Kids Planet Crosby

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Parents have just started to be able to bring their children into the nursery. This follows a long period where, due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) restrictions, children were dropped off at the front door.

Children confidently lead their parents to their group room and happily join their friends for a day of varied activities. Children enjoy using a wide range of natural materials and real-world objects. Staff teach pre-school children to safely use tools, such as knives.

Staff have high expectations of what even the youngest children can work out for themselves. Children are encouraged to solve problems and recognise ...that objects can be used in a variety of ways.Toddlers and pre-school children have frequent periods when they can play in the large outdoor areas.

These outside spaces are organised to support children's learning in all areas of the curriculum. The nursery management and staff place a strong emphasis on supporting children's social and emotional development. Pre-school children enjoy regular yoga sessions and are encouraged to discuss their feelings and any worries they may have.

Children of all ages are very well behaved and kind to their friends. Babies are well supported by their room staff and are very settled and happy. They confidently explore and learn new skills.

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

The nursery managers and staff are supported by a local and national leadership team. This ensures, for example, that recruitment processes follow robust guidelines. They have also recently introduced an additional well-being manager to proactively assess staff's well-being and support the nursery to make any adjustments which are required.

If parents raise issues with the managers, they reflect on what they have been told and, where appropriate, quickly make changes to improve practice.Parents are happy with the nursery. They praise the communication they have with staff both in person and through the online system.

One parent commented that photographs of her child, sent through the online system, 'brighten her day'. Parents feel well supported to continue their child's learning at home. One parent described how staff had provided detailed information and resources for her to continue the word sounds work with her child at home.

Parents of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities feel very well supported.The nursery group has a training academy. Staff can take advantage of a wide range of short training courses and undertake formal qualifications.

This has a positive impact on the provision for the children. For example, a staff member has recently completed her special educational needs coordinator training. She feels this has developed her confidence in completing any reviews which are required for children with additional needs who attend the nursery.

The children enjoy a wide range of freshly prepared meals. Clear processes are in place to ensure staff are aware of children's dietary needs and preferences. For example, different coloured bowls and table cards with dietary information alert staff to children who need additional support because of their food allergies.

Children who miss meals or who struggle with eating are given additional support to eat later. Most rooms have a very pleasant dining experience where staff provide a 'bistro' atmosphere. However, in some rooms, children need to wait for a considerable period of time between courses and become restless.

Many of the staff know their key children well and can describe how they are supporting them to build on what they know and can do. For example, one child wanted to build a wall. His key person knew he needed more sensory experiences, so she organised for him to build the wall using foam bricks and shaving foam.

However, some staff do not have a clear understanding of who their key children are and their next steps in learning. This limits how effectively they can incorporate those children's learning needs into the activities they are providing.A wide range of activities are provided.

These engage children and support their learning. However, staff are sometimes working to very broad learning intentions set by the management team which are not linked precisely enough to what the children need to learn next.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The manager and staff have a very clear understanding of their individual responsibility to keep children safe and understand what would constitute a safeguarding concern. They readily work as part of a multidisciplinary team to protect children and support the whole family. Staff are reminded of the importance of keeping information confidential.

Accidents are reviewed to identify anything that can be changed to protect children. Prescribed medication is only given to children where the required paperwork is in place.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: support staff to develop a deeper understanding of their key children and their learning needs to help them to make progress across the curriculum communicate clearly with staff what leaders intend children to learn, and ensure these intentions are linked to what children need to learn next.