Kids Planet Hixon

Inspection of Kids Planet Hixon Horn End Cottage, Egg Lane, Hixon, Stafford, Staffordshire ST18 0PR

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not applicable

p.1

The provision is good

Staff focus on helping children to settle. For instance, they greet them warmly and invite them to take part in age-appropriate tasks, such as filling up their own water bottle. This encourages children to easily leave their parents and carers. Children like to be independent. They self-serve their own meals and wash their own hands. When needed, staff provide children with extra guidance and support to strengthen their self-help skills. For example, during handwashing, they encourage younger children to notice any remaining soap bubbles on their hands.

p.2

The provision is good

Children of all ages have the freedom to safely explore their environment, choosing where they would like to play and what with. For instance, they purposefully transport water around the garden in a wheelbarrow, use paint brushes and rollers to make marks on large sheets of material, and enjoy washing vegetables and planting seeds. They demonstrate high levels of happiness. Children know the daily routines well. For instance, they confidently take off their outdoor shoes before going indoors and wait patiently to be chosen to be the lunchtime helper. They demonstrate beautiful social skills as they help one another and check on how others are feeling. For example, they practise saying 'thank you' as they hand their peers their plates at mealtimes. Children show a general interest in others, such as asking 'what school are you going to?'. Staff positively praise children for their good behaviour. This motivates them and builds on their self-confidence.

p.2

need to do better?

n The curriculum is designed to provide children with new experiences and life skills. For example, children have opportunities to become 'expert photographers'. Their once blurry photos now demonstrate quality and precision. Staff pride themselves in the extracurricular activities that they provide, such as science sessions, sports, and 'wonder walks' in the local community where children learn about nature. n Staff provide children with a variety of stories, information books and brochures to enhance their literacy skills. They plan story-based activities and enthusiastically implement ideas that they have acquired from training. For example, they paint their face and change their clothes to re-enact the story of 'The Tiger Who Came to Tea'. This develops children's love of stories as they show expression and empathy for the characters. n Staff help children to learn new words. For instance, they name the items that

p.2

need to do better?

children are playing with and encourage them to practise saying those words back. When children say 'fire', staff introduce 'volcano' to widen their vocabulary. However, at times, some staff do not always give children the opportunity to verbalise their own ideas and practise their thinking skills. This limits children's opportunities to engage in conversations.

p.2

need to do better?

25 June 2024 n Partnerships with parents are well developed. Parents attend stay-and-play sessions and take part in community outings with their children, such as trips to the local allotment where they help to harvest the fruit and vegetables. The manager welcomes parents' suggestions and takes on board any feedback to enhance what the setting offers. Parents say, 'staff are brilliant', and they are delighted with the support and care that their children receive. n Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is phenomenal. The deputy manager, who is also the special educational needs coordinator, works impeccably close with parents, other professionals and staff to oversee the needs of those children with SEND. She comes up with innovative ways to strengthen children's learning, such as teaching them to 'shoot webs like Spiderman' to strengthen their wrist muscles.

p.2

need to do better?

n Staff work extremely hard to engage with all schools that children will eventually move on to. They travel long distances to meet face-to-face with teachers to discuss individual children's learning and progress. Staff actively find out about the school's curriculum to give children a head start in their education. For example, they introduce the same stories that children will later explore at school. When children attend two settings, staff liaise with other key persons to share assessments. This ensures that children's emotions and preferences are well accounted for. n Children visit the next room during key times of the day to practise their developing skills alongside others who are working at a different ability level in that skill. For instance, babies learn to self-pour their own drinks and drink from an open cup, alongside toddlers. This promotes a 'can-do' attitude and a smooth transition through the rooms.

p.3

need to do better?

n The manager has a clear and ambitious vision for the setting's future. Through training and staff progression, she strives to provide children with even more opportunities to build fundamental life skills through sequential learning. This means, prior to children going to school, they will know how to use a range of tools and equipment with purpose and precision.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

p.3

should:

n help staff to strengthen their practice to further extend children's communication and thinking skills to the very highest level.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number 2676208 Local authority Staffordshire Inspection number 10348764 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

p.4

inspection

Total number of places 37 Number of children on roll 61 Name of registered person Kids Planet Day Nurseries Limited

p.4

reference number

Telephone number 01889271051 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

p.4

Information about this early years setting

Kids Planet Hixon registered in March 2022 and is located in Hixon, Stafford. The setting employs 11 members of childcare staff. Of these, nine staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The setting is open from Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am to 5.30pm. The setting provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

p.4

Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the setting received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation. n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk together and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector held discussions with the manager, staff, and children at appropriate times during the inspection. n The views of parents were considered by the inspector. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.

p.5

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.

p.5

Inspection activities

25 June 2024 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.

p.5

Inspection activities

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.6

Inspection activities

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk

p.6

Inspection activities

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.6

Inspection activities

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.6