Katie's Kindergarten

Calm responses to children's feelings and learning built around everyday play give Katie's Kindergarten its character in the November 2022 account. At its 2 November 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and found that children were progressing well. Those findings provide a dated picture of care and education rather than a description of today's daily practice.

The nursery is at 3 Grange Road, Thorngumbald, HU12 9PR, with capacity for 30 children aged 0 to 60 months. Its opening hours are 7.30am to 5.30pm on weekdays, across the year except bank holidays and Christmas.

The early years foundation stage sets the framework for children's learning, development and care, bringing these together through play and everyday routines. In November 2022, staff adapted activities to children's development: soft-play resources encouraged climbing and balance when movement was less secure. Learning started with what a child needed next.

Language grew through conversation in November 2022. Staff revisited recent experiences, talked about home life and supplied words alongside children's play. Counting songs and rhymes also brought numbers into ordinary activities, although opportunities to explore space, measurement and quantities needed further development.

Outdoor play in November 2022 included trikes, a mud kitchen and a water area. These gave children opportunities to practise movement and explore materials, but too few pans and funnels meant waiting for equipment. Better preparation and more resources outdoors were needed, especially for children who preferred learning there.

At the November 2022 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective, with staff assessing risks, supervising children closely and understanding how to respond to concerns. This is a judgement tied to that visit.

In November 2022, adults responded gently to children's emotions and explained boundaries rather than simply issuing instructions. Circle time gave children space to discuss worries, including their feelings about fireworks. Staff also asked before changing nappies and avoided breaking children's concentration unnecessarily.

Independence developed through small tasks in November 2022: putting on coats, washing hands before food and trying to manage personal hygiene. Staff discussed healthy food choices with children. Parents received updates about learning, while information sharing with other settings helped maintain a consistent response to identified learning needs.

The weekday opening window runs from 7.30am to 5.30pm, with bank holidays and Christmas excluded from the year-round schedule. In November 2022, session times covered that same window; this is a dated attendance detail.

In November 2022, the nursery received funding for free early education for two- and three-year-old children. Families weighing funded attendance should distinguish that historical participation from the arrangements they need for their child's start date.

• Outdoor learning. In November 2022, children waited for pans and funnels, and outdoor preparation needed attention. At a visit, ask how the mud kitchen and water area are equipped now, and how measurement and quantity are explored through play.
• Attendance planning. The nursery opens throughout the year apart from bank holidays and Christmas. Ask which booking pattern and funded-hours arrangements would fit your child's intended start date.

Katie's Kindergarten suits families seeking weekday, year-round nursery care with bank-holiday and Christmas closures. Its November 2022 picture combines sensitive interactions, practical independence and learning shaped around children's development. The outdoor resources and mathematical experiences deserve particular attention when judging how that dated picture compares with the care a child would receive now.