Creative Little Footsteps

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are happy, settled and demonstrate that they feel safe and secure.

Most children rush into the nursery and quickly become engaged in the many activities and play materials available to them. Staff respond very quickly to children who are more reluctant to separate from parents, distracting them and suggesting they have a cuddle. Children settle quickly and become engrossed in the activities.

Children's behaviour is good. They play well alongside others and are happy to take turns and share. Staff set clear rules and boundaries, such as encouraging children to use listening ears and demonstrate good sitting dur...ing group activities.

Children are kind and caring to their friends. They successfully develop the skills they need for the next stage in their learning. For instance, children play harmoniously together, dress and undress for outdoor play independently, understand and follow good hygiene routines and recognise and write their names.

Children enjoy the time they spend outdoors and develop good physicals skills. Staff make sure that children have opportunities to play outdoors each day, including during forest school experiences. Children confidently balance on logs and beams and climb wooden apparatus.

They learn about the natural world and use natural resources during their role play. For instance, they pretend that sticks, bark and water are the ingredients and use these to make pretend meals in the outdoor play kitchen.

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

Leaders are committed to their roles and responsibilities.

They have the same ambitions for all children and provide an inclusive environment where children and their families are welcomed. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make progress from their starting points.Staff plan a curriculum which follows children's interests and generally takes account of what they need to learn next.

Children are enthusiastic and have a positive attitude to their learning. However, when planning activities, staff do not fully consider how to incorporate the curriculum intent in activities. Nevertheless, overall, teaching is good.

The manager is a strong leader and recognises that there is room for improvement in how the curriculum is delivered.Children develop their early literacy skills well. They practise their fine-motor skills as they write letters and make marks with their fingers in flour.

Staff make sure that they read stories and sing songs with children each day.Overall, children speak with confidence and express their thoughts and ideas during conversations with staff and each other. For instance, they recall their experiences, such as going on holiday, and comment that the aeroplanes go extremely fast.

However, the support provided for younger children is not as effective. Although staff provide a dialogue, they do not consistently encourage younger children to express their thoughts during conversations.Staff encourage children to extend their mathematical skills.

For example, children count during their everyday play and compare the size of apples during mealtimes. Most children confidently recognise and name shapes during activities, can count to 10 and know the difference between big and small.Partnerships with parents and other professionals involved in children's care are good.

Staff communicate daily about children and parents speak very highly about the progress the children have made since attending the nursery.Overall, staff act as good role models and encourage children to use good manners. For example, they gently remind children not to talk when they have food in their mouths.

However, although staff sit with children during mealtimes, they sit with their food on their laps. This does not fully encourage children to develop an awareness of how to act during mealtimes.The manager has a clear vision for the setting.

Self-evaluation is effective and identifies clear intentions for the future. The manager is committed to developing staff practice. She conducts regular staff supervision meetings.

Staff participate in training opportunities to further broaden their knowledge and skills.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Leaders and staff have a good understanding of their roles and responsibilities to safeguard children.

They follow local safeguarding procedures, and the information on who to contact in the event of a concern is easily accessible. Leaders and staff have a secure understanding of the signs of abuse, including wider safeguarding issues such as female genital mutilation, extremism and exploitation. They keep their knowledge up to date by attending regular training.

Leaders and staff ensure that the environment is safe and secure. They always supervise children and complete daily checks to identify and remove any potential risks to children.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: continue to support staff to implement the curriculum learning intentions, so they are clear about what skills and knowledge they want children to gain provide all children with equal opportunities to share their thoughts and ideas strengthen staff's awareness of the importance of role modelling and leading by example, to further support children's understanding of how to act during mealtimes.

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