Kidscount Childcare Limited

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children come into nursery happy and eager to start their day. They typically explain that they enjoy their time here, saying 'Mummy is fun, but pre-school is better.' Staff create a nurturing environment, where children feel content and cared for. Babies who are new to the nursery receive lots of cuddles and reassurance from staff. As a result, they settle quickly. Older children are exposed to a social environment, where staff build their confidence to be able to express their feelings and be mindful of others. Children are developing into respectful and self-assured individuals. Staff promote positive interactions with others. For example, they consistently encourage children to share and take turns. The environment is orderly and children behave well. Staff follow children's interests well, which maximises opportunities for learning. For example, as children's attention diverts from one activity to playing with the musical instruments, staff follow the children's lead. They encourage them to listen to the different sounds. This engages children in experiences for longer and captures their interest in learning new things.

Staff provide a curriculum that expands children's experiences and helps them to make good progress in all areas of their learning. For example, babies smile with content as staff support them in mastering their physical skills on the indoor slide. Older children develop their mathematical knowledge during water play, when staff help them understand concepts, such as full and empty. Staff take all children out on walks and trips, to parks and farms. This helps to expand children's knowledge about the world around them.

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

• The managers ensure that children are prepared for their next stage in learning. They have created a broad curriculum that has a strong focus on children becoming secure and confident individuals. Staff have been involved in developing the curriculum and the skills that they want children to achieve at each stage of their development. This knowledge helps them to sequence children's learning, so they skilfully build upon what they already know and can do. This helps children to make continuous progress.
• Staff instil a love of reading in children. They provide books in all areas of the environment, so that children can readily access them at all times. Babies snuggle up with staff to read stories. They learn to turn the pages, point and say simple words. Older children listen intently as staff read stories to them. Children are learning print has purpose.
• Staff support some aspects of the curriculum for communication and language well. During play and group story times, they help children to develop good listening skills. Staff introduce new words to children and model how to extend sentences. However, they do not consistently promote children's speaking as effectively as possible. Staff do not ask the type of thought-provoking questions that help children think hard to form a response. Additionally, staff sometimes ask a lot of questions in quick succession, which does not give children time to think or respond.
• Staff create consistency for children. They provide children with clear expectations throughout the nursery on how to manage their behaviour. Children respond well to this. For example, staff ask children 'How do we go outside?', and children all happily shout 'walk' in chorus. Rules are well embedded with children and they are learning to regulate their own behaviour.
• Staff effectively promote children's independence. Children confidently wash their own hands. Younger children are taught how to put on their coats. Throughout the day, staff give children opportunities to make choices in their learning. Children are developing into confident and capable individuals.
• Partnership with parents is strong. The effective key-person system helps staff to gather information from parents to ensure they understand children's needs. Staff also share information with parents about children's learning and progress, for example, during parents' evening and stay-and-play sessions. This helps to provide good continuity for children, both at home and nursery.
• Additional funding is used effectively to target ways to meet children's individual learning needs. For example, staff observed that sometimes children need a quiet space, so funding was used to equip this. Children use the calm room to engage in sensory experiences, which help them regulate their emotions. The special educational needs coordinator works closely with other professionals. The well-informed assessment and planning helps children with special educational needs and/or disabilities in particular, to make the best progress they can.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to implement the curriculum for communication and language, in particular, questioning to support children's critical thinking.