First Steps Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are at the heart of this warm, friendly and family-orientated setting. Many of the parents and carers attended the setting when they were children themselves. Children benefit from the warm and welcoming environment that staff create for them. Staff build close and positive relationships with children, who demonstrate that they feel safe and secure in their care. They show this through their impressive levels of confidence and focus. Children happily greet visitors to the setting and offer them toys and eager conversation.

Children enjoy the range of activities and learning opportunities that staff provide for them. For example, babies explore different sensory materials with their hands, while toddlers use their fingers and tools to create marks. Pre-school children practise early writing skills, such as holding a pencil properly, by drawing and making marks. These activities help children to build the hand muscles they need for writing in school.

Children know what is expected of them and follow the daily routine well. Staff are positive role models and have clear expectations for children's behaviour. For example, they encourage and support children to share, take turns and use good manners. As a result, children treat each other with care and kindness. For example, when children go down the slide, other children hold out their hands to help them up when they reach the bottom.

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

• Staff promote children's communication and language skills well, including those children who speak English as an additional language. Staff make good use of key words from children's home languages and provide a range of cultural books and resources. This helps all children to feel included and reassured.
• Staff encourage children to extend their skills. For example, children climb trees while supervised. They confidently tell staff which branches they are allowed to climb up to. This supports children to learn how to take managed risks.
• The setting's curriculum is sequenced well to enable children to continually build on what they know and can do. Staff thoughtfully consider children's next steps in development and weave tailored teaching for each child into planned activities. This helps children to make continuous progress towards their learning goals. As a result, children are equipped with the skills and knowledge they need to be ready for the eventual move on to school.
• Staff plan trips and outings to broaden children's experiences. This helps children to develop an awareness of their local community. For example, children visit local parks and the nearby lake. Additionally, they enjoy opportunities to go on family picnics, where parents can join too. This helps to build a strong community.
• Children benefit from healthy meals and snacks. They learn where food comes from. For example, children help to plant their own vegetables in the nursery garden and are keen to water them to help them grow. This helps children to learn about healthy lifestyles.
• Children develop some positive hygiene habits, such as independently washing their hands before meals. Some staff teach children the importance of washing their hands is to prevent the spread of germs. However, other staff do not consistently reinforce some hygiene routines, such as washing their hands after outdoor play or wiping children's runny noses. This results in inconsistent messages to children around the importance of personal hygiene.
• Leaders and staff demonstrate passion in the provision and service they provide for children. Some staff members have many years of experience of working with each other. They talk each day about how they can improve their teaching and the environment for children. Leaders implement effective supervision sessions and ongoing professional development plans for all staff. This contributes to the ongoing development of the setting.
• Parent partnerships are highly valued. Leaders ensure there are opportunities for parents to feel involved in their children's learning, for example, at stay-and-play sessions. Parents are happy with the care and support provided at the setting. In return, staff appreciate parents' ideas and value their response to feedback from parent questionnaires. As a result, parent partnerships are strong.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• give clear and consistent messages to support healthy choices, particularly around handwashing, to support children's awareness of personal hygiene.