Giant Steps Haswell

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

Children are very confident, curious and motivated to learn at this highly inclusive and friendly setting.

Staff encourage them to form their own ideas, solve problems and express their views and opinions. For example, staff challenge children to learn different ways to balance beanbags on their bodies as part of a structured activity. Children benefit from a wide range of exciting and innovative activities and experiences.

These help to engage children's interest and ignite their curiosity. For example, children help build a den for insects and hedgehogs. Staff position cameras, so that children can watch how h...edgehogs behave and move at night.

Children explore and investigate different textures and materials. They use their senses to explore fresh flowers and a range of less familiar fruits, such as melons, pineapple, coconuts and lemons. Relationships between children and staff are superb.

Staff are very respectful, sensitive and kind. They form close bonds with children, who are very happy, settled and secure. Staff support children to manage their behaviour and emotions.

Children are taught to take turns, share, and be helpful and kind to others. They develop rapidly in their independence. Staff encourage children to cut fruit, pour drinks and serve their own food.

They place a small step ladder at the nursery entrance, so that children can press the buzzer themselves to let staff know they have arrived.

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

Children have excellent opportunities to access fresh air, green space and exercise. Children can choose whether they would like to play outside or indoors.

Staff place a strong emphasis on children's well-being. Children learn about healthy eating and enjoy nutritious and balanced home-cooked meals.Children develop their muscles and coordination as they dig, plant and make dough.

They develop strength and agility as they climb and stretch. Young children use all of their bodies as they make marks on large-scale drawings and explore with sand in the large, floor-level sandpit.Staff provide excellent support for children's developing communication and language skills.

Their interactions with children are thoughtful, timely and sensitive. Staff help to expand children's vocabularies by modelling language and introducing new words. For example, they talk to children about 'fishing boats, canoes' and 'oars', as they pretend to make a boat from the wooden see-saw.

Staff provide an extremely robust curriculum, which covers all areas of learning. Staff send letters home to parents to ask their views on children's current interests and progress. They use this information to help plan activities and experiences that are new to children and expand their horizons.

Staff know children individually very well. They meet weekly to review children's progress and plan further support.Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is outstanding.

Staff work closely with parents and partners in education and health to put consistent strategies in place to support children's learning.The setting has a spacious and well-equipped sensory room, which provides excellent opportunities for children's sensory development. Staff use additional funding to develop children's physical strength and coordination.

For example, they purchase equipment to help children pump water as part of water play in the garden.There is very strong leadership and management. The manager and director provide excellent support to the dedicated staff team, including support for their well-being.

For example, they encourage staff to send kind gestures and praise to each other on a staff 'shout-out' board to help to promote their morale and self-esteem.Staff benefit from excellent opportunities for continuous professional development. For example, they have access to a wide range of training opportunities and a learning library to help keep their practice up to date.

Managers monitor the impact of training that staff receive on their confidence and practice.Partnerships with parents are excellent. Staff work closely with parents to help support children to achieve key milestones in their development, such as potty training and preparing for school.

A book lending library contains books for children and adults, and is freely available to parents.Managers provide access to a wealth of information for parents to support healthy lifestyles. For example, they offer information on toothbrushing, reducing dummy use and the benefits of regular attendance and outdoor play.

Parents have high praise for the nursery and staff team, and their feedback is excellent.There are very strong systems in place for gathering parents' and children's views. The manager and director use this information to continually evolve and develop experiences for children.

They are passionate about the setting and the service it provides.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.All staff complete training in safeguarding, food hygiene and first aid.

Senior staff demonstrate an excellent understanding of their roles and responsibilities around safeguarding. This includes all aspects of keeping children safe, such as identifying and challenging the dangers of radicalisation and discrimination. All staff know what might give them concern about a child's safety and the processes to follow to keep them safe.

Staff teach children how to keep themselves safe and healthy. For example, children learn about how to keep safe in the sun. Staff are trained in woodwork, and support children to use tools and utensils safely.