Kids Planet Dukinfield

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children engage in extremely inviting and inventive experiences which build on children's outstanding skills and knowledge. For example, from breaking open ice with real-life hammers to unearth frozen dinosaurs to exploring the different taste, textures and properties of fruit in various activities. Through these activities, children gain extensive knowledge of the world around them and an understanding of cause and effect. Babies have exceptional levels of engagement as staff build a foundation for listening and attention skills early to make sure they are well embedded. For example, they sit engaging in song and rhyme time with staff, making actions to the songs and joining in with some key words. When the activity is finished, the babies engage with staff to indicate that they want to continue.

Children build strong bonds with the staff and their peers. Children are enormously supportive of one another and show care and concern for helping and looking after their friends. Staff manage behaviour exceptionally well. They model positive behaviour and will explain clearly to children why some behaviour may not be acceptable. This is then explored to identify if it has been understood. This results in the children being extremely well behaved. They understand about following rules and know the importance of taking turns. This is well embedded throughout the nursery.

Leaders and staff aspire for children to reach the high expectations they have for them. Leaders understand the specific impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on children. They use their knowledge and understanding to plan specially to support children's development. For example, staff provide lots of opportunities for children to be outdoors and explore the world around them. Leaders provide opportunities for parents to build on or learn new skills, and parents reflect on how well supported they were during the pandemic.

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

• Leaders of the nursery are extremely passionate about their role to achieve high standards for the children in their care and their families. They have a strong intent for their curriculum, and they know what they want children to achieve. This has been based on where they feel the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the children the most. Leaders are proactive in making sure staff are aware of the intent. This results in the whole nursery staff working as a team to consistently meet the needs of the children.
• The key-person system is highly effective in supporting the needs of the children. Leaders hold curriculum intent meetings with staff to discuss children's transitions to different rooms several months before they are due to move. This means that their new key person can start to get to know the child and their needs before they become part of their group. Due to staff's high level of knowledge about the children they care for, they can clearly demonstrate the reason why they have planned an activity and how it is going to support the individual next steps in a child's development.
• One of the learning intents throughout the nursery is developing children's communication and language. Staff consistently provide high-quality interactions for children. Older children are asked open-ended questions at appropriate times and are given time to think about their answers, and staff provide opportunities to enhance children's problem-solving skills to build on a higher level of thinking. High-quality interactions start from a young age. Babies are engaged in repetitive language and are given choices to develop their understanding of communicating with adults.
• Leaders and staff skilfully aim to ensure children have a wide range of experiences that support the essential knowledge children need. For example, children take trips out into the community and visit a local art gallery and museum. Children who have never been on public transport before excitedly tell staff about their experiences on a bus and a tram while on a trip out with their class. These opportunities further support children's communication and language development and provide them with opportunities to discuss and explore new thoughts.
• The nursery has an excellent process in place to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff notice signs that children may need extra support efficiently and put strategies in place to work with children while referrals are being processed. Staff work closely with outside agencies and understand the importance of working in partnership to achieve the best outcomes for children.
• Experiences to promote children's small-muscle movements are embedded throughout the nursery. This helps to promote the skills and muscle movement children need to be able to progress in their early writing skills. For example, pre-school children self-serve their lunch with tongs and use real-life tools to screw screws into wood. Toddlers explore fruit, using knives to cut them into small pieces.
• Partnership with parents is extremely strong. Leaders work hard in supporting parents, who attribute their children's successes to the support from nursery. Staff send home regular home-learning bags for children of all ages to further promote their development at home, and parents express how supported they are. Parents explain how well staff understand their children's personalities and how this promotes their development and feeling of security in the setting.