Kids Planet Meadows

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive in this friendly and caring nursery. Children are happy and secure. They demonstrate this as they talk to staff about what they are going to do with the vegetables they find in the garden. Two-year-old children greet the inspector enthusiastically and tell her that they are giving the guinea pigs some grass. Parents comment that it is more than just a nursery. They like the caring staff and value the comments that they receive at the end of the day. Babies settle quickly. They thoroughly enjoy playing peekaboo with staff. Babies beam as staff put a scarf on their heads and sing 'where have they gone?' They giggle in delight when staff say 'here they are'. Children learn how to keep themselves safe. For example, older children know that they must wait for a member of staff before they go in the garden. They learn how to carry branches in the 'windy woods' to help make a den.

Staff have high expectations for what children can achieve. The curriculum is well designed to help children make the best possible progress. Children benefit from the number of highly qualified staff, including teachers, that work at the nursery. By the time that children leave the nursery, many children can count and recognise numbers. They can hold their pencils correctly and write their names. Some children can read and write simple words. Children learn to share toys with their friends. Older children behave well in group activities.

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

• The curriculum is extremely well thought out. The manager and staff have carefully considered the order in which children develop new skills. For example, staff working with toddlers place a high priority on developing children's shoulder muscles. Older children take part in activities, such as 'digit dancing', to develop their muscles and to learn writing patterns. They perfect moving their arms up and down and round and round with increasing control. This supports their ability to hold pencils correctly and form the letters of the alphabet.
• Children develop very good independence skills. At lunchtime, toddlers learn to feed themselves and use a knife and fork. They also learn how to pour their own drinks. Two-year-old children begin to learn how to cut their food. By the time children are in the school room, they serve themselves and cut their food proficiently. They develop similarly high levels of independence as they dress to go outside.
• Babies are incredibly well supported and the atmosphere in the room is calm and tranquil. Staff have thought carefully about how they can help babies to develop key skills. The room is organised to support their physical development. For example, babies enjoy pulling themselves up on larger boxes. They explore how they can climb in and out of them. Staff sing and talk to babies constantly, helping to develop their communication skills.
• Staff support children to develop their language well, overall. They have a clear intent of how children develop their language skills over time. For example, staff working with babies encourage their babbling and use of single words. However, occasionally, staff working in the early years room do not always maximise opportunities to ensure that all children can express themselves.
• Children develop very good attitudes towards their learning. Toddlers demonstrate good concentration as they learn how to handle jugs. They remain engaged as they perfect their skills, eventually tipping water from one jug to another. Children in the school room demonstrate high levels of engagement as they build a train track. They persevere well as they connect a bridge and then use supports to raise the track up off the ground. Through trial and error, children learn to hold the track up with one hand as they put the support underneath.
• Staff know their key children well and the support for their learning is strong. However, the management team has not fully considered how the current organisation of the key-person system is impacting on some members of staff. For example, while newer members of staff are being trained in their role, more-established staff take on the key-person role for more children. This increases their workload.
• Staff have a good relationship with parents. They share information with parents about what the children have been doing. Staff share information about what they are working on next. Parents comment that they like the amount of information they receive. They appreciate the daily feedback and the regular review meetings that they have with staff.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen the already good practice in communication and language further, and give children in the early years room time to talk and express their thoughts and ideas
• support staff even further to manage their workload and improve the effectiveness of their role.