Kids Planet Wythenshawe

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Leaders have successfully addressed the actions set at the previous inspection. They have designed an ambitious curriculum throughout the nursery and, overall, this is implemented well. Leaders place high importance on supporting children's communication and language skills. Children are provided with many opportunities to explore books and sing songs. They eagerly join in with words and actions and recall their favourite parts of books. Staff introduce new vocabulary and use key words in children's home languages as they play alongside them. All children progress well in their communication and language development.

Staff provide a warm welcome as children and families arrive. Children who need reassurance on arrival settle quickly as staff provide support and cuddles. Staff comment to babies that 'your smile makes my day'. These caring interactions help children to feel valued and secure.

Staff have embedded consistent expectations and routines. Children behave well and are eager to explore the activities on offer with their friends. Staff support children to value each other from a young age. They calmly remind children of the expectations, such as using 'walking feet'. Children play cooperatively together, sharing resources and interacting.

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

• Children have many opportunities to be active. Babies are supported to strengthen their core muscles needed to sit up, pull to standing and walk independently. Staff provide resources to encourage children to use their strength as they carry and push heavy objects. Children demonstrate good physical skills as they confidently attempt to walk across balance beams. These experiences help to develop children's core muscles.
• Staff are clear about how the range of experiences they provide develop children's small hand muscles in readiness for later writing. They encourage children to squeeze dough and thread pasta. Children have opportunities to mark marks with a range of resources. They become eager mark makers as they paint and stretch up high to chalk on boards. Older children confidently attempt to write their names on their artwork, showing great pride as they say, 'I did it.'
• Staff skilfully incorporate mathematics through everyday experiences. As children pour water into containers, staff introduce language such as 'full' and 'empty'. As babies explore stacking blocks and balls, staff count each one. Older children are encouraged to name the properties of shapes as they count the corners. Children learn how to use mathematics purposefully. For example, they discuss needing 'three circles' to make windows on their rocket structure. Staff support children to develop a good grounding in early mathematics.
• Leaders have good oversight of the assessments that staff make of children's learning. This helps them to identify any emerging gaps in development at the earliest stage. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) receives targeted training and support to help her in her role. She works with key persons to develop children's individual plans with advice from outside agencies. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well.
• Leaders have an accurate view of the strengths and areas for development of the setting. Staff are supported through supervision sessions and ongoing professional development. This supports staff to understand what leaders intend for children to learn and achieve at the nursery. Children are provided with many activities that capture their interests. However, when planning activities, at times staff focus on the intent for the whole room. They do not consider how these activities and experiences will build on children's individual next steps to enhance their learning further.
• The improved key-person system has ensured that all children have a settled relationship with familiar adults. Parents talk positively about the impact of this. Leaders gather and share information with parents. However, communication methods are not always as effective as they could be. For example, thorough handovers take place as children arrive, but the information from these is not shared swiftly with children's key persons. This hinders staff's ability to use this information to shape their interactions with children.
• Mealtimes are used as an opportunity to promote children's understanding of how to keep themselves healthy. Staff engage children in discussions about healthy eating and encourage them to try new foods through nurturing encouragement. Staff talk to children about the importance of washing their hands carefully. Children remember that they do not want germs to go into their tummy. Staff discuss the importance of eating a healthy diet and about the ingredients in the meals. These experiences help children in forming healthy habits for their future.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen the planning and implementation of adult-led activities to build specifically on what children know and can do
• develop the key-person approach further by strengthening the communication methods with parents to improve consistency for children's care and education.