First Steps Day Care

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

The manager and staff have a shared vision for all children of good-quality care and learning. They are reflective about their practice, committed to continuously improving and work well as a team. Children are excited to arrive at nursery.

Staff are kind and responsive to children's needs, paying careful attention to those children who are new and settling in. As a result, children are confident and are learning to behave well. They show kindness towards each other while learning to share resources and take turns.

Staff offer a very good level of support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.... They work with other professionals and parents to promote children's individual needs and development. Staff support children's language skills well, including those children who are learning English as an additional language.

For example, they listen to children carefully, give them time to think and respond, and teach them new words. Parents speak highly of the staff team and appreciate that their views are listened to. They comment that they can see how much their children are developing and learning at nursery.

Staff take effective action to ensure the premises indoors and outdoors are clean and maintained to a high standard.

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

Staff have a good understanding of how children learn. They recognise that children benefit highly from exploration and sensory play.

This helps to ignite children's curiosity and encourages them to participate.Children explore their environment with enthusiasm and enjoyment as they confidently communicate with visitors and staff. Staff place a strong focus on developing children's communication and language.

They talk to children and ask questions to encourage their thinking skills.Children learn about numbers through counting and measuring as they make play dough. Staff engage children as they play, teaching and extending their understanding of these mathematical concepts well.

Staff fully engage children in developing their imagination during role play. Children are animated and expressive when using props as they act as doctors and dentists in the home corner surgery.Staff are particularly skilled at making sure all children are included.

They ensure that all children have enough interaction during larger group activities, particularly those who are quieter in the group. As a result, all children are equally involved.Children thoroughly enjoy their time outdoors.

They are independent as they explore the environment and initiate their own play. The outdoor area is spacious and well planned. Children enjoy the space to run and ride wheeled toys in a circuit, promoting their physical development.

Staff are good role models. They teach children effectively to learn how to manage their emotions and feelings. Children learn to show respect and kindness to their peers and develop early friendships.

This supports children's emotional well-being successfully.Staff are successful in teaching children about how to keep themselves safe. For example, children listen well and follow the rules when they line up to go through the hallway to wash their hands.

Children quickly learn that they wait for staff to call their names as they complete a headcount when going back inside from outdoors. This teaches children valuable skills in preparation for school.The manager supports staff effectively so that they are developing confidence in all areas.

Induction and ongoing training enable staff to know the procedures to follow if they have any safeguarding concerns.The manager and staff have not been successful in communicating to all parents the nursery's policy for healthy eating.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The designated safeguarding lead and all staff have a strong understanding of how to keep children safe. The manager and deputy work alongside the staff and are good role models. They offer regular support and coaching to staff to help them develop their practice.

Safeguarding policies and procedures are in place, including safer recruitment and reporting of accidents and incidents. The manager supports parents to make sure children are attending regularly and on time.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nencourage all parents to provide healthier balanced food for children in their packed lunch.