Kids Planet Woodside

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This fabulous nursery provides a superb level of education and support to children and their families. The highly knowledgeable and committed manager strives for excellence. She continually evaluates practice and introduces new approaches so that children experience a wide range of exciting activities. There is a calmness about the nursery that is wonderfully planned to spark children's interest and provide challenge. The curriculum is meticulously planned across the whole nursery, with each room working on skills that children need before they progress to the next room. Children are eager to learn, enthusiastic and engrossed in their play. Their imaginative skills develop through using scoops and metal bowls to transfer foam and make ice-creams. Their physical development is supported through games involving balancing on temporary climbing structures. Problem-solving skills are introduced through open-ended activities such as following the flow of coloured water down pipes.

Inclusion and children's well-being are at the heart of the nursery and the whole team is skilled at providing timely support and intervention when required. Collaboration and teamwork are evident across the nursery. For example, children tidy up as a small group. They throw and share balls with each other and set the table for their friends at lunchtime. Children learn about feelings and how to express themselves through different activities across the whole nursery. Staff use books, puppets and different methods to capture how children are feeling as part of daily routines. Children begin to understand and express their feelings and are provided with essential tools to help them manage these.

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

• Children develop a wonderful 'can-do' attitude and demonstrate superb independence skills. They find their own belongings and wash their hands in preparation for eating a snack. They excitedly learn about their senses of smell and touch as they mix dried herbs to create different aromas. They display high levels of respect for each other, learning how to take turns through small-group activities and using resources such as sand timers. When looking at a bird's nest that has taken residency in their outdoor play area, children climb up the small ladders and look at the recently hatched squabs. Every opportunity is taken to extend children's learning. This includes early mathematical concepts, with children able to work out that if there were three eggs and one falls from the nest and breaks, there are two left.
• The physical environment is meticulously planned to provide choice and challenge to the children while incorporating their interests. The curriculum is specifically tailored to the age range in each room and skill levels are built upon as children move to the next room. For example, children use different cutlery to build upon their skill levels.
• Children's safety is paramount to the nursery and there are many ways in which they implement a secure environment. Children learn how to stay safe in the sun by wearing hats, applying sun cream and having regular drinks of water. Allergies and food preferences are carefully catered for by the nursery. The cook has robust systems in place to ensure that meals are safe for each child.
• Songs, rhymes and conversations play an important part in the nursery routine and they are consistently of a high level. Children are confident communicators and recall things they have done at home with their families. However, staff do not always introduce new and increasingly challenging vocabulary to develop children's language even further.
• Children with additional needs make superb progress in their learning and knowledgeable staff implement highly effective assessment systems. Working closely with parents and providing a consistent way forward for children is a key strength. The management team and staff go above and beyond to provide tailored learning packs for families, for example, to support with events such as welcoming a new baby into the family.
• Families say how well they are supported by the nursery team who are always ready to listen and help. Staff hold regular parent meetings, special 'days' at the setting and fundraisers within the local community. This approach nurtures and develops strong partnership working. Parents talk about the wealth of ideas that are shared from nursery to help with things such as brushing teeth.
• The kind and nurturing staff team feels appreciated by management who have reward schemes in place to help them feel valued. They access a wealth of training. Staff talk enthusiastically about what they have recently learned and how they use this knowledge daily, for example, to keep children safe.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide consistently high-quality interactions, with a focus on staff introducing new vocabulary to children.