Footprints@netherton

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children arrive and are warmly greeted by nurturing staff, who gently help them to settle and to explore the abundance of activities on offer. They quickly choose what they would like to do and are, on most occasions, well supported by staff, who join in with their play.

Occasionally, however, some staff do not make the most of opportunities to precisely challenge older children in their learning, as they arise. That said, overall, staff have high expectations for the children. Children demonstrate that they are happy and safe.

They engage confidently with each other and with staff. For example, they respond with curio...sity when they find toy penguins frozen in ice, and enjoy using tools as they attempt to free them. Children confidently build their communication and language skills.

Staff read stories and share familiar books with enthusiasm. Children treat each other with kindness and play well together. Staff are consistent in their approach to managing children's behaviour.

They gently remind children when their behaviour is not acceptable and help them to make better choices. Staff are exceptionally kind in their approach and use an abundance of praise and reassurance when they encourage children to try new things. However, sometimes they do things for children that they could try to do for themselves as they attempt to solve simple problems.

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

Leaders and the manager are passionate about enriching the experiences of young children and their families. Together, with the help of staff and parents, they evaluate the quality of the setting and the plans for future changes. Staff put children at the heart of the setting.

Staff have a good understanding of the needs of the children they care for. They develop a curriculum which reflects the unique and individual needs of each child who attends. Staff observe and accurately assess what children know and can do.

They use this information to provide activities that help children to take the next steps in their learning and development. Staff ask questions to challenge children in their learning as they play. However, some staff quickly respond with the answer and do not give children time to think, and demonstrate their understanding.

Staff provide a range of opportunities that help to enrich children's experiences. For example, staff encourage parents to join them on trips to the library, where staff tell stories to children. This effectively ignites a love of books and develops children's early reading skills.

Children are confident and eager to learn. They develop good self-help and care skills. However, occasionally, when faced with solving a simple problem, some staff quickly provide an answer instead of encouraging them to try and work it out for themselves.

For example, rather than encouraging children to try out their ideas and work out how a toy digger operates, staff are too quick to help.The manager works alongside staff, coaching and mentoring them as they work with children. She meets with staff to discuss aspects of their role and to plan further training opportunities.

For example, recent training in the identification of children who may have particular special educational needs has been used well to identify when some children may need more support.Staff provide a range of healthy snacks. They remind children of the importance of washing their hands and following effective hygiene practises.

Children benefit from a range of physical play opportunities and excitedly play in the well-resourced garden area.Staff encourage children's mathematical development effectively. Children regularly use mathematical language in their play.

For example, they count and use words such as full and empty to describe the level of soil in their plant pot when planting daffodil seeds.Staff form positive partnerships with parents and outside agencies. They share information about children's learning.

They also provide activities that parents may wish to try at home with their child to help to develop their learning further. Parents who spoke to the inspector commented that they are very happy with the care and opportunities provided.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

All staff have a secure understanding of child protection, including wider safeguarding issues. They are aware of the procedures to follow in the event of a concern about a child's welfare or should they have a concern about the conduct of others. Leaders ensure that all staff are trained in the child protection policy and procedures.

Staff undertake daily checks to ensure that the environment remains a safe place in which children can play. All staff have a qualification in first aid and they manage and record medication, accidents or incidents appropriately.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: develop teaching skills even further and support staff to consistently challenge older children as they play to help them to make consistently high progress nencourage children to try to do things for themselves, develop their thinking skills and solve their own simple problems.