Kindred Cheshunt

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children develop the ability to meet their own needs from a young age and become independent in leading their own learning. Babies are supported to learn to use cutlery to feed themselves, and older babies do this confidently. Toddlers learn how to solve problems. For instance, they negotiate tight spaces, exploring how to get themselves out without the need for adult support, but reassured that staff are close by. Older children confidently pursue their own interests in their learning. They follow their own ideas as they create crafts, developing their own work confidently and independently.

Children are respectful and kind to one another. Staff use praise and encouragement to help children to recognise their positive behaviour. Staff support younger children to use kind hands. They model to children how to interact with one another. The oldest children demonstrate their strong understanding of the impact their behaviour has on others. For instance, they politely ask their friends to pass them things they need during activities. They wait patiently for their turn, showing high levels of patience and respect. The oldest children demonstrate their strong communication by engaging in thoughtful discussions with staff and other children around them. For instance, they speak about who is important to them and the reasons why.

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

• Leaders have clear oversight of what happens at the nursery. They are reflective and adapt the setting to meet children's needs. For example, they transform an office space into a sensory quiet room to allow more space for children to relax and explore away from the busy environment of the main rooms. They consider the changing requirements of the families who use the nursery, adapting spaces to accommodate more children safely when required.
• Staff feel well supported in their roles. They receive a range of training to build on their knowledge and skills effectively. Communication between staff in the rooms is strong. They hold daily discussions about the children who are attending and the plans to build on their learning. They work collaboratively to support one another, as well as meeting children's needs. There is a clear key-person buddy system in place. This provides children with consistent staff to support their personal care needs and helps them to deepen their strong bonds with staff even further.
• Children who speak English as an additional language make good progress overall. Despite leaders having clear strategies to support these children, there are some inconsistencies in the way that staff use these across the nursery. This does not fully support all children to settle and communicate their needs and choices.
• Parents feel well informed about the progress their children make. Staff recognise the importance of building positive working relationships with parents and how this benefits the children. Parents appreciate the care that staff provide their children, speaking positively about the bonds their children build with staff.
• On the whole, staff's interactions with children are positive and respectful. However, occasionally, some staff do not allow time to help the youngest children to understand why routine tasks are happening during busy periods. For instance, they do not support children to understand that they need to wipe their faces after they have got up from the lunch table. As a result, there are occasions where children are more resistant to these tasks taking place and these interactions become more challenging for staff to manage.
• Children develop their vocabulary consistently over time thanks to the support and interactions of staff. Staff introduce relevant words through songs and simple books to babies, who begin to repeat these words back to staff appropriately. Older children broaden their vocabulary through the carefully considered interactions of staff. They learn new vocabulary relevant to the activities they complete. For example, staff speak to children about how to 'sprinkle' glitter and use it 'sparingly', explaining clearly why this is important and what these words mean.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• embed consistent approaches to support children who speak English as an additional language to communicate their needs more effectively
• support all staff to develop children's understanding of why routine tasks need to take place and promote consistently respectful interactions at these key times.