First Steps Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are confident, happy and emotionally secure in this friendly setting. They receive a warm welcome from the caring staff team, which helps them to settle in quickly. Children are enthusiastic learners and show high levels of interest and engagement in their play. They are curious and imaginative. Children make independent choices from the activities and resources. For example, older children spend a long time making 'cakes' in the sand tray, talking with their friends about the different flavours they have made. Toddlers smile and clap with joy as they scoop sand to find hidden objects in the sand tray. Children demonstrate a positive attitude to learning.

Children have developed strong bonds with the kind and nurturing staff. Expectations for all children are high. For instance, staff communicate with non-verbal children using visual prompts. This helps children to engage with the curriculum, which supports their learning. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), benefit from an inclusive and nurturing learning environment.

Children have ample opportunities to develop their social skills and they display positive behaviours. For instance, older children work together as they build different-sized towers. This reinforces their self-confidence and emotional well-being. Children behave well.

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

• Leaders and staff understand the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on children's development. Overall, they have designed a well-sequenced curriculum with a particular focus on children's personal, social and emotional development. Staff know what the children are working towards and can speak about the progress that they have made in specific areas of learning. However, occasionally, staff are not clear about the knowledge they want children to learn from planned activities, to help them make the best possible progress.
• Staff support children to develop their communication skills in a variety of ways. For example, they use single words with younger children as they play with bubbles. They say 'pop' as bubbles are blown, and encourage children to reach out for them. Staff commentate on children's play and offer choices to develop their understanding of words. However, sometimes, older children are not consistently challenged to develop their thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Behaviour in the nursery is good. Staff place a high priority on supporting children to take turns and build friendships. For example, toddlers are encouraged to take turns as they play a game of skittles and use the slide outside. Staff provide children with lots of praise and warm smiles. This supports children's self-esteem.
• Children learn about a healthy lifestyle. They have daily opportunities to be outside in the fresh air and play with a wide range of resources. Children have nutritious meals according to their specific dietary needs and preferences. They are supported in developing their independence. For instance, children pour their own drinks and cut their food up using knives and forks at mealtimes. This helps to support their good health and physical well-being.
• Leaders and staff support children with SEND very well. For example, staff monitor development closely and provide specific activities to support children's development. Furthermore, staff have developed good partnerships with a wide range of other professionals, such as social workers, health visitors, and speech and language professionals. These relationships help to close any gaps in learning for children who require additional support. Children make good progress in their development.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. Staff work hard to get to know each family, which helps them to tailor children's care and learning to meet their individual needs. Parents comment on the excellent communication with their key person. They say that staff are 'caring' and 'attentive' and that they can approach any member of staff for advice and guidance.
• Leaders regularly observe staff and evaluate practice in the nursery. Staff benefit from access to a range of internal and external training. For example, training in childhood trauma has supported staff to further understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This supports children's development.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• continue to develop staff's knowledge of the intention behind educational programmes so that activities have a clearer focus
• enhance teaching skills further to challenge older children and develop their problem-solving and critical thinking skills.