Kids Planet Leeds Oxford Place

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and settled, and they separate well from their parents. Staff are very friendly and greet children affectionately. This helps children to transition from home to the nursery. For example, babies and younger children, who have recently started, receive warm cuddles and lots of smiles and reassurance from everyone, not just their designated key person. Older children enjoy playing together in the stimulating play areas, inside and outdoors. They investigate ice blocks set up as an ice kingdom and dress up as princesses for a special party. Staff working with younger children create interesting play spaces for them to explore independently.

Children engage for long periods and are eager to learn. They enjoy being physically active. Children dance with hoops in the garden, and they show good control and coordination as they climb on the timber apparatus. They practise their mark-making skills on the blackboard and recognise numbers painted on rustic wooden discs. Children behave very well. Staff consistently support children to learn how to play together. They help them to understand and talk about their feelings. This gives children an awareness of the needs of others and the impact their behaviour can have. Children are quick to hug each other and say 'sorry' if they unintentionally hurt their peers.

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

• The manager and staff have a clear understanding of the nursery curriculum and what they want children to learn. Staff know their key children very well and plan activities based on their interests and abilities. They deliver the curriculum enthusiastically, which captures children's attention and encourages them to confidently take part.
• Partnerships with parents and other agencies are strong. For example, staff work effectively to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The manager ensures that all children receive consistent support and continuity of care from key staff. This supports children's emotional well-being and helps them to make good progress in their learning.
• Staff place a strong focus on promoting children's language skills. They help younger children to practise new words, such as 'squidgy' and 'soft', as they explore sensory gel shapes. Older children use more complex sentences to recall visits to see giant dinosaur eggs in the city centre.
• Teaching in the pre-school room is very good. Staff teach children the skills they need to be ready for school and to value and respect others' views and feelings. For example, during a group session, children follow adult instructions, put up their hands to take turns and listen to friends in a guessing game. Children learn that this is a fair way to behave so that they can enjoy learning together.
• Staff caring for babies and the youngest children are clearly passionate about the job they do. The environment that they create is warm and nurturing. Staff treat children with kindness and respect. Children respond well to the positive interactions and enthusiastic praise they receive.
• All staff strive towards consistently high standards of teaching. However, occasionally, some staff's interactions lack the challenge to support children's learning and development to the highest possible levels, particularly in the room for two- to three-year-old children. For instance, staff do not consistently support children to extend discussions, process their thoughts or respond to questions.
• The nursery provides a well-balanced and nutritious menu, and all mealtimes are happy, sociable occasions. Staff help to develop children's self-care skills and encourage good hygiene routines. However, they do not consistently discuss the benefits of a healthy lifestyle and diet with children even further.
• Staff supervise children well. They seamlessly move around the play areas, ensuring that the correct number of adults are available to help children learn and stay safe. However, on occasions, they do not help to develop children's awareness of managing their own safety. For instance, staff working with two- and three-year-old children do not consistently remind them of the reasons to be careful when using cutlery or walking up and down stairs.
• The new management team has high expectations for children. The team has a very positive attitude to self-evaluation and professional development to drive improvement. The manager and staff are happy and energised by the recent company takeover, and they feel valued and listened to.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• help staff to extend and improve children's already good play experiences, to aid their learning to even higher levels
• support children to engage in discussions about the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, particularly about making healthy choices, including how to have a healthy diet
• raise two- and three-year-old children's awareness of safety and how to assess risks for themselves.