First Steps Nursery (New Mills) Ltd

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

Children make strong progress in all areas of their learning throughout their time in this warm, welcoming and focused nursery.

Staff support children to develop the attitudes, skills and knowledge that equip them well for their future learning. They set high expectations for all those in their care through a systematic, exciting and well-planned curriculum. Staff build strong bonds with children and their families, for example, by providing supportive and carefully considered induction activities.

This lays a secure foundation for children's further development.Children learn to be inquisitive and confident com...municators. For instance, babies explore new physical and sensory experiences as they chase coloured lights in the sensory room or make body patterns in different dry and wet mixtures.

Older children build on these skills as they learn to mix and name primary and secondary colours using large sweeping brushes to create vibrant paint patterns all around the playground. Children are safe and secure. Staff are very positive role models.

Children learn to share, take turns and be kind and polite. Children who have difficulty managing their emotions are well supported to play with others and join in story times and other group activities. Parents appreciate the staff's positive commitment to their children's development and the regular information and guidance they receive.

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

Staff build children's learning with a clear focus on children's personal and social development to ensure they are secure and prepared for learning. They work closely with parents to understand children's personalities, needs and interests. Babies are supported to build trusting relationships with staff and other children as they play with the many familiar and engaging activities.

Staff provide purposeful support to children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and for those who may be vulnerable and need further support. They identify gaps in children's development at an early stage and set incisive targets to help address them. They work very closely with other professionals, such as social workers and speech and language therapists, and carefully plan the use of additional funding.

Staff develop children's speaking and listening skills thoroughly. They take full advantage of all activities children undertake to enrich and reinforce their emerging vocabulary and language skills. Staff consistently use a range of strategies, such as listening and repeating what babies say and providing running commentaries, to extend sentences and vocabulary as babies' language skills progress.

Leaders are highly ambitious for the progress of every child. They instil all staff with a passion and sense of purpose in their work, providing a clear vision and a well-considered programme of induction and support. The impact of training on, for instance, communication and language development is rigorously monitored and evaluated to ensure it has the maximum impact on children's progress.

Staff place books at the heart of much of children's learning. Children are introduced to a well-planned core of fiction and non-fiction books that broaden their experiences of the world and enrich their language skills as they progress through the nursery. For instance, babies love to feel the textures and lift flaps in their favourite books.

Older children learn to create their own stories with a beginning, a setting, a problem and an ending through imaginative and well-led sorting games.Staff strongly nurture children's physical skills and confidence in their movement. They challenge children to build on their climbing skills, for instance, as they 'trip, trap over the bridge' in their climbing activity inspired by a traditional tale.

Children build core body strength through, for example, their forest school and swimming activities. They support children to recognise and manage risks in their physical play.Staff plan and support children's developing mathematical skills.

Babies learn to recognise sequences and patterns as they say together, 'ready, steady go' as they climb and jump on their soft play. They sort natural objects by shape and colour. Staff skilfully question older children as they roll giant dice to reinforce their recognition of quantities to five and their accurate counting skills.

Staff build strong partnerships with parents. Parents strongly recommend the nursery. They typically comment that their children learn through fun and play.

Parents know their children are well looked after and supported to be polite, thoughtful and inquisitive.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.