Kids In Bloom @ Northwood Childrens Centre

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Leaders have embedded thorough, supportive settling-in systems.

They help children to settle quickly and feel secure. Children excitedly explore the interesting learning environments and show a strong desire to learn. Leaders have devised a well-thought-out, aspirational curriculum.

They have high expectations for what all children can achieve. Children are keen to carry out tasks for themselves. For example, even very young children find their own drinking cups and feed themselves with a spoon.

Older children serve their own healthy meals and put on their own coats. All children make good progress from their ...starting points.Staff have created a respectful environment, where each child is valued as an individual.

Staff help children to develop a sense of kindness and respect. When exploring books, staff encourage children to reflect on each other's similarities and differences, such as their different hair and eye colour. Babies demonstrate their kindness as they carry dolls and place them gently in their bed and snuggle up to them.

Older children play cooperatively together. As they create a track for the train, other children join in by making tunnels with their legs. They all giggle together as the trains go 'under the bridge'.

Children have developed loving bonds with the staff and each other.

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

Overall, the curriculum for communication and language is implemented well. Staff encourage frequent two-way conversation with children, showing interest and using clear pronunciation of words.

Babies make attempts to copy the words that staff use. Staff sing with enthusiasm, and babies become excited when they hear familiar songs and giggle as they anticipate the ending. Staff use a range of strategies, such as sign language, to support children's communication skills.

Children make good progress and become confident communicators.Staff instil a love of books and reading. As babies find their favourite stories, staff encourage them to turn the pages and name the items that they point to.

Older children spend long periods sharing books together and with staff. Staff use visual aids and props to encourage children to retell their favourite stories and make predictions about what might happen next. Children's early literacy skills are developing well.

Staff offer a wide range of activities to help children strengthen their large-muscle skills. Babies are provided with lots of reassurance and the space to develop early crawling and walking skills. The well-resourced outdoor area provides opportunities for children to balance, run and climb.

Children develop their small-muscle skills as they squeeze and roll dough to make 'pizza' for their friends. Staff teach children how to safely cut with knives as they cut up fruits together. These fun experiences help children to make good progress in their physical development.

The special educational needs and disabilities coordinator (SENDCo) is knowledgeable and committed to her role. Staff and the SENDCo act promptly when they have concerns about children's development. The SENDCo works effectively with parents, staff at other settings that the children attend, and other agencies.

They work together to plan appropriate targets for each child, to support them to make good progress.There is a strong emphasis on self-evaluation within the nursery. Leaders regularly seek the views of parents and staff and use this feedback to influence their improvements.

Leaders have embedded supportive supervision procedures in which staff are provided with coaching and targeted training to help them to build on their skills and knowledge over time. Leaders have an accurate view of the strengths and areas of development for the nursery.Staff know children's next steps in their learning.

They plan appropriate activities and experiences that help children to develop new skills and knowledge. For example, staff introduce a range of soft materials and encourage young children to develop their hand-eye coordination as they thread. However, during free play, as children show interest in using the material in other ways, staff direct them back to complete the task that was planned.

Staff do not consistently extend children's ideas or use these opportunities to allow children to practise and consolidate their skills.Overall, the day is planned well, and children are engaged. However, some activities and daily routines are not organised effectively to maintain children's attention.

For example, as children get ready for mealtimes, it is not always clear which staff are responsible for continuing to engage children in learning opportunities. This results in some children becoming disengaged and noise levels rising. Staff do not consistently support children to get the most from the learning opportunities on offer at mealtimes.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: help staff to recognise opportunities to extend children's ideas and learning during free play review the organisation of routines and activities so that children are consistently engaged in quality learning experiences.

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