Kidszone Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children excitedly arrive and leave their parents with ease as they are warmly welcomed into the nursery. They demonstrate that they are happy and have developed strong bonds with their key person. These secure attachments help children to feel safe and confident to explore the many toys and resources available. Babies confidently approach staff and show that they feel safe as staff gently comfort them to sleep when they are tired. Toddlers practise cutting and sticking, which helps to develop their small-muscle skills in preparation for early writing. Older children thoroughly enjoy taking part in scientific experiments. For example, they learn about the chemical reaction caused by placing eggs in vinegar, water or cola. This supports their learning about oral health and how some foods are not good for their teeth.

Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour and learning. All children make good progress from their starting points. Children show kindness towards each other, and they behave well. Staff are good role models and praise children continually. All children receive good levels of support and reassurance from all staff. This has a positive effect on children's confidence, behaviour, and emotional well-being.

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

• The manager and her deputy have a clear understanding of how to design an effective curriculum across all areas of learning. Overall, staff plan a curriculum that builds on children's interests and what they already know and can do. The curriculum has been carefully considered and developed to reflect the diversity and range of children and families that live within the community.
• Staff regularly observe children as they play and make accurate assessments about their development. The special educational needs coordinator helps staff to make plans to adapt the curriculum to meet the children's learning needs, while further assessments are undertaken.
• Staff plan interesting activities for children. For example, pre-school children learn about what happens to food in their stomach. They repeat new vocabulary, such as 'saliva' and 'intestine', as staff explain the digestive process to them. Children suggest ideas as to what happens when the mixture is squeezed out of the pretend stomach. This is effective, as children increase their knowledge about their bodies. Occasionally, staff miss opportunities to challenge children further to extend their vocabulary and speaking skills.
• Children are supported well to develop a love of books. Staff provide cosy reading areas, where children handle books with care. This supports the development of children's early reading skills. However, large-group times, such as singing sessions for toddlers, are not always organised effectively. Therefore, some younger children become bored and distracted, which hinders their learning experience.
• Staff provide children with a stimulating indoor and outdoor environment, where they practise physical skills, hand-eye coordination, and teamwork. All children enjoy regular opportunities to engage in physical play outdoors. Babies particularly benefit from using a range of resources, that help to develop their mobility. Staff encourage children to take safe risks. For example, children carefully navigate themselves up and over the climbing equipment and avoid obstacles as they ride on balance bikes and scooters.
• Staff create a welcoming environment, that encourages children to make their own choices about their activities. Good hygiene measures are in place and children are encouraged to develop independence with their self-care. For example, pre-school children brush their teeth after lunch. Children learn the important skills that prepare them very well for school.
• Partnership with parents, carers and external professionals are rooted in trust and respect. This helps to support children during their time at the nursery and in their eventual move to school. Parents and carers speak highly of the setting and the support their children receive. They comment that they felt fully supported during the COVID-19 pandemic and benefitted from frequent contact and activity ideas they received.
• All staff, including apprentices, receive a great deal of support to continually develop their professional skills and knowledge. The manager supports staff through supervision meetings. This helps staff to reflect on their practice and to identify further professional development opportunities.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff, so that they can improve how to engage toddlers in group activities
• challenge older children further to encourage them to express and elaborate on their thoughts and extend their vocabulary and speaking skills.