Nursery Rhymes - Knighton Limited

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children show joy and delight, and they relish affectionate cuddles from staff. They show that they feel safe and secure as they play alongside staff. When families first join the setting, they benefit from tailored settling-in sessions. Staff gather detailed information from parents about children's likes and dislikes, their home cultures and languages spoken. Staff use this information to shape the intended curriculum around children's individual needs and interests. Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) very well. For example, they deliver targeted learning experiences to support their individual needs.

Children are motivated to learn and immediately engage with the opportunities on offer. They explore, investigate and practise their skills. For example, babies are curious to see what is under the flaps in books as staff read to them. Older children are keen to explore minibeasts. Staff follow children's interests and plan exciting activities for children to create their own caterpillars using tissue paper and water. Staff use rulers to show children how to measure the length of a caterpillar. They ask children to compare the different lengths and use mathematical language, such as biggest and smallest. Staff use plenty of praise, which helps to reinforce positive behaviour and boost children's senses of pride and self-esteem. Children are developing good levels of independence. Toddler-age children pour their own drinks. When children reach the pre-school room, they further develop their skills as they take turns to serve their own food, gaining more confidence and control.

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

• Leaders work effectively with the knowledgeable staff team and, as a result, children's needs are met through a well-designed curriculum. Leaders have high expectations for children and have worked with staff to create their own learning goals for children to achieve in each room. This helps children to build on what they already know and can do before moving on to the next room. As a result, transitions are sensitively done to help with continuity in their learning. Children with SEND are supported well. The management team forms strong partnerships with other professionals to help close the gaps in children's learning.
• Staff foster children's interest in books and their literacy development. Children select books and independently look at the pictures. Younger children take them to staff to look at with them. In pre-school, children listen to stories as a small group and know the characters and key aspects of the stories. Children usefully build their hand strength in readiness for early writing as they use tools such as screwdrivers, brushes and pencils. They also learn to recognise their names and some letters of the alphabet, such as the name of their initial letter.
• In the main, interactions between staff and children are strong and support children's progress over time. However, some staff do not always successfully adapt how they speak to children when they are playing so that their interactions consistently support children's learning. At these times, children's communication and language skills are not fully extended.
• Staff have clear expectations for children's behaviour and conduct. Staff remind children about the golden rules. When older children occasionally run indoors, staff remind them about 'walking feet'. Children are familiar with these rules, and they respond quickly.
• Children enjoy plenty of opportunities to play outside and enjoy daily fresh air and exercise. They develop their physical skills by using climbing apparatus and obstacle courses. Children demonstrate high levels of enthusiasm as they experiment with 'cooking' in the outdoor kitchen, exploring natural materials that staff provide.
• The setting is a multi-language environment. Staff speak about the positive effects this has on children. For example, staff explain how children feel welcomed and included within the setting, as they have opportunities to hear their home languages. Staff closely collaborate with parents and carers, ensuring that every family's culture is celebrated and supported. For instance, staff actively engage with bilingual families to incorporate meaningful activities into the setting. This includes using key words and sharing stories from children's home culture.
• Effective, ongoing communication with parents contributes to children having a consistent approach to their care and learning. Staff provide parents with daily personalised feedback about how their child has been and what they have been doing. Key persons share children's progress regularly with parents, using an online app. Staff share ways that parents can continue their child's learning at home through suggestions for activities. Parents say they enjoy coming into the setting for events and joining in their child's play.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen staff interactions even further to support all children to receive consistently high-quality interactions and fully promote their communication and language skills.