Kids Planet Lymm

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are happy in the nurturing and calm environment.

Staff forge strong relationships with children and offer them lots of reassurance. As a result, children settle quickly and develop lots of self-confidence as they greet their friends. Leaders and staff plan an ambitious curriculum that ignites children's interests and supports their learning.

For example, children delight in filling and emptying different-sized containers with water. They use their critical thinking skills as they calculate the volume of water required. Staff interact well with children and guide their learning by introducing paint to make rain...bows.

When children find a spider in the water, staff seize the opportunity to help children care for living things. As staff model how to rescue the spider from the water, children are eager to help. This prompts lots of discussions about kindness and how spiders can move and crawl.

These first-hand experiences help children to become deeply absorbed, which enriches their learning. Staff set high expectations for children's behaviour, which helps children to understand boundaries and safety from a young age. They also recognise that children have different starting points and may need gentle reminders to help them understand the 'golden rules'.

For example, as toddlers play chasing games inside, staff stoop to their level and explain why they must use their 'indoor feet'. This helps toddlers to understand the rules and why they are important.

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

The provider values the importance of supporting staff in their professional development.

Staff undertake regular training, which has a positive impact on children's care and learning. Managers and staff also reflect on their practice and make improvements where needed. They recently identified minor gaps in the curriculum for understanding the world.

As such, they have increased mechanical resources for children to explore and investigate.The provider is committed to ensuring children's safety and well-being. They have clear policies and procedures, which are shared with managers and staff.

However, these policies and procedures are not consistently implemented. As a result, instances have occurred where children are not supervised appropriately. On one occasion, the provider notified us that a child was able to access an unsecure area.

Although the provider took immediate steps to prevent a similar incident happening, this is a re-occurring gap in their procedures. This does not fully assure children's well-being.Children are provided with an ambitious curriculum with a strong focus on communication and language development.

Babies beam and babble in response to adults' interactions and singing. Toddlers describe the taste of tomatoes in their lunch and pre-school children recall their learning of the life cycle of butterflies. Staff who are bilingual support children who speak English as an additional language.

They communicate with children in their home languages while building their English vocabulary. This helps children to develop confidence as they move between the language structures that they speak.Staff provide many opportunities for children to be physically active.

Pre-school children start their day with a vigorous walk to the park and return full of chatter. Toddlers develop control of their bodies as they build complex ramp structures, which they walk across. Babies are supported to practise their growing physical skills through tummy time, crawling and exploring inviting spaces provided by the staff.

The curriculum for physical development is strong.Children express their views at the nursery 'council' meetings. Staff listen and take action to address children's concerns and try out their ideas.

Staff sensitively support children to recognise and cope with their feelings and emotions in response to bereavement and loss. They place flowers in jars to hold memories and make love potions for the special something or someone in their lives. This has a positive impact on children's emotional well-being.

The provider has used early years pupil premium funding to help children control their emotions. They have purchased sensory stimulation resources, such as fidget toys and sensory boxes. Staff use these resources to help children self-regulate and control their impulses.

This works incredibly well for all children, especially the most disadvantaged.Staff facilitate many social events to provide parents and carers with an insight into nursery life. These events help parents to engage in their children's play and learning.

Staff also work closely with parents when children settle, which helps to support their children's transitions into the nursery. However, staff do not always seek detailed information about children's individual needs, such as behavioural tendencies. This means that children do not always get the extra support they may need.

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: tighten systems for gathering information from parents about their children's individual needs provide support to managers and staff to help them fully understand and implement the nursery's policies and procedures.