understanding of respecting their friends' decisions.

Older children engage well in an inviting activity, which builds on their previous learning. Children talk about what they remember, for example how containers can be 'half full' and 'nearly empty'. Staff help children expand these ideas with visuals and new vocabulary. Children use one-handed tools well, such as pipettes, as they 'almost fill' containers. They share their excitement with staff and their friends, showing a positive attitude to learning. Children make observations such as why the water has changed colour. Children work collaboratively, taking delight as they take it in turns to fill the containers. Children are proud of their achievements and receive praise, which helps build high levels of self-esteem.

Babies confidently explore their environment, knowing that familiar adults are close by to help when needed. Babies reach and grasp farm animals and listen to the names and sounds they make, enjoying the close interactions from staff. They listen to a familiar song, 'Old Macdonald', grinning happily and swaying in time to the rhythm, as they match name, sound and object together.

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

• The new management team have taken appropriate steps to ensure children remain safe within the nursery. They take their safeguarding responsibilities seriously and act promptly when concerns are identified. They support, guide and train staff to understand their responsibilities to report, follow up and escalate concerns to outside agencies if required.
• The curriculum is well designed and offers children a broad range of experiences. It is implemented successfully by well-trained staff, who know their children well. This is particularly evident in embedding the prime areas of learning. They use their observations and assessments of children's progress successfully to identify any gaps in children's learning and what they need to learn next.
• Babies develop their sensorial explorations well. They happily explore the gloop with their hands and those who are less confident use brushes and vehicles to make marks. Babies hear new words, such as 'slimy', and staff maintain a consistent commentary to help babies make connections. Babies are delighted to add to their learning, mixing the wheat flakes to create different textures.
• Older children develop their imagination well. They design rocket ships with the play dough, explaining how they need to cut the pieces smaller. Staff ask questions and listen to responses, giving options to extend their designs. Children learn to use scissors safely in their play. Those who are less confident are given time to have a go before staff provide guidance, explaining and demonstrating, so that children can achieve independently.
• There are some consistent routines throughout the nursery that help children develop a sense of identity. For example, children know to listen for their name and receive their photograph or name card so that they know it is time for them to wash their hands and place their card on the table in readiness for mealtimes. The new routines to support young children to understand behavioural expectations and support them as they change activities without disruption are not yet fully embedded. At times, this leads to some children disengaging from their learning.
• Children of all ages gain independence. Babies follow instructions well and place their drink bottle/cup on the tray when they have finished. Young children make choices on what to serve themselves for their snack and make attempts to pour their drinks. Staff speak kindly to children and encourage them to try new food, helping them understand the importance of a healthy diet. All children benefit greatly from lovely relationships with their familiar adults.
• The management team reflect on what is working well and where improvements are needed to maintain good-quality care, learning and development. They have identified some weaknesses in their partnerships with parents. For most parents, staff develop a good two-way flow of information through settling-in visits, handovers and the online application. However, this is not always consistent. The management team are developing systems to ensure that parents receive all the information about the operation of the nursery, including policies and procedures, and how to support children further at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• embed routines and support young children in times of transition between activities to help them remain focused in their learning and clear on behavioural expectations
• develop further arrangements to ensure parents receive information about the nursery and are fully involved with their children's learning.