Developing steps Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement Leaders and staff do not always plan effectively to cater to the individual needs of each child, which results in a lack of engagement, particularly among older children. As a result, some children tend to become easily distracted and move from one activity to another without deriving any significant learning benefits.

The lack of an ambitious curriculum impedes on the learning and development of some children. Additionally, leaders have not taken enough action on the recommendations made during the last inspection to ensure that the quality of the provision continually improves. For example, staff's assessment of individual child...ren's progress is still not precise enough to ensure that their next steps in learning are accurate.

As a result, some children are not developing to their fullest potential. Despite these weaknesses, staff serve as positive role models, and children behave well. Staff provide a consistent and calm approach towards managing children's behaviour, which helps to promote the emotional well-being of children.

Children make some progress from their starting points in learning. Children have opportunities to engage in a range of activities, and develop affectionate relationships with the staff. They explore the nursery and initiate their own play.

The daily routines provide some opportunities for children to engage in small-group activities and one-to-one play. For instance, during circle time, children learn to listen, sit still, and take turns to select the songs and rhymes they want to sing.

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

Staff do not have an accurate knowledge and understanding of children's stages of development and their next steps in learning.

This means that planned activities and play opportunities do not always support children's learning to help them make the progress they are capable of. For example, children of varying ages participate in the same painting and play dough activity, without staff providing more challenge for the most-able children to extend their focus and meet their learning needs.The quality of teaching is inconsistent.

The current supervision procedures are not robust enough to identify and address weaknesses in staff's teaching practice. Staff do not consistently provide enough support to help children to think and communicate their ideas effectively. Some children find it hard to understand the language used and questions asked by the staff, which makes it difficult for them to respond.

However, staff provide activities for children to practise their writing skills, such as painting and mark making with chalk. They read stories that foster children's interest in books.Staff are experienced, yet lack confidence in identifying the learning objectives of adult-led activities.

For instance, during a planting activity, children of varying ages participate. While they enjoy the activity, they do not fully understand what is expected of them or how it relates to raising their awareness of things that grow. Furthermore, the activity's objective was not linked to any identified next step in learning for the children who were participating.

Staff praise the children for their achievements, which, in turn, helps to build children's confidence. They divert children from emerging disagreements, such as sharing toys. Children are well behaved and demonstrate that they feel safe and secure with the staff.

Older children take responsibility for their own care needs during daily routines. For example, they wash their hands after messy play and before meals. Children gain some skills that prepare them for school.

Children enjoy the time they spend outdoors, and this successfully develops their physical skills. They enjoy climbing to the top of large apparatus and pushing themselves along on wheeled toys. Regular visits to local community places, such as parks, shops and the library, help children to learn about risks and the world around them.

Staff do not always keep parents fully informed about their children's progress and next steps in learning to maintain consistency in learning. However, parents are pleased with the care provided at the nursery. They mention that their children are always eager to attend and enjoy meeting their friends and the staff.

Important records relating to the management of the setting, including the progress check for two-year-old children and staff signing-in records, are not easily accessible for inspection. Leaders do not ensure that records are available at all times to support the efficient organisation of the nursery.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must: Due date improve staff's understanding of assessment processes to ensure that they have an accurate knowledge of children's development, and use this information to plan challenging experiences that build on children's skills and help them to make consistently good progress 26/06/2024 support children's understanding and communication skills consistently, using developmentally appropriate language 26/06/2024 develop a regular two-way exchange of information with parents regarding children's development, to enable consistency and continuity in their learning 26/06/2024 plan a more effective programme of professional development to improve staff's understanding of how to extend children's learning and raise the quality of teaching to a consistently good level.26/06/2024 To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: develop strategies to help children to focus on activities and concentrate for longer periods nimprove the organisation of records to ensure that they are accessible and available at all times, to support the safe and efficient management of the setting.