Kids Planet Stalybridge

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The quality of the education and care has improved significantly since the last inspection. Leaders ensure that the premises are safe and suitable. Children are well supervised by attentive staff during their play and learning. This contributes to children's good well-being and development. The provider has focused on training staff to develop knowledge and skills relating to safeguarding and welfare. Staff know how to create a safe, warm and nurturing environment. Children learn to separate from their parents and/or carers with support from the kind staff, who understand their individual needs.

Over time, children develop a range of skills and knowledge in the prime areas of learning and development. This is because the curriculum is planned well to ensure that children build their learning. Leaders have a focus on supporting children's communication and language development. For instance, staff plan activities to support children to develop their understanding of language and use it in an age-appropriate way. Children learn to listen to stories and readily describe the play dough they make as 'dry' and 'sticky'. The curriculum is well sequenced. For instance, children gradually gain the skills and coordination to use a knife and fork competently because they begin learning the steps towards this at a young age. Staff foster a calm environment, where children learn to play alongside one another harmoniously.

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

• Leaders have worked hard to address the weaknesses identified at the last inspection. They have high standards. Leaders have established a professional, yet warm and friendly, atmosphere in the nursery. They have helped staff to develop the skills they require to fulfil their job roles in order to keep children safe. Staff are now confident in their work.
• Key persons plan around the identified next steps in learning for the children they care for. They use their plans to deliver focused learning experiences, such as speech and language sessions or physical development activities. This helps staff to know what children can do and what they need to learn next. It also supports children to be well prepared for their future learning.
• The key-person system is effective in helping children to build strong bonds with the staff who care for them. Children feel safe and secure in the nursery. Leaders engage with parents and their community well, who appreciate their support. However, staff do not consistently provide parents with a comprehensive overview of their children's progress in the seven areas of learning and development. This means that parents are unsure of what they can do to support their children's learning themselves.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged children receive good support. Staff quickly identify when children may have additional needs. They engage parents and other professionals in jointly assessing, planning and revisiting individual targets for children. This means that all children's progress is secure.
• Staff model the behaviours they expect from children. They use manners readily and teach children to follow the 'golden rules'. This helps children to gain social skills. Staff use mealtimes well to help children to learn to wait for others and take responsibility for themselves. This helps children to learn that there are some appropriate boundaries to keep themselves and others safe.
• Staff prioritise children's social and communication and language development. Children develop well in these areas. However, some less-experienced staff do not fully understand the purpose of activities and occasionally lack the confidence to make decisions to support children's learning effectively. This means that the curriculum is not always delivered consistently, and children occasionally do not benefit fully from the experiences planned for them. Leaders have not yet focused the professional development of less-experienced staff precisely.
• Staff promote children's physical development well. They have evaluated children's interests and created a physical development breakout area for children. Children develop their gross motor skills as they take appropriate risks, such as by clambering up climbing slopes, balancing on stepping stones and digging in soil. Consequently, children develop confidence in physical activity that has a positive impact on their development.
• Staff implement daily care practices that support children's physical and emotional health. Staff create a positive atmosphere that supports children to develop skills to manage their emotions. They support children's health and hygiene well. For example, children wash their hands before meals and consume healthy food and drinks. Staff support children to take responsibility for wiping their noses and becoming toilet trained.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance the information shared with parents to help them to understand their children's progress clearly
• strengthen professional development opportunities for less-experienced staff to help them deliver the curriculum more consistently.