Kids R Us

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children play and learn in this friendly and positive environment. They have built good relationships with other children and the adults at the nursery. Children arrive with smiles on their faces and are eager to explore the interesting and engaging activities. Those who are settling in, or need extra time, are given it with care and attention. This supports their well-being and gives them high levels of self-esteem. Children behave well. There are clear and consistent expectations about how children should behave, and staff explain why certain behaviours are not acceptable.

Children focus well on the variety of activities on offer. They play well with their peers. Children make the most of playing, both indoors and outdoors. For example, they 'cook' in the role play area, learn to pedal and balance on bikes, explore with sand and enjoy collecting leaves and acorns in buckets. This supports their overall development. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those from disadvantaged backgrounds and those who may need extra support are supported well by leaders and staff. They identify needs, make referrals, work with professionals and implement the strategies recommended to support children. This ensures all children make good progress.

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

• Leaders have worked hard to address the weaknesses identified at past inspections, for example reviewing and changing the environments children play in to ensure they are safe, clean and support children's learning and development. This has had a positive impact on keeping children safe and ensuring all children are making good progress in their learning and development.
• Staff talk positively about leaders and the support they receive from them. Leaders encourage staff to make progress in their careers through participating in different professional development opportunities. For example, staff have completed qualifications in childcare. This has had a positive impact on outcomes for children.
• Staff regularly observe and track children's progress. They plan activities around children's interests, what children know and what they can do. Staff identify any gaps in children's learning and put appropriate support in place. Children are well prepared for the next stages of their learning, including moving on to school. Overall, the curriculum is ambitious and challenging for all children. However, on occasions, the most able children are not sufficiently challenged to extend learning to the highest levels.
• Overall, all children, including those who speak English as an additional language, make good progress in their communication and language development. Children are given lots of opportunities to sing songs, listen to stories and have conversations with each other.
• Children behave very well and have a positive attitude to their learning. Children are kind to each other and support each other when they need help. They have built good relationships with other children. They try to find resolutions when there is conflict and work cooperatively with each other.
• Children learn to keep themselves healthy and safe. They are taught how to use cutlery safely and why it is important to cover their mouths when coughing. Children learn about how to identify and manage risks, such as cleaning up spillages and picking up toys. Children remind each other about these behaviours.
• When children start at the nursery, staff take the time to get to know all children individually by ensuring they know about routines at home and what they like and dislike. Parents and staff work together to settle them in. As a result, children have built secure relationships with their key person and feel valued by all.
• All children develop their independence skills well. Staff encourage children to be independent in their own care, such as by supporting them to wash their hands and use cutlery at mealtimes. At sleep times and rest times, staff reassure children by patting and stroking them. This helps children to feel safe and secure.
• Partnerships with parents are good. Parents are given updates on what their children have done through daily discussions and via the nursery app. Parents say that the staff are friendly and leaders are approachable. However, not all parents are aware of what their children's next steps for learning are so they can continue and support learning at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to further challenge and build on children's learning so they are learning to the highest levels
• build on parent partnerships to ensure parents know about children's next steps for learning.