Kids Planet Headingley

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are greeted warmly by staff when they first arrive at the nursery. They engage in conversation with them, which makes them feel valued and welcomed. Babies are confident and at ease. Staff benefit from the caring, warm and nurturing approach of staff. Children are eager to explore the stimulating experiences and activities that are set out for them. For example, babies and toddlers explore water and a range of dried ingredients, such as cereal, pasta and oats. Children over two years old don chef's hats and aprons to make their own pizzas. Older children demonstrate their understanding of numbers and recognise a small total without counting. They make simple calculations, such as working out the total when one more is added.

Children develop independence. They know the environment well and move confidently around the setting. Children show good coordination skills as they negotiate stairs and steps. They learn to pour their own drinks and access the bathroom as needed. Children's behaviour is good, and they understand the nursery rules appropriately for their age. Staff are good role models who use positive phrasing to remind children what is expected of them. They encourage children to take turns and praise them for kind behaviour. This helps to build children's self-esteem and confidence.

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

• The managers and staff are committed to providing the best possible care and education for all children. The strong key-person system is firmly embedded. This supports children's emotional well-being and helps them to form secure attachments. The manager uses additional funding that the nursery receives effectively. For instance, she provides specific resources relevant to children's individual needs. As a result of this, even the most vulnerable children make good progress at the nursery.
• Staff plan a broad range of activities that aim to ignite children's interest. During adult-led activities, staff provide good-quality interactions and support children well, overall. For instance, pre-school children are keen to participate in an activity that has been arranged to help them learn Spanish. Staff help children to develop an awareness of rhythm and rhyme in speech, during their 'silly soup' sessions. However, children have fewer opportunities to choose and lead their own learning and to explore, test, and try out their own ideas.
• Children are confident communicators because staff focus on communication and language across the nursery. This includes children who speak English as an additional language. Staff model correct sentence construction, ask questions which encourage children to talk, and introduce alternative words to expand their vocabulary.
• Children enjoy listening to stories and can answer simple questions about the characters in the book and what happened next in the story. Such experiences help children to understand how stories work and to develop positive attitudes towards reading. Babies and toddlers enjoy making marks using various materials such as paint and yoghurt. Older children learn to recognise and practise writing their names. However, not all staff are knowledgeable about the process and skills that children need to develop before they begin early writing.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have tailored support to help them make progress. The manager and staff identify children with SEND through their observations and assessments. They work with parents and other professionals to meet the needs of the children together. If formal plans are needed, these are completed in time for children to move on to the next stage in their learning.
• All children learn how to keep themselves healthy. Staff promote children's good hygiene practices. Children enjoy daily access to the outdoors, where they practise their physical skills. For example, older children stretch and jump to warm their bodies up, throw beanbags into hoops, and practice their throwing and catching skills. This positively promotes their physical well-being.
• Partnerships with parents are a key strength of the nursery. Strong, trusting and informative relationships are built with parents. Parents comment that the staff communicate effectively and share information about their children's progress. They are very happy with the care and learning the children receive.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide even more opportunities for children to make decisions and choices about their own play to widen their learning experiences
• improve staffs' understanding about the skills that children need to acquire before they move on to early writing.