Kids Planet Old Vicarage

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and secure at the nursery. They have formed strong bonds with staff. Children who are new to the setting are comforted and reassured by caring and supportive staff. Babies are observed babbling and giggling while interacting with members of staff. Older children freely explore the inviting outdoor environment, making choices in their play.

The manager has a clear intent for what she wants children to achieve while at the setting. Staff implement the intent well, focusing on personal and physical development with the young children to make sure there is a strong foundation to further develop their learning. This is then built on with the older children to prepare them for a smooth transition to school. Learning is well sequenced and transitions through the nursery are smooth.

Staff have high expectations for children. Staff use positive reinforcement to encourage children to continue trying to reach their goals and praise them regularly when they achieve what they have set out to do.

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

• Children confidently engage in conversations with their peers and adults. They talk about what they like to do while at nursery, and they know who looks after them and keeps them safe. In the baby room, all the babies are new to the setting, and even though they have only been attending for a short period of time, they have formed strong bonds with the staff. This shows that children feel safe and secure.
• Parent partnership is strong. Parents express how well staff communicate with them about their child's development. The nursery often sends pictures and ideas for home learning to parents. Children also bring pictures into nursery of their experiences from home to share with their peers. Staff use these to create experiences which develop children's interests from home. This promotes consistency of care for children.
• School readiness is well promoted, and the setting works closely with the local schools. Older children have continuous access to areas which promote early writing, mathematics and information and communication technology in their classroom. They regularly engage in these areas and staff express that children have developed an interest in these skills by being given the opportunity to explore them freely in their own time.
• Lunchtime is a social occasion when staff will talk to children about the events of the day. Children are provided with healthy options and regularly discuss which foods are healthy. For example, children make a vegetable soup from scratch, learning about the different vegetables. Later in the day children are given the opportunity to try the soup they have made, which embeds children's understanding of healthy lifestyles.
• Young children join in with singing and reading stories. Staff will ask the older children questions to develop their language. However, sometimes the challenge provided is not appropriate to the age of the child which can hinder their language development. Staff working with younger children sometimes use sentences which are too complex for a baby to understand. Whereas older children are not provided with questions to develop their critical thinking and give them the opportunity to problem solve.
• Independence is well promoted as children are given the opportunity to make their own choices in their learning. Babies can feed themselves and are learning to stand independently, with support of the well-thought-out environment. Older children pour their own drinks and can independently put on their coats. This helps children learn about self-care.
• Children are well behaved. Staff use positive reinforcement to manage children's behaviour. However, staff do not always explain to children why some behaviour is not appropriate. This hinders children's understanding of managing their own behaviour and how their behaviour may impact on others.
• Children are making good progress, particularly children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The special educational needs co-ordinator is clear on the targets she wants children to achieve and is reflective on her own development. Staff are clear on children's starting points and plan well-thought-out activities to support children's development.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop staff knowledge of communication and language development so they can provide the correct level of challenge for children to further their language skills and critical thinking
• further support staff to manage children's behaviour in a way which supports children to learn about why and how their behaviour affects themselves and others.