Kids Planet Waverton

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The passionate manager has a strong vision for the setting and shares this with her team. As a result, staff implement the intended curriculum well. Staff's good knowledge of the children and their families helps them to plan meaningful activities and experiences that build on what children already know and can do. As a result, all children, including children in receipt of funded early education and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make good progress and are well prepared for the move on to school.

Staff build strong bonds with children and their families from the outset. Tailored settling-in sessions are put in place at the start to ensure that new children get the care, time and attention they need to settle in. Transitions throughout the setting are managed particularly well. For example, every effort is made to support staff to move through the setting with their key children. Where this is not possible, staff work closely with parents and colleagues to make sure that pertinent information about children's care and education is shared. This means that children's needs are consistently met. As a result, children settle quickly and are extremely happy and content. Staff are good role models and have high expectations for children's behaviour. Staff are skilled at helping children to understand their own feelings and the feelings of others. Children are compassionate, kind and caring.

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

• Leaders and staff create inviting environments for children indoors and outdoors. For example, babies bang metal pots and pans together to make different sounds. Older children are fascinated to discover that the scented play dough they are using smells like oranges. These experiences motivate children to explore and learn by using all of their senses.
• Overall, staff spend quality time interacting with children and teaching them through play. This helps to focus children's attention and motivates them to have a go and keep trying. However, there are times when staff overlook quieter or less-confident children, particularly, during group activities. As a result, some children disengage, and their learning is not fully extended.
• Staff make good use of stay-and-play sessions and parents' meetings to help parents understand the importance of early education. Parents are highly complimentary about the manager and staff. Parents say they feel very well supported and describe the setting as 'an extension of family'. As a result, partnerships with parents are strong and support children's continued good progress.
• Overall, staff implement the curriculum for communication and language well. Staff provide a narrative for babies and toddlers and encourage them to repeat words. Older children take part in targeted communication sessions. These help children to become even more confident to talk and help to close any identified gaps in their learning. However, during some back-and-forth discussions with children, staff do not consistently support children to ask questions and contribute their ideas. As a result, these children are not challenged to extend their vocabulary and thinking even further.
• Staff provide excellent opportunities for children's physical development. Babies are encouraged to sit up, crawl and feed themselves. Toddlers practise their small-muscle skills as they learn how to hold a variety of brushes when making marks with paint. Older children demonstrate increased confidence as they use scissors, pens and pencils, developing the skills needed for later writing.
• The outdoor curriculum is very well thought out and designed to complement the learning that takes place indoors. Additionally, the on-site sports coach delivers targeted sessions that help children to develop their small- and large-muscle skills even further. Children learn vital skills, such as throwing, catching and how to carefully control a ball with their feet. These sessions also support children's confidence and self-esteem. For example, children proudly cheer as they score a goal.
• Staff benefit greatly from a robust cycle of supervision, coaching and training. In addition, their well-being is extremely well promoted. Staff say that they are very happy in their work and feel supported. They say that they feel part of the 'Kids Planet family'. However, leaders do not consistently monitor staff practice closely enough to ensure that all staff develop the quality of their education practice and implement all aspects of the intended curriculum to consistently high levels across the team.
• Children behave well and display positive attitudes to learning overall. Staff are good role models who value and teach the importance of having good manners. For example, children are often heard saying 'please', 'thank you' and 'excuse me' without being prompted by staff. This supports children to develop positive attitudes for the future.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide highly incisive feedback and even closer monitoring of staff practice to help staff deliver all aspects of the intended curriculum to a consistently high level.