Kidz 1st Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Managers and staff have high expectations for all the children that they care for, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They create stimulating play spaces to secure children's interests and engagement in learning. For example, babies spend long periods of time exploring the sand. They scoop it up and fill their jars, emptying them and repeating the activity over and over again. Toddlers select the construction resources they prefer. They carefully fit the pieces together, making intricate models over long periods of time.

Children are independent and confident. They talk to staff easily, expressing their views, ideas and needs. Staff support children to complete many self-care activities, including putting on their own shoes and clothes, serving themselves at lunchtime and self-registering when they arrive.

Relationships between children are good. Staff teach them how to behave well when playing, stressing the importance of sharing, taking turns and showing consideration for each other. Older children enjoy chatting to their friends, talking about what they are doing and listening to their friends' ideas about how they could improve their work. Babies play alongside each other. They watch what their peers are doing and copy them, developing their own skills as they do so.

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

• Staff plan a curriculum that is based on the early years foundation stage guidance. They provide activities that incorporate different aspects of learning. For example, pre-school children discuss their feelings and then paint faces that express a particular emotion. This helps them to make links across the areas of learning.
• The curriculum is well planned and takes account of the essential knowledge and skills which children need to develop as they progress through the nursery. Children revisit activities over time to practise and refine their skills. This also allows them to build on their previous learning.
• Staff are extremely committed to their roles. They work well together, regularly reviewing the nursery to ensure that it meets the needs of each and every child. Staff make sure that they keep up to date with children's changing interests. They plan meaningful activities that encourage children to explore their interests, while improving their skills.
• Children's behaviour across the nursery is good. Staff regularly remind children of the expectations for their behaviour. Routines are well embedded and understood by the children. Children learn to respect their environment. For example, babies are shown how to straighten the rug in the construction area to keep themselves safe and the correct boxes to put different resources into when tidying them away.
• Children become confident communicators and their language skills develop well. Staff provide a wide range of mark-making activities, allowing children to practise their writing skills. Most staff model spoken English well, using clear speech and repeating simple words and phrases to secure children's understanding. However, some staff do not pronounce key words correctly. This confuses some children, as they are unsure of how to say these words correctly.
• Children learn about the importance of healthy living and taking regular exercise. All food is freshly cooked on the premises each day. Staff take great attention over the menu to make sure that children's dietary needs and preferences are accommodated. Although there is currently no access to the outside space, children regularly exercise inside and on their daily trips to the park.
• Key persons ensure that they know their key children very well. This helps them identify any development needs quickly. There are effective systems in place to support children with SEND. Staff use additional funding to provide additional resources and one-to-one support when necessary. Staff who work with these children have a good understanding of their specific needs and support them effectively.
• Children learn about and discuss each other's cultures and backgrounds. This supports their understanding of others. Staff use regular walks around the local area to help children to gain a deeper knowledge of the world in which they live.
• Parents are very supportive of the nursery and report that communication is good. They receive regular updates through an online portal and say they are always kept up to date with their children's development.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen the communication skills of some staff, ensuring that they pronounce key words correctly when talking to children, to support children's language further.