Kids Planet Oldfield Road

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are safe and secure in this nursery, which staff centre around the children's needs. They build positive relationships with peers and familiar staff, who they enjoy interacting with. Children are very confident to explore and make independent choices in their play, knowing that staff are close by for support when needed.

The provider and staff construct and deliver a broad, well-sequenced curriculum that is consistent throughout the nursery. Staff focus on preparing children for their next stage of their learning so they can be independent and ready for the move to school. Staff support babies to learn to identify and put on their wellington boots, and they help toddlers learn to keep themselves healthy when they wash their hands before they eat. Pre-school children know the routines well. For example, after snack, they find their coats, put them on independently and line up ready to go in the garden.

Children display excellent behaviour and positive attitudes to their learning. Pre-school children kindly remind their friends 'we don't run indoors', and children respect their friends and listen to their guidance. Younger children play together with excitement and learn to take turns during group activities. Children are keen to have a go and show persistence to achieve. Staff praise children's achievements and empower them to keep trying.

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

• The provider has a strong focus on supporting staff well-being. They identify there have been many changes to the team recently and work hard to ensure all staff feel valued and receive the support they need to fulfil their roles. Staff say that they love working at the nursery and that the provider is very approachable. They speak highly of whole company well-being days and the opportunities they have had to experience early years settings in different cultures across the world. Staff use their knowledge from training experiences and their own traditions to introduce children to a variety of dances and recipes from different cultures, which they use as a focus point to teach children about the wider world.
• Staff know all the children very well. They quickly identify any gaps in learning and work closely with parents and external professionals to get children the help they need. Staff use their knowledge of the children to create activities that help to best support them and enable them to make good progress in their learning. Children are valued and well supported.
• Parents say that their children are happy and love attending the nursery. Staff share daily videos of activities via an online application, which parents value.
• However, parents do not consistently get the opportunity for discussions with staff about their children to help them know about their child's day, what they have learned and how they can support this at home.
• Staff have a strong focus on developing children's communication skills. For example, staff support babies to use Makaton alongside speech and children learn to sign for 'more' at snack time. Children develop these skills when they copy the actions with excitement. Staff use songs and rhymes to engage children in learning and routine tasks. They support the older children to think for themselves and make links to what they already know by asking questions related to their play and exploration.
• Staff support children to learn about their own well-being and how to keep their bodies healthy. Young children wash their hands before meals. Staff talk to children about the importance of cleaning away the germs from their hands. Staff talk to older children at snack time about allergens and how some people cannot eat gluten as it makes their tummies unwell. They help children understand how to regulate and manage their emotions. For example, staff talk to children about how they feel, help them to understand their emotions, and offer them access to a quiet area where they can relax in a calm safe space.
• Staff provide children with a wide range of opportunities to explore and learn about their local community. They visit the local elderly care home for intergenerational learning experiences, go on train journeys and visit local parks. Children learn to be safe outside the nursery environment.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance partnerships with parents to ensure all parents feel fully informed about their children's progress and how they can support this at home.