First Steps Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children learn to be confident and independent at this nursery. Key-person systems are well established, and children settle quickly as they form strong attachments with staff. Staff provide nurturing interactions to help children feel happy and secure. The provider ensures a joyful and positive environment that encourages children to engage in play.

Staff provide support and opportunities for baby's physical development. Babies love climbing and practising controlled jumps. They engage with instruments, shaking and tapping them as part of their sensory exploration. Staff interact with babies, using strategies like playing peek-a-boo with see-through coloured cloths, which effectively capture attention and encourage early communication skills. Younger children enjoy singing songs with actions. Staff lead singing sessions with enthusiasm, ensuring children stay focused and engaged. Older children learn to sustain their concentration by listening to stories. Staff draw their attention to patterns in language, helping them recognise sounds within words and preparing them for future reading and writing skills. Staff create a positive, friendly atmosphere that promotes children's enjoyment and participation.

Children benefit from healthy, nutritionally balanced home-cooked meals. Staff discuss the benefits of healthy eating with the children, linking food to physical growth and well-being.

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

• The provider has developed a curriculum that is ambitious for the needs of all children, particularly those with additional needs. Their curriculum focuses on fostering relational attachments between children and staff, as well as encouraging friendships among peers. Children are confident and engage in play and learning activities with their friends.
• The provider accurately evaluates what is going well and identifies where they would like to make further improvements. They provide staff with regular training and constructive feedback to enhance their interactions with children. However, sometimes, staff do not consistently plan learning that ensures children sequentially build on what they already know and can do. For instance, while staff provide water play activities that children enjoy, these become repetitive for some children and does not support them to extend their knowledge or skills further.
• Staff know children's needs well. They use assessment tools to monitor developmental progress and identify areas of concern. They communicate well with parents, particularly when they are concerned, and work well in supporting them to recognise gaps in children's learning and provide them with ideas and activities to support them at home.
• Staff consistently support children's personal and emotional development effectively. They provide opportunities for children to develop the language and vocabulary needed to identify and express their emotions. Children learn strategies to manage their feelings as staff model calm behaviours, guide them in navigating challenging emotions, and encourage positive interactions with peers.
• Staff promote a love for stories and literacy. Children across all age groups actively engage with books and enjoy listening to stories that reflect their interests and experiences. Babies select books and bring them to staff, showing enthusiasm at the stories staff share and talk about with them. Older children explore familiar titles such as, 'The Hungry Caterpillar', using the opportunity to build their counting skills. Comfortable reading areas further encourage children to immerse themselves in literacy activities.
• Children generally behave well and respond positively to staff instructions, such as using their 'listening ears' when asked. However, during transition times, staff do not consistently provide clear expectations, particularly in routines such as tidying up. While some children assist with cleaning tasks, others lose focus and do not receive the necessary support from staff to fully engage in contributing to the setting's expectations.
• The provider effectively communicates with parents, providing regular updates on children's well-being and development through daily discussions and scheduled appointments. Staff promote children's confidence and independence, supporting younger children to settle quickly and form strong bonds with their key person. Staff encourage parents to engage in activities that enhance children's independence and prepare them for school, such as fostering self-care skills and developing fine motor abilities necessary for writing readiness.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen the sequence of the curriculum so that staff can consistently plan activities that build on what children know and can do
• provide clear and consistent expectations for children during routines and times of transition between activities so they cooperate, work as part of a group and follow rules and expectations.