First Steps Day Nursery & Pre-School Limited

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Leaders and staff value and celebrate all children's uniqueness. Children are confident, self-assured and independent.

Pre-school children are part of a 'nursery council'. Staff gather and use children's views, for example when making changes to the nursery menu. Children enjoy helping with tasks, including serving the lunch.

They wear their helper sign with pride. Staff act as positive role models and children's behaviour is good. Staff use consistent language throughout the nursery to help children understand each other's feelings.

For instance, they remind children to use 'kind hands'. Staff share these str...ategies with parents. This enables parents to provide children with a consistent approach.

Staff provide children with books and props to take home. They plan story sessions generally well. For example, staff add props, such as a straw house, as they read a story about the three little pigs.

This helps to bring stories to life and builds on children's imaginations. At times, staff do not make the most of story sessions to extend children's good speaking skills even further. Children make good progress.

Leaders and staff use assessments to find out what children need to learn next. They work with external agencies if required, for example speech and language professionals. Partnerships with parents are positive.

However, at times, staff do not make the most of these positive relationships, for example to gather information about children's learning when children return from holiday periods.

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

Passionate and committed leaders have high expectations for the quality of the setting. They make well-planned changes that benefit children.

For instance, they have recently developed and enhanced the outdoor area. This provides ample opportunities for all children to play and explore outside.Staff provide good support for all children's communication and language development overall.

This includes children who speak English as an additional language. For example, children in the pre-school room sing familiar songs in different languages. This also helps children to understand and respect each other's differences.

Staff model words to children well. For example, they repeat and pronounce words that children find difficult to use. Staff provide a wealth of story sessions for children.

They are enthusiastic readers. However, staff do not consistently encourage children to join in with familiar parts to help them develop their speaking skills further.On the whole, partnerships with parents are good.

Staff provide parents with a wealth of daily information. This includes feedback on children's care routines, activities and development. Leaders offer good levels of support for parents.

For instance, they provide information leaflets and invitations to training events. Staff encourage parents to share information about children's development when they first start. However, information-sharing is not as strong when children return from long holiday periods.

Staff do not consistently have a full picture of what children are capable of when they return.Leaders support staff to plan and deliver a curriculum that helps to prepare children for their next stage in learning. For example, there is a strong focus on promoting children's physical skills in the baby room.

Staff provide plenty of space for babies to move and low-level furniture for them to hold and walk along. Staff help pre-school children to develop their hand muscles in preparation for early writing. For example, pre-school children excite as they manipulate dough to music.

They use a range of movements, such as squeezing, prodding and pulling.Staff provide children with photographs of their key person before they start the setting. This helps children to become familiar with staff.

Even very new children show that they have developed close bonds with staff. For instance, new babies show delight as they play peekaboo with their key person.Pre-school children use their imagination skills as they play.

They pretend to make cakes using mud and a range of interesting materials, such as corks. They confidently count four corks. Children comment that they have enough to use as candles for their next birthday.

They use language such as 'half' and 'quarter'.Leaders provide all staff with regular updates, training and incentives to help keep them motivated. They work alongside staff, modelling best practice and providing feedback on their teaching skills.

This contributes to the growing skills and good knowledge of well-qualified staff.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Leaders ensure that staff receive regular training and updates in child protection.

Staff understand how to identify the signs that children may be at risk of abuse or neglect. They know how to report any concerns about children or about the behaviour of other staff. Policies are followed for the safe use the mobile telephones and cameras within the setting.

This helps to protect children from harm. The nursery building is safe and secure. Leaders check the premises before children arrive and remove and minimise any hazards.

All staff are paediatric first-aid trained. This helps them to respond to any medical emergencies.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nadapt the teaching during story sessions and encourage children to participate more, to help develop their vocabulary and speaking skills even further develop systems to share more information regarding children's learning and development, particularly when children return from holiday periods.