KMK Kinderzimmer 10

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provider has a strong commitment to providing high-quality care and education for children. At the time of the inspection, the nursery is newly open and, as a result, staff and children are still settling in. The focus of the curriculum is to encourage children to become familiar with their new environment and the staff who care for them. Therefore, staff focus on developing children's personal, social and emotional development and building children's relationships with their key person and each other. Staff do this effectively, and children are starting to demonstrate that they feel secure at the nursery. For example, they readily follow the daily routines and show excitement and interest in their learning. Staff are attentive and responsive to children's needs. They generally know children and their families well and can identify triggers that cause young children to become unsettled. They try to minimise these wherever possible and offer children immediate comfort, cuddles and reassurance.

Staff engage in positive interactions with children. They talk with them, ensuring they are sitting at their eye level, asking questions and giving meaningful praise. Children's behaviour is excellent. Staff promote children's good manners and consideration for others and their feelings. This helps to create a warm and welcoming environment.

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

• The provider has developed a high-quality, deeply researched curriculum that takes advantage of the provider's and senior staff's excellent understanding of different theoretical perspectives on early years learning. This superb awareness of how young children develop, along with the innovative learning environment, helps to provide children with a superb experience to ignite their curiosity and positive attitudes towards learning. As the nursery is newly opened, staff are still gaining confidence in putting the curriculum into action as they get to know children and monitor their progress. The provider ensures that staff have effective ongoing training to understand their role in implementing the curriculum successfully.
• Every aspect of the nursery day is planned to give children the best experiences. For example, mealtimes are meticulously planned to give children opportunities to engage with each other socially, to involve them in preparing their meals and to encourage them to enjoy well-balanced, seasonal meals. Children learn through taking part, such as cutting up the foods, arranging flowers in vases on the tables where they eat and washing their plates and cutlery afterwards. This gives children multiple real-life experiences that intrigue and interest them.
• Children experience a considerate and caring settling-in period. Staff spend time getting to know children and their families. Staff help to prepare all for starting nursery. This includes detailed information-sharing with parents and developing a routine that meets children's individual needs exceptionally well. For example, young children sleep in the cosy sleep area when they need to and are not restricted by rigid, set routines.
• Staff discuss how they encourage children to develop a good awareness of different experiences outside of their own families and backgrounds. This is authentic and meaningful. Children learn about what they have in common and what makes them unique. Staff read books to children that show them pictures of different children and families. Staff ensure they learn about different faiths so they can broaden children's awareness of different cultures. This includes taking children on trips to local places of worship during different seasonal celebrations.
• The provider is dynamic and passionate with an unwavering commitment to provide exceptional care and education for children. Although staff recruitment is ongoing, there are excellent foundations to coach and mentor all staff. Staff are highly complimentary about the support they receive. The provider genuinely invests in staff's well-being, resulting in staff who are equally motivated and enthused by their work.
• All staff, at all levels, demonstrate a comprehensive understanding about their role in keeping children safe and reporting any concerns about their safety and well-being. Staff empower children to be aware of their own personal safety and to learn about ways that they can help to keep themselves safe.
• The provider implements robust risk assessments to ensure that the environment is safe for children. This includes a thorough review of fire and smoke detection equipment and evacuation procedures following a recent fire service visit.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• embed the curriculum, so all staff feel fully confident in delivering the extremely well-thought-out intent for what children will learn.