Kidz Kabin @ Fortismere

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children and parents are greeted warmly by staff as they arrive at the setting. Children separate happily from parents, and handover information is quickly shared between parents and staff on each child. Staff welcome children in, before supporting them to change from outdoor shoes into indoor warm slippers and start their day. Children are given time to settle. Staff commentate on what children are doing as they move around and look at the different activities set out to play with. Children behave well for their age and stage of development. Staff have high expectations and communicate these consistently to children. Children are continuously praised for their efforts. They are commended for 'good listening' and 'good sitting'. This helps children to understand what is expected of them and prepares them well for the next stage in their learning.

Children's communication and language development is well supported. Conversations flow easily between children and adults; children want to share their interests. They are developing positive attitudes to learning. All children have daily story and rhyme times, and the youngest children choose props to indicate which song they would like to hear. Children are supported to join in by staff, who model actions and leave breaks in favourite tunes for children to sing single words or short phrases they are familiar with.

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

• The curriculum is well sequenced and ambitious. Staff get to know the children well and plan a range of exciting activities that support their next steps in learning and current interests. They provide a good balance of free-play activities and adult-guided experiences. As a result, children show a great desire to learn more and are making good progress.
• Staff plan activities to help children understand simple mathematical concepts. Children count as they build with wooden blocks and use size language, such as 'big' and 'tall', as their trails of blocks grow.
• Children have lots of opportunities to develop their physical skills. They manage their coordination as they climb up and down the climbing equipment and navigate around obstacles as they run. Children access forest-school activities in the outdoor space. Children learn how plants grow and why it is important to look after the environment.
• Staff support children's learning during activities and help to build on their knowledge. Children concentrate as they use craft materials to make pretend houses. Staff ask children a broad range of questions to help gain a better understanding of what they already know.
• Parents speak highly of the care provided by staff at the nursery. They comment that they feel reassured that their children settle so well into the nursery. They add that they value the positive relationships children develop with their key person. Parents feel fully included in their child's learning.
• Staff provide children with opportunities to develop their understanding of living a healthy lifestyle. Children have healthy drinks and snacks. They also learn to maintain healthy teeth by practising brushing a giant set of teeth.
• Children learn about the different cultures and languages represented in the nursery. Practitioners share materials and songs from their own culture. They help children to learn about different cultural festivals. Resources such as books and posters reflect the children in the nursery.
• Staff teach children how to manage their own emotions and recognise the importance of being kind and courteous to others. They model to children how to share and take turns and read books to children which reinforce this message. Children form positive interactions with their friends.
• Children gain some independence and self-care skills. They confidently put on their coats before they go outside and wash their own hands before meals. However, on occasions, staff do not support children to consistently develop their self-help skills, particularly during mealtimes. For example, children are not involved in preparing their own snacks. Staff peel and chop the fruits. Older children do not pour their drinks at mealtimes, but they are given water bottles or beakers.
• The manager reflects well on all areas of her practice. She seeks feedback from parents and staff and uses her findings to make well informed changes. The manager conducts regular appraisals on all staff to identify areas for development. Staff have access to training opportunities. This ensures their knowledge remains up to date. However, staff would benefit from more robust methods of coaching and mentoring.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• help children consistently to develop self-help skills, particularly during mealtimes
• enhance methods of coaching to support staff to raise the quality of their teaching to a consistently high level.