Kindred Enfield

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive at the setting happily and separate from their parents with ease. Staff ensure that children feel safe and secure. They develop positive relationships with children. Children become independent learners. For example, in the baby room, children learn to feed themselves from an early age. They continue to develop these skills as they move on to each stage in the nursery. By the time children are ready to start school, they have the skills they need. For instance, older children enjoy carrying out small tasks at snack time. Children make choices in their play and learning. The helps to develop children's confidence.

Staff have high expectations for all children. Children are curious and motivated to learn. They thoroughly engage in a variety of good learning opportunities. Children's behaviour is supported well across the setting. Staff consistently praise children for their efforts, achievements and positive behaviours. Children develop high levels of self-esteem, as well as good attitudes to their learning. Younger children have strong bonds with their key person. Older children seek staff out to show their accomplishments and share their ideas. All children confidently approach staff for comfort and reassurance, and settle quickly in their attentive care.

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

• Since the last inspection, the new management team has addressed the actions raised to improve the quality of the childcare and learning. Staff understand the intent of the curriculum. They have good knowledge of what children know and can do. They use this to build on children's next steps in learning. However, staff do not consistently consider how children who prefer to play outdoors learn best. Therefore, older children do not have the best learning experiences when in the garden.
• The manager and staff team have ambitious expectations for all children. Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities well. They work alongside other agencies involved in children's care and learning. Staff use information they obtain from parents in the beginning to plan for what children need to learn next. As a result, children make progress from their starting points in learning.
• Staff act as good role models to the children. They listen when children talk and value what they say. Older children confidently hold conversations and describe past events. For example, older children excitedly look for insects in the garden. They share their knowledge about what plants need to grow with the inspector and each other. Children become confident talkers.
• Children's speech and language are a priority for staff. They model language well through good interactions with the children. Staff extend children's language as they introduce new words during sensory activities with younger children and when making play dough. For example, staff offer descriptive language as they encourage children to compare how the salt and flour feels.
• Staff support children to develop healthy lifestyles. All children enjoy regular access to their individual gardens, where they practise their physical skills. For instance, younger children enjoy making marks at large painting activities and riding bicycles.
• Children's early mathematical language is emerging through their play. Children count and talk about different sizes as they cut out clothes and boots for dinosaurs. Older children use language such as 'faster' and 'slower', as they race bicycles in the garden.
• Partnerships with parents are effective. Parents comment that there is a great improvement in the nursery since the introduction of a new management team. They are happy with the information which they receive from staff about their child's care routines, and the informative newsletters. However, staff do not share children's next steps in learning with parents to support children's development at home.
• Staff are professionally qualified. They speak enthusiastically about their roles and say that they feel valued and supported by managers. Staff receive information during their induction about the expectations of their role. They are well supervised and meet regularly with the manager to discuss their professional development. Staff receive guidance and training to help them improve their skills and knowledge.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to enhance the curriculum in the outdoor area to provide those children who prefer to learn outside with rich learning experiences
• strengthen communication with parents so that they know and understand their children's next steps in learning to support children's development at home.