Giant Steps Sherburn Village

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children demonstrate that they feel happy and enjoy their time at this nursery. They arrive enthusiastically and settle well.

They happily say goodbye to their parents at the door. Play resources are arranged at low levels, so that all children can see and access them. They independently select the toys they wish to play with and are confident in choosing the direction of their play.

Most children confidently engage in conversation as they explain what they like best about being at nursery. Children have great fun as they manipulate dough by squashing, squeezing and rolling it. This helps to promote their small muscles... in readiness for developing further skills, such as pencil control.

Children make marks, draw pictures and paint using their hands. They are proud to show the inspector their creations and describe their hands as being rainbow hands. Older children count and learn about basic and more complex shapes, such as hexagons.

They respond positively to more challenging experiences. For instance, older children accurately count backwards from five. They demonstrate their mathematical understanding as they describe items as 'heavy' and 'light'.

Children solve problems in their play. For example, they work out which clothes will fit the doll and how to make the sleeves shorter by rolling them up. Children interact with technology resources and can competently turn equipment on and off.

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

The leadership of the setting is strong. The manager and providers have clear ambitions to continually improve the quality of the care and teaching. The manager works closely with staff.

She has a good awareness of the areas of strengths within the team, as well as areas for further development. Each member of staff receives regular support through one-to-one supervisions and team meetings. In addition, staff receive ongoing training and leaders quiz them to test their knowledge of safeguarding, leading to a knowledgeable staff team.

The manager supports staff to ensure their well-being, and they are proactive in reviewing their workload.The manager and staff team closely monitor children's development, to promptly identify potential gaps. There is a clear curriculum to support children's learning and they make good progress over time.

Children participate in their learning well and staff join in their play with enthusiasm. Additional funding is used effectively to provide well-targeted resources and experiences, which some children need to help them achieve and develop, so they make good progress.Children develop good language skills.

They regularly hear words and repetitive phrases, such as through rhymes and singing songs. Most children listen to stories being read and join in with repeated refrains. However, staff do not always adapt their teaching to maintain children's listening and attention during group activities, such as story time.

As a result, some children eventually leave the group.Staff give priority to children's personal, social and emotional well-being. They support children in managing simple tasks for themselves and in developing self-care skills.

For example, children learn to put on and take off their coats. The children know routines well. Staff talk to children as they play and label different emotions.

However, they do not always help older children to understand how their behaviours impact on others.Children develop good attitudes to learning and are keen to show what they have learned. For example, they match the colour and size of the bears and count out numbers in the correct order.

During conversations, staff take every opportunity to include talking about safety, for example why it is important to walk indoors.Staff promote children's health well. Children learn about the importance of healthy eating and good oral hygiene.

Children are very independent in their self-care, remembering to wash their hands after toileting and before eating. They spend vast amounts of time outdoors and are physically active in their play. Children enjoy climbing, manoeuvring around the obstacle course, and learning new skills, such as throwing and catching balls.

Parents and carers speak highly of the staff and particularly value how much they have helped with the good progress children are making. Staff make good use of opportunities to involve parents and carers. The regular exchange of information via the online application and daily discussions keeps parents up to date with what is happening at nursery.

This is appreciated as parents and carers have not been inside the nursery, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The manager and staff have a secure understanding of the procedures to follow to share concerns they have about children's welfare.

They are knowledgeable about the indicators of abuse or neglect. Staff understand whistle-blowing procedures and how to report concerns about adults or children. The manager understands the correct procedures to follow if an allegation is made against a member of staff.

Recruitment and vetting procedures ensure that staff are suitable to work with children. Staff supervise children well and provide them with a safe environment.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nadapt teaching within group activities to consistently support children's listening and attention skills consistently implement the curriculum for personal, social and emotional development with specific regard to supporting children to understand the impact of their behaviour on others.

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