Safari Kindergarten

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are safe and happy in this friendly nursery. They share strong bonds with the staff, smiling as staff greet them in the entrance hall. Younger children point to pictures of staff as they wait for their key person for support with climbing the stairs. Older children independently organise their belongings into trays before going into pre-school. Parents no longer accompany them to rooms due to the safety measures introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, they are confident in the dedicated care and attention children receive. Parents appreciate the meaningful, engaging and interesting activities provided for children. Children's learning also gains depth with visits from specialist teachers. For example, they talk about using their triceps in dance class as they wait for the dance teacher to arrive.

Staff encourage a love of reading by regularly reading books to children. Children enjoy picking books from reading areas and share them with staff. Babies have fun discovering the characters from the book of the month as they play. They point and look expectantly at staff to name them. Staff respond warmly and often sing action songs with children.

All children behave well and follow routines. Older children know how to keep themselves safe and move around the setting calmly. Children enjoy playing with their peers and completing activities. For example, they use tweezers to find hidden sea creature toys or to pick up and count pom-poms.

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

• Leaders plan a curriculum that includes experiences across all areas of the early years foundation stage. Staff think carefully about what children will learn from the activities. For example, they plan to develop children's small muscles and mathematical skills through making play dough. Staff focus on progression, encouraging older children to follow the recipe. As a result, children continue to build on what they know and can do.
• Staff focus on teaching children to identify emotions. They use stories and colours to help children recognise various facial expressions and body language. Furthermore, staff are sensitive to children's feelings. They often pick up on subtle cues that a child may need reassurance. They help them to express how they are feeling and think about what they need. By the time children leave for school, they can identify what causes them to feel key emotions. They show great awareness of how they react in different scenarios.
• Each child's key person knows them well. They plan activities that build on what they can do. For example, staff use scarves to engage younger children in playing peekaboo. They progress to showing children how to play the same game with their peers to increase social confidence. This helps prepare children for transitioning to the next age group.
• Partnership with parents is strong. Staff develop two-way communication with parents about their child's achievements and interests. Parents say they get lots of ideas for home learning through the online learning diary. They appreciate the warm and friendly staff, who listen to their ideas. This helps to develop a joined-up approach to supporting children's learning.
• Staff identify children who will benefit from extra support with communication and language. They plan small-group activities to develop children's understanding. For example, staff sing a range of action songs with children to help them identify body parts. Children smile as they find and move different body parts with increasing accuracy. This helps to raise children's self-esteem.
• Children show motivation to learn. They talk about what they are doing. For example, they say they are making a train and digger with bricks. When encountering difficulties with connecting bricks, children keep trying. Most staff engage in purposeful interactions with children during their play. However, at times, staff ask questions that do not require children to think critically or fully engage in meaningful conversations. Therefore, these children do not become highly involved in discussions.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported. A dedicated member of staff liaises with outside agencies to ensure they receive the support they need. Leaders use funding wisely to help children achieve the best possible outcomes. All children make good progress from their individual starting points.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support all staff to enhance children's conversational skills by encouraging them to think critically and engage in meaningful interactions.