Kids Planet Newbold

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

From the moment the door is opened, children rush into the building, eager for their learning to begin. Their key person is readily available to welcome them with a cheery smile. Consequently, children immediately show they feel safe, secure and they settle quickly. Children thoroughly enjoy their time at the nursery. Children's language development is supported effectively. The staff have high expectations for them to use a wide range of vocabulary. Babies babble during songs and stories and staff respond with new words and gestures. Toddlers describe textures and patterns as they make play dough, using words, such as bumpy, smooth and sticky. Older children use the mathematical language of size and shape as they roll acorns and pumpkins.

Children of all ages develop good physical skills. For example, babies pull themselves up to standing using the furniture. They manoeuvre around, taking side steps and holding carefully to the furniture, before taking their first steps by themselves. Older children learn about the different ways that they can move their bodies and enjoy daily exercise sessions. Children play cooperatively, take turns and share resources. They know how to keep themselves safe. For example, they take turns on the slide and wait for their friends to move away from the bottom before they have their turn.

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

• The management team are committed to providing high-quality care and learning for all children. They monitor staff practice closely and regularly observe staff to help them further develop their skills. In response to the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, leaders have adapted the support offered to staff, in order to prioritise their well-being. A 'well-being' manager has been employed within the company to provide staff with additional welfare meetings and access to services to support their mental health.
• The manager has promoted a culture of reflective practice across the staff team. For example, staff continually improve through their individual development plans. In the baby room, a staff member has completed training to offer baby massage.
• Parents comment that they felt supported during the pandemic. For example, staff provided parents with resources and ideas that they could use at home with their children. On their return to nursery, staff planned lots of outdoor learning and visits in the local community that they had been unable to do, due to the pandemic. This supports the children's social skills, health and well-being. In addition, children write letters to children in other nurseries owned by the provider to develop relationships with others beyond their community.
• Staff plan a wide range of exciting play opportunities and resources based on children's interests. However, they often focus their efforts on providing a well-resourced environment and some staff are not sure what they want children to learn next from the planned activities. This means that, on occasion, children's experiences do not successfully build on their skills and knowledge, to help them make the best possible progress.
• Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities exceptionally well. They access specific training to continually develop their professional skills and improve their practice. The nursery special educational needs and disability coordinator and leadership team liaise closely with outside agencies, such as specialist teachers. They share ideas and strategies to help children make progress. This includes using visual prompts to help children understand and manage the changes in routine.
• Staff promote children's health and well-being and support them to develop increasing independence. For example, younger children are supported to feed themselves, while older children are encouraged to return their plates and cups to the trolley after they have finished their meal. In addition, they put on their shoes and coats ready to go outside. They are developing independence in readiness for their move to school. Staff have recently focused more on oral hygiene and children confidently know the importance of cleaning their teeth.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to focus more precisely on what they want children to learn from planned activities, to help all children gain new knowledge and skills.