Footsteps Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Staff create a nurturing and caring environment that helps children to feel safe and secure. They are attentive to children's needs and offer comfort and reassurance. Staff know their key children well and understand what they are interested in learning about.

Children explore and communicate with confidence. They behave well, take turns, share resources and are respectful of each other. For instance, babies rub their friends back to help sooth them to sleep.

Older children remind their peers of the rules when riding their bicycles and cars up and down the track. Children benefit from the routines that staff put into p...lace. They understand to line up before going outside and wash their hands before mealtimes.

From an early age, staff teach children about keeping safe. Children know the importance of applying sun cream and wearing a sun hat when playing outside in the sun. They know to hold the handrail when travelling up and down the stairs and taking turns to go down the slide.

Children spend much of their time outside at this nursery. Staff provide children with lots of opportunities to be active and to develop their physical skills. They use a traffic light system to help children to practise to stop and start as they move around on a variety of ride-on toys.

Children take turns to balance and move their bodies across an obstacle course. Staff share ideas about how the children can move in different ways. Children leap, bounce and jump their way across the tyres.

This helps them to build on their core strength and coordination.

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

Leaders have worked hard to address the weaknesses identified at the last inspection. They have reviewed their risk assessments and made necessary changes to ensure that hazards are removed.

Leaders have reviewed their processes for checking the suitability of anyone working on the premises and carried out relevant Disclosure and Barring Service checks. They have worked closely with staff to support them to implement a curriculum that supports children's needs and next steps. For instance, staff plan activities linked to their key children's interests and next stage of learning.

Staff provide children with opportunities to use their imagination and mathematical skills. For example, children get into character as they play in the farm shop role-play area. Staff ask to buy ingredients to bake a cake.

Children recall what ingredients are needed and discuss weight and measure. They count the items in the basket and ask for payment. Children are making good progress in their mathematical skills.

Children are starting to learn the importance of good oral hygiene through activities and regular toothbrushing. For instance, after mealtimes, babies get excited when they see their toothbrush. They independently move their brush around their mouths and staff help when needed.

That said, children are not always encouraged to make healthy drink choices and are given juice throughout the day.Partnership with parents is a key strength of the nursery. Leaders actively seek the views of parents, and any feedback is quickly acted on.

Parents feel fully included in their children's learning at every stage. They are aware of their children's next steps and staff help parents to extend their children's learning at home. For example, staff send home activity bags for children to enjoy with their families.

Staff morale is high. They state that they are very happy in their roles and comment on how well leaders support them professionally and personally. Leaders recognise the importance of staff supervision meetings.

They use these meetings to identify future training opportunities and build on staff's professional development. However, staff's knowledge of the curriculum intent is not always clear. They sometimes struggle to express what skills they want children to gain from the activities provided.

Children have many opportunities to develop their communication and language skills. Staff encourage children to develop a love of books. For instance, babies select books and snuggle up to enjoy a story with their key person.

Toddler children benefit from weekly visits to the local library, choosing a book to share with their family at home. Pre-school children use their imagination to re-enact their favourite stories. They search the garden for props and negotiate who is which character.

They skilfully work together and take turns to share their ideas and retell the story.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.All staff receive regular safeguarding training.

They have a good understanding of how to recognise children who may be at risk of harm or abuse. Staff are aware of how to escalate any concerns about children's welfare to the relevant agencies. They also know how to respond in case of any allegations made against a colleague.

Leaders have effective procedures for the recruitment and induction of new staff. Staff make sure the premises are secure to ensure that children cannot leave unsupervised and any unauthorised visitors to the setting cannot gain entry.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: noffer children fresh drinking water consistently throughout the day, to support them to make healthy choices support staff to have a clear understanding of the curriculum intent for children, to help children reach their full potential.