Footsteps Wilmslow

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are greeted by caring and happy staff.

They have lovely bonds with their key person, which helps them to feel safe, secure and ready to learn. Children settle quickly and confidently move throughout the nursery as a result of carefully planned transitions. All children engage in exciting, hands-on sensory activities.

They are inclusive and carefully thought out to inspire children to learn through play. Children are encouraged to use all of their senses in play and learning. Babies explore new and edible textures with their hands and feet, such as yoghurt, berries and cereal.

Toddlers mix together fru...it cocktails, exploring real fruits using tweezers. They learn the names for fruits and about healthy snacks. Older toddlers learn sign language for favourite songs and words.

They are immensely proud as they confidently show the inspector their new skills. Children's behaviour is very good. They cooperate and hold hands as they walk through the building.

Children form friendships with each other and delight in the many opportunities to join in and have a go at new and exciting experiences. From a young age, children follow 'golden rules', which helps them to learn positive behaviours. They delight in getting praise and recognition for their achievements from their key person and other staff who also know them very well.

All children are making good progress in relation to their starting points.

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

Staff develop children's communication skills well. They show genuine interest in children and pose well-thought-out questions to enhance children's knowledge.

Staff interacting with babies ensure they are at children's eye level and use engaging facial expressions. Staff talking with younger children encourage speaking by offering single words. They also prompt them to have a go at saying new words.

Those working with older children seek out their opinion. Staff ask children questions that promote longer and more thoughtful answers. This helps children to think for themselves and builds on their language skills and understanding very well.

Children have many opportunities to learn about the world in which they live. Fire fighters and farmers along with farm animals visit the nursery. Favourite story characters come to sing songs with the toddlers.

Older children visit care homes for the elderly and local garden centres. Rich, hands-on experiences spark curiosity and provide children with memorable learning. Children learn about various cultural events that their peers celebrate and festivals that are more unfamiliar.

This broadens children's knowledge about people and communities different to their own.Staff know their key children very well. They have accurate knowledge of children's progress in learning and identify specific areas that need further support.

They plan children's next steps in learning well. Staff show great enthusiasm as they talk about their key children's achievements and interests with parents and other professionals.Parents regard the nursery highly.

They get regular updates about the activities their children participate in and are informed about their children's progress in learning. Parents receive ideas from staff to help them in further supporting their child's learning at home. They appreciate the sessions organised to meet staff and join in with activities their children enjoy.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well. Staff work with other professionals appropriately. They ensure they support children's individual needs and follow education and care plans.

Staff interweave specific support and teaching for children with SEND into learning for all children.Overall, opportunities for children to learn how to carry out activities for themselves are provided within the curriculum. For example, toddlers learn to find their shoes and practise peeling citrus fruit.

They have opportunities to learn useful skills for the future. However, staff working with older children sometimes carry out tasks that children could attempt for themselves. Some new skills are not used and practised frequently within the routine.

Children who prefer to learn outdoors are supported well. They seek out calm spaces in the fresh air to enjoy books together. Children also develop their physical skills through climbing and running within the outdoor space.

Staff plan activities that enable children to maximise their time outdoors. This helps children to learn more about nature. Furthermore, they develop positive attitudes to being outside in all weather.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff are confident in their safeguarding knowledge. They know how to immediately report any concerns about children's welfare or colleagues' misconduct.

Leaders act sensitively to any concerns raised and know how to refer their concerns to the relevant authorities. All new staff receive an induction about health and safety in the nursery, which helps them to understand their role in keeping children safe. The ongoing suitability of staff is checked.

Staff have regular one-to-one meetings to discuss personal and work-related concerns that could impact their ability to carry out their job. The premises is safe, hygienic and secure.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: plan more frequent opportunities for older children to practise their independence skills, enabling them to carry out more activities for themselves.