Kids Planet Wakefield Road

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy at this nursery and settle immediately. Practitioners are passionate, caring and nurturing. They validate children's feelings when they are upset and show children affection. Children form good attachments with their key person. They look for their key person to play with, and for comfort and praise when they have achieved a task. Practitioners have high expectations of all children. They provide children with clear instructions. This helps children to understand what is expected of them. Practitioners role model good behaviour, such as they say 'please' and 'thank you', which in turn children copy.

Practitioners provide a broad curriculum with interesting activities. For example, they encourage babies to explore paint with their hands and large rollers. Babies mark make onto large hoops hanging from the ceiling. Toddlers create moveable art designs out of loose pieces that are not fixed. Older children learn how to make play dough. They use a selection of materials to change the smell, colour and texture. Children are deeply engaged in learning from a young age.

Practitioners take children on various outings. Children walk to the local town and learn about the different buildings. They visit churches and mosques. Children learn how to cross roads safely and keep themselves safe in the community. Practitioners teach children about different festivals and other cultures. Children learn about different languages and foods from other countries. This helps children to learn about people and communities that may be different to their own.

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

• Overall, practitioners provide a curriculum which supports children's communication, literacy and language. For example, children sing repetitive songs and rhymes to embed language they have learned. Practitioners read stories to children, pointing out pictures and encouraging recall. When children ride bicycles, practitioners teach them new language, such as 'fast', 'slow', 'stop' and 'start'. Practitioners identify key words when children who speak English as an additional language start at the nursery. This helps practitioners to engage with children in different languages.
• However, practitioners do not always provide enough time for children to process information and respond to questions. For example, when practitioners join in with children's play, they sometimes ask several questions without pausing to allow children time to respond. As a result, children do not always have opportunities to share their thoughts and views and develop their language skills further.
• Practitioners use children's interests well to create exciting play opportunities. For instance, children take part in pretend tea parties and freeze ice with fruit in.
• Practitioners help children to to learn about how ice melts. Children pretend to bake cupcakes and use tongs to transfer petals and flowers into bowls and muffin trays. They develop their small-muscles skills and an understanding of the world.
• Children's joyful laughter can be heard throughout the nursery when they play with bubbles. Practitioners support young children with hand-over-hand guidance to hold the bubble wand and learn how to blow. Older children blow bubbles and pop them, counting as they do so. They learn about size, such as 'big', 'small' and 'tiny'. Children develop their thinking skills and hand-eye coordination. They develop an understanding of early numbers.
• Practitioners teach children the importance of being healthy. Children learn how to grow vegetables and contribute to a meal plan with food from different countries. Practitioners teach children about healthy foods.
• The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) is passionate about supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). There are clear processes in place for the identification and monitoring of children with SEND. The SENCo is proactive in making prompt referrals to agencies where necessary. She works closely with parents and other professionals to ensure the best outcomes for children with SEND. Staff use funding to purchase additional resources for the sensory room and to enable all children to access the curriculum.
• Parents report that communication sharing is good. Practitioners update parents on their child's progress and the curriculum, such as through an online app and noticeboards. They frequently gained parents' feedback and update parents on the outcome of their feedback. Practitioners support parents to extend their child's learning, such as through home learning bags. Parents are fully involved in their child's learning.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to engage with children more effectively during child-led play, such as by giving children more time to respond to questions before providing the answer and moving on.