Kids Planet Southfield

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff form very close bonds with children. They get to know children and their families well from the start. Children are extremely happy, settled and secure. Staff quickly sooth them if they come in upset. Children become deeply immersed in their learning. Staff are dedicated to their work with children. They use their comprehensive knowledge of child development to implement a highly ambitious and innovative curriculum.

Children display high levels of confidence and self-esteem. They demonstrate that they feel safe and secure in the staff's care. For example, pre-school children are very confident to approach visitors and show them what they can do. Staff encourage toddlers' confidence and independence. Children confidently try to serve their own lunch and pour their own drinks after just a few weeks of this being introduced.

Staff interact with children with kindness and respect. They give guidance to children to engage in cooperative play with their peers. Staff give gentle reminders about behaviour and use words with children such as 'use kind hands'. Children listen intently and respond well. Staff sit at children's level and encourage them to be active and engage in their play. They listen to children and ask open questions. This helps all children to feel valued and important.

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

• Management and staff are highly ambitious. They give children the best possible start. They have developed an exceptional curriculum that supports the development of every child in the nursery. They gain parents' input about their children's interests and incorporate these into their planning. These are frequently updated as children's interests change. This helps children to reach their full potential.
• Management has an expert understanding of each individual child that attends, what their individual development needs are and their next steps. Management and staff recognise the importance of early intervention. They develop individual learning plans for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities through working with other agencies and parents. They carefully monitor children's progress. Staff target children's learning to meet their individual needs.
• Self-evaluation is exceptional in this nursery. Management frequently reflects on what can be improved. This year, management has reviewed children's access to outdoor areas. New doors have been added to some rooms to make areas more easily accessible for children. Low-level sinks have been added to young children's rooms so they have easy access and can learn to wash their hands.
• Most recently, a tepee has been put up in the garden. This will accommodate pre-school children as the nursery expands.
• Staff model a wide range of vocabulary, which fosters children's language and literacy abilities. Children hear lots of descriptive language as staff talk to them about their play. Staff repeat words to children, and as children get older, they encourage children to speak in sentences. For instance, in pre-school, they discuss where fog comes from. Children say, 'It is when clouds come down.' Staff spontaneously sing with children. Babies excitedly start to do the actions and join in with some of the words.
• There is an extremely strong focus on early literacy. Children throughout the nursery enjoy favourite stories and exploring books with staff or on their own. Staff share learning with parents that they can do at home with their children. Currently, parents have been challenged to read a story every day to their child during December.
• Children become deeply engaged in activities. For example, pre-school children love to do yoga with staff. Staff help them to develop an awareness of their heart, where it is and why it beats fast or slow. Children eagerly do the yoga moves, immediately getting into poses when told what is next.
• Staff build very strong relationships with parents, who speak very highly of the nursery. Parents receive information daily. They can access the nursery's application online to see observations of their children and their progress. Staff invite parents to 'stay and play' sessions, where they can observe and join in with children's activities. Parent evenings are also held, where they can discuss their children with staff.