Kids Planet Fazakerley

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enjoy a range of experiences at this happy nursery. Babies have fun as they splash in the water tray. They learn to balance and stand as they hold on with one hand. The environment encourages babies to explore and investigate as they develop their physical skills and confidence. Older children enjoy jumping and shaking their bodies as they listen to instructions from their sports coach. They develop their listening and attention skills ready for when they start school. At the play dough table, children carefully place twigs into their cake. They are revisiting experiences and building on their previous learning.

Outside, children make suggestions as they look through their telescope and spot a 'shark' while on a treasure hunt. Staff follow the children's lead within play effectively. Children are given lots of praise and encouragement as they walk across the 'wibbly wobbly bridge'. They are developing their imagination during play.

Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. Pre-school children are reminded of the golden rules before activities. For instance, they patiently stand in line as they wait to go outside. Babies calmly sit in their chairs as they wait for their lunch, as they understand the routine and what will happen next.

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

• The nursery manager has a good understanding of the strengths of the nursery and areas for improvement. Staff well-being is a priority, and leaders offer lots of support to staff. They also provide opportunities for staff to develop their skills and knowledge through training, supervision and peer-on-peer observation. Staff appreciate their continual professional development and feel valued. As a result, the nursery offers ongoing, high-quality teaching and learning.
• The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) is passionate about the work she does. Managers and staff also understand the specific needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff identify and intervene when children need help with their learning. For example, children's communication and language development is monitored well through regular assessments and screening. This leads to targeted activities, which supports children's development. Partnership working with parents and, where necessary, other professionals ensures that children receive appropriate support as they prepare to start school.
• Staff know their key children well. Regular assessments identify if children are making progress. A review of children's next steps and interests are also undertaken. Changes are regularly made to the environment to reflect children's interests. This results in children accessing an environment that considers their individual needs and next steps in learning. Children are making good progress.
• Children learn about their own and other's feelings. Staff support them in sharing and taking turns when they want the same toy. Children respond well to this because they are developing a sense of what is right and wrong. They quickly accept that they will need to wait but will soon have their turn. They respect staff and are developing the resilience needed to cope when things do not go the way they want them to.
• Children are developing their independence throughout the nursery. They are taught how to put on their coats and shoes. At lunchtime, they carefully pour their own drink and use utensils. Younger children feed themselves with spoons. They practise this within their play as they scoop cereal into containers. Staff offer children lots of praise and encouragement as they have a go at activities. This is building children's confidence when accessing new opportunities.
• The curriculum for literacy is strong. Quiet areas within each room gives children space to enjoy books with staff or independently. However, mathematical development is not offered in the same way. Opportunity to learn about number is limited, and mathematical language is not consistently used or modelled to children. As a result, children are not accessing the same opportunities to develop their mathematical skills ready for school.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide more opportunity for children to access and develop mathematical concepts and language.