Early Steps Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children eagerly start their day at the nursery. They are warmly greeted by staff who take time to find out how they are. Staff support babies extremely well to extend their physical development. They use their expert knowledge well, for example making sure babies have supportive equipment to gain confidence with their new found walking skills. Staff support other children in learning how to use the climbing frames safely to slide down. This helps children to develop new skills and promotes their learning and development. Staff are consistent in their approach to behaviour management. Staff remind children to use their words as they play, supporting their language development and their behaviour. They work well in partnership with parents to support children's behaviour. Children behave exceptionally well. Staff remind children the importance of their own hygiene, helping them to learn about their own health and well-being. Meal times are social occasions. Staff sit with children talking about their day and what they are eating. This helps to support children's language and social skills.

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

• Leaders are aware of the importance of evaluating the effectiveness of planning and how to make improvements to the nursery. They work with staff to ensure they are fully aware of their roles in planning, generally, good quality activities to support children's learning and development.
• Children are all highly mindful of each other. Most-able children help and support those who are less able to get ready to play outside and to fasten their shoes. Children thank each other for the help, helping to build each other's self-esteem.
• Overall, staff support children well. However, staff do not always give children a sufficient amount of time during activities to finish off their learning. For example, during play dough activities, staff are quick to end the activity in order to move on. This does not allow some children to reach their full learning potential during activities.
• Leaders are aware of the impact that the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic has had on children. They work with staff to ensure they plan effective activities in order to support key areas of development. For example, staff are supporting children's physical and emotional development. They are skilled in working with parents to support these areas of learning. This is helping children to make good progress from their starting points.
• Staff support babies to try new activities and extend their development further. However, they do not always provide enough challenge during activities to extend older children's learning to an even higher level.
• Parents say they are very happy with the care that is provided and feel safe leaving their children in the care of the staff. They also say their children are making good progress with their learning.
• Staff support children's language development well. They talk with them during activities, asking them effective questions to get them to think about their answers. Staff simplify their questioning depending on the ability of children, enabling all ages to develop language skills.
• Babies thoroughly enjoy learning how to play musical instruments. Staff teach them how to hold the beaters so they can hear the noise they make as they beat. This helps to support children's emerging physical development. Staff are skilled in giving them more complex instruments to play to extend this area of learning.
• The quality of the curriculum on offer to the children is, generally, good. Staff are fully aware of children's next steps of learning and plan activities to help achieve these. Staff use resources well to promote children's learning. For example, they encourage children to carry out activities together to help support them to learn how to take turns.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to provide more challenge to older children to enhance their learning and development
• ensure staff give children time to naturally finish activities and to value more the creations they make.