Kids Planet Eccles

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy in this nursery. They walk in full of excitement and eagerly greet staff members with huge smiles. Children are engaged by the interesting curriculum on offer. The staff show genuine care and commitment to every child. They have high expectations for all children and want them to succeed. Children are kind and compassionate. They learn about feelings through songs and stories. Children discuss emotions, such as fear and excitement, as they talk about the move to school. They are well prepared for the transition to their next stage in education.

The management team and staff are extremely proud of the children. They show delight when children master a new skill, and share this information with parents. This support impacts on children's behaviour. Children behave really well. They are curious, have a desire to explore and are keen to try new activities. Children are motivated to learn because staff provide interesting learning experiences consistently across the nursery. Staff recognise that children have experienced fewer opportunities outside of the home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and ensure children spend lots of time outdoors, which helps them to rapidly gain physical skills. Children show impressive levels of confidence. They eagerly share their opinions and express their choices effectively. Children show that they feel safe and secure in this nursery.

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

• Leaders and staff plan and deliver a curriculum that is based on the skills and knowledge they want children to gain. Staff place high priority on children's interests when planning activities. This helps all children to develop a positive attitude to learning. Assessment is used effectively to identify what children need to learn next. Therefore, children, overall, make good progress.
• The well-being of all staff is given high priority by the leadership team. Managers provide opportunities for staff to discuss their workload and access training opportunities. However, staff supervision meetings and monitoring do not fully identify areas in which some staff need support to ensure teaching is of the highest standard. While practice is good overall, there are inconsistencies in teaching across the nursery. Consequently, children do not always gain the intended skills.
• Overall, staff promote children's communication and language skills well. Children join in with songs, listen to stories and engage in lively conversations with their friends. However, staff do not always model the correct vocabulary. This has an impact on children's language development as they eagerly copy staff and, at times, use incorrect vocabulary in their speech.
• The curriculum for physical development is strong. Children climb on low-level equipment in the garden. They develop their coordination and strengthen their hands as they use tools to mix 'gloop'. They cut flowers and herbs and knead these into play dough. Consequently, children develop strength and dexterity in their play. These skills help prepare children for the next stage of their learning.
• Staff know children and their families extremely well. They gain information about what experiences children have had at home, and make a great effort to enhance these when they are in nursery. For example, staff in the baby room help children to celebrate their first birthday with a party and 'cake smash'. Parents show delight when they receive photos as keepsakes. These opportunities ensure children enjoy a wealth of experiences.
• Children enjoy frequent outings in the local community. They learn about nature in local parks and enjoy visits to the library. Children's uniqueness is valued and celebrated within the nursery. They learn about their peers and the special events in their lives, such as Diwali, Eid and Christmas. Staff ensure the resources in the nursery reflect the cultural heritage of those who attend. Therefore, children understand diversity and develop respect for different people.
• Partnerships with parents are strong and parental feedback is consistently positive. Parents receive regular updates about the experiences that children have while in nursery. They are provided with extensive ideas about how to support children's learning at home. Staff produce learning boxes and story bags for children to take home and share with their families. Therefore, children benefit from a consistent approach to their learning and development.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to use high-quality interactions throughout the nursery to enable children to consistently hear correct language forms and vocabulary
• improve arrangements to monitor staff practice so all teaching is always of the highest standard.