Kids Planet Chris Abell

Inspection of Kids Planet Chris Abell Harrison Drive, Cambridge CB2 8PH

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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The provision requires improvement

Children experience variable levels of support in their play and learning. This means they do not have consistently good opportunities to build on what they know and can do. For example, older babies sometimes struggle to feed themselves, as staff do not ensure the spaghetti is cut up so it is more manageable for them to handle. Nevertheless, children enjoy being at the nursery. They explore the bright, spacious environment around them and make choices about what they would like to do next. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) get involved in a range of sensory experiences. For example, they enjoy dropping handfuls of shredded paper and watching as it falls back into the tray.

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The provision requires improvement

Despite the significant changes in the staff team, children form secure emotional attachments with the staff they see most often. They show that they feel safe. Babies sit comfortably on the fluffy mats and explore the range of natural items provided. They develop their physical coordination as they use their hands to grab, drop and twist a wooden hoop in various ways. Pre-school children show that they understand the clear expectations for behaviour. They respond well to the praise provided by the staff.

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need to do better?

n The management team has secured some positive improvements in the short time since the last inspection. Leaders and managers have focused on ensuring that there are sufficient, consistent staff who care for children in each of the rooms. Although the retention of staff continues to be challenging, there are secure plans to drive recruitment forward. n Although leaders are ambitious for the future of the nursery, they have not yet secured consistently good practice. Staff attend relevant training to improve their knowledge and skills. This has helped them to develop a clearer understanding of what they want children to learn. However, their practice is not monitored often enough to ensure that weaknesses in the delivery of the curriculum are identified and addressed. This impacts on children's progress. n Managers ensure that agency staff are aware of children's likes and dislikes, including the routines toddlers prefer when they are settling to sleep. Staff

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need to do better?

understand children's individual dietary needs and ensure meals are carefully planned to meet these. Following a recent incident, the managers reviewed the nappy changing arrangements to ensure that all staff follow children's routines from home. This helps to ensure that children's individual health needs are now met. n Overall, staff communicate well with children. They explain what they are doing and pose open-ended questions during children's play. This helps to provide opportunities for older children to practise new words in different situations.

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need to do better?

22 March 2023 Staff sing and read to babies and toddlers throughout the day to help support their developing communication and language skills. n Staff understand how to identify when children need additional support. They respond to information from external agencies to help ensure that children with SEND receive tailored support to help them move forward in their development. n Older children develop their independence and manage some aspects of their self-care for themselves. Children are encouraged to follow handwashing routines from a young age. Children show that they are familiar with how these routines help to keep them healthy. n Staff support children's knowledge about the world around them, including the life cycles of plants and animals. For example, toddlers are encouraged to take in the scents of the different herbs they grow in the nursery garden. Pre-school children look at real tadpoles to notice any changes and begin to understand

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need to do better?

how they will grow to be frogs. n Overall, partnership working with parents and carers is effective. Parents have opportunities to come into the nursery to see their children playing and speak to their child's key person. They say they feel reassured by the recent improvements made at the nursery. However, managers recognise that their plans to exchange more information with parents and promote greater continuity of care and learning for children are still in the early stages of development.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Managers and staff understand their duty to keep children safe. They have secure knowledge of the signs and symptoms that may indicate a child is at risk of harm. Staff know the procedures they must follow to report concerns, both in the nursery and to external agencies. They monitor children's attendance patterns and recognise when unexpected or frequent absences may cause concern. Managers and staff update their safeguarding knowledge through regular training and discussions. Thorough checks are completed, both at the point of recruitment and during ongoing supervision meetings with staff. This helps to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children.

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Due date

22 March 2023 monitor the practice of managers and staff effectively to ensure weaknesses in the delivery of the curriculum are swiftly identified and addressed and children have consistently good-quality learning experiences. 21/06/2023

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should:

n strengthen the two-way flow of communication with parents and carers, to ensure good continuity of care and learning for children.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2668847 Local authority Cambridgeshire Inspection number 10282444 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 100 Number of children on roll 52 Name of registered person Kids Planet Day Nurseries Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01223609696 Date of previous inspection 17 November 2022

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Information about this early years setting

Kids Planet Chris Abell registered in 2022. It provides childcare and education primarily for children of staff at the University of Cambridge. The nursery employs 16 members of childcare staff. Of these, nine staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 8am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspectors discussed the continuing impact of the pandemic with the provider and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment, following information we received about the provider. n The nursery manager joined the inspectors on a learning walk and talked to the inspectors about their curriculum and what they want their children to learn. n The inspectors observed the quality of interactions during activities, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The nursery manager and an inspector jointly observed and evaluated an activity in the pre-school room. n The inspectors talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n Children told the inspectors about their friends and what they like to do when they are at nursery. n Parents shared their views of the nursery with the inspectors.

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Inspection activities

n The inspectors spoke with members of the management team about the leadership and management of the setting. n The inspectors looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.

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Inspection activities

We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage.

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Inspection activities

22 March 2023 regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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