Kids Planet Donisthorpe

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff provide a welcoming and safe environment for children. Children show excitement as they enter the nursery and quickly engage with the stimulating and inviting learning experiences that are on offer. Children who require additional support to settle are given gentle reassurance. Staff establish strong relationships with children. These help children to feel secure as they independently explore and express themselves. Staff know children well. They use their secure understanding of children's individual needs and personal interests to provide a meaningful curriculum that inspires and motivates children to learn. Children are supported effectively to build on their knowledge and skills. Staff ensure that children are well prepared for their transition on to school.

Children behave well in response to high expectations and consistent guidance from staff. Babies are supported to learn from an early age how to take turns with their friends. They show affection by smiling and gently touching each other. They hold out their arms to staff and delight in receiving warm cuddles. Older children help to tidy away and comment how much they will miss their friends when they start school. Staff skilfully foster an environment where all children flourish and receive focused support to make good progress in their learning and development.

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

• Leaders and managers strive to provide good-quality provision for all children. Staff are fully encouraged to undertake further training to enhance their knowledge and skills. This ensures that staff develop effective practice and use appropriate teaching strategies to help all children reach their potential.
• Staff are good role models and enthusiastically join in children's activities. This helps children to gain the most from the learning opportunities that are provided. Staff encourage children to be curious and inquisitive. For example, when children want water to extend their outdoor game, they quickly work out that they can fill teapots and jugs at the water dispenser. Children demonstrate positive attitudes and enjoy solving problems independently.
• Staff work very hard to provide exciting activities that entice children to join in and help to promote their understanding of the world around them. Children are keen to explore and use their senses. For example, children delight in touching, smelling and tasting different citrus fruits. They show fascination as they squeeze and squash the fruits and dig out the pips with their fingers. This helps children to develop their small-muscle skills and coordination.
• Parents comment that leaders and staff are supportive and work in partnership with them to help children settle quickly and enjoy their time at nursery. However, leaders do not ensure that communication between nursery and home is always effective. This means that some parents lack clear information about children's learning and development and how they can further support this at home.
• Staff interact effectively with children. They give high priority to supporting children's speech and language skills. For example, they ask relevant questions, model and repeat words clearly and encourage children at every opportunity to communicate. Occasionally, children's play is interrupted by daily routines, such as nappy-changing, or having to wait to long for adult direction at mealtimes. This leads to some children losing focus and becoming unsettled.
• Staff ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported and that they take part in activities that engage them and help them to make progress. Staff are proactive in seeking advice and support from other professionals. This ensures that next steps for learning are carefully sequenced and helps all children to achieve the best outcomes.
• Staff skilfully promote positive relationships throughout the nursery. Children value the friendships they have made and show care and consideration for one another. They are quick to offer help to others when needed and relish working collaboratively to build models and play games.
• Children enjoy regular opportunities to engage in outdoor physical activities. They delight in running, jumping and using wheeled toys. This helps them to develop good spatial awareness as they learn to safely navigate their way around obstacles.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen links with parents and carers to provide clear information on how children are progressing, on the next steps in learning and on how parents can further support children's development at home
• support staff to further develop daily routines, so children remain engaged in activities and their learning is not interrupted.