Kids Planet Stretton

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive extremely excited and ready to learn at this fun and inclusive nursery. They are highly confident, sociable and friendly, their emotional well-being is exceptionally strong. Staff nurture this through the strong bonds they form with children, who they know extremely well. Children settle swiftly, even the youngest children who have recently started display high levels of confidence in their surroundings.

Children benefit from an abundance of new experiences. They become deeply engrossed in a range of exciting activities that extend their skills and knowledge. They practise making 'soup' outside in the mud kitchen. They mix, pour and scoop and then show great confidence when using these physical skills at mealtimes. Children are proud of the new skills they develop. They reflect on pictures that they have previously displayed and add their name as they have now learned to do this. Children start school with excellent knowledge and skills.

Children fully understand the rules that are in place and talk about the importance of following these to keep everyone safe. They remind other children not to run inside in case they fall. Children are extremely caring towards each other and the environment. They regularly stop to have a drink of water on a sunny day and independently water the flowers, talking about them needing a drink otherwise they will not grow. Children are extremely self-assured and highly aware of how to keep themselves and others safe.

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

• Families cannot praise the nursery enough. They value the expertise that is shared with them to support children's learning at home. They state that the relationships their children have developed with staff are loving and nurturing. They have seen excellent progress with their children's development since they have started at the nursery.
• Leaders have clear learning intentions and high expectations for all children. They have planned a curriculum that is informed by regular observations and a wealth of knowledge about how children learn. They are extremely passionate about ensuring all children receive excellent early education. Leaders focus on ensuring all staff are supported to maintain the high levels of practice through targeted professional development. All staff are knowledgeable and competent in their roles.
• Staff provide many opportunities to promote children's understanding of similarities and differences between themselves and others. Children have access to their family photos in each room that they explore. They regularly visit their 'pen pals' in the community where they meet up with a residents at a local care home. Children talk positively about a recent visit, when they had afternoon tea and danced together.
• Children have an excellent knowledge of the importance of healthy lifestyles. They discuss the need to have a drink to cool down in the sun. At lunchtime, they talk to their friends about their favourite vegetables. They share their knowledge of the positive impact vegetables have on their bodies.
• The environment is well planned and arranged to promote excitement and imagination. Children have opportunities to explore using all of their senses. They touch ice and talk about how the sun is melting it. Children cut open peppers and explore the smells and textures. They put on their cloaks, becoming scientists and creating potions that make the adults 'invisible'. Staff constantly reflect on children's learning needs and use their interests to motivate them.
• Children are extremely physically active. They benefit from many opportunities to get out of breath and use all of their strength to carry large objects as they fill up wheelbarrows. Babies who have just started to walk show great pride as they manage to walk over the low bridge. Children make excellent progress with their physical skills.
• Children benefit from highly encouraging involvement by staff in their play. As children make dough and the mixture is too sticky, staff question them about how they could achieve the right texture. As children discuss how tall they are staff introduce mathematical language, such as 'enormous'. Children then repeat the words they have learned to their friends to describe how much they have grown.
• Children independently access many books throughout the day. Staff regularly sing to children and pause, so they can join in with the words. Young children hunt for their favourite book and scream with excitement as they find it. They cuddle up with staff and exclaim 'truck' when they successfully find their favourite page. Older children make their own books to share with their friends. Supporting children's communication and language development is a priority for staff.
• Children's problem-solving skills are well developed. For example, when children want to paint a rainbow, they remind themselves of the order of the colours by singing the rainbow song. Children demonstrate an excellent can-do attitude.