Footsteps Childcare Centre

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff are friendly and playful and greet children warmly when they arrive. Children feel welcome and settle in quickly. They develop positive relationships with staff and visitors and feel comfortable enough to ask for help when needed. Children are emotionally secure and confident. For example, babies clap and cheer their own accomplishments and older children proudly initiate 'high fives' with staff when they manage tasks independently.

Leaders and staff plan a broad and challenging curriculum that interests children and builds on what they already know and can do. Overall, staff provide effective support to challenge children and help them make good progress. Children are keen to get involved in activities and games and show positive attitudes to learning. In particular, children of all ages develop a love of books. They repeatedly request that staff and visitors read to them and listen really well, talking about the pictures and characters. Children have fun at the nursery and are well prepared for the next stage of their learning.

Staff make clear their expectations for children's behaviour. Pre-school children eagerly call out the rules during group activities to remind their friends. For example, they recall the need to wear wellington boots if they want to play outside and to wash their hands before eating. Children behave well and respond positively when staff provide gentle prompts about the rules when needed, such as not to climb up the slide from the bottom.

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

• Leaders and staff observe and assess children's stages of development accurately and are quick to identify any gaps in learning. They seek additional support when required, work well with other professionals and regularly review children's individual plans and targets to ensure these children receive any extra help they need.
• Leaders and staff work well together. They regularly discuss their ideas and plans for the children, provide a stimulating learning environment and are clear about what they want children to learn next. They have recently reviewed the organisation of the toddler and pre-school room to give the children more space to engage deeply in small-world play. This has helped children to concentrate for longer when playing imaginatively.
• Staff working with the babies provide a particularly calm environment where the youngest children can play and explore. However, at times, staff do not organise and manage the toddler and pre-school children's activities as effectively as they could, so some children become over-excited and very noisy. During these occasions, some other children, such as those sat at the snack table, cannot hear staff to be able to join in with discussions.
• The provider, who is also the manager, supports and coaches staff effectively, linking their professional development opportunities with the needs of the children in attendance. However, at times, leaders and staff do not give each child as much attention and support as they could to engage and challenge them during their chosen activities and extend their learning further.
• Staff keep parents informed about their children's achievements and progress. Parents comment positively about the relationships that staff form with children and the help they provide for children who require additional support.
• Leaders and staff provide good support for children's communication and language development. For example, they sing nursery rhymes with the babies and toddlers, use signing alongside their speech, read books and model a broad vocabulary. Children express themselves confidently and clearly.
• Children play nicely together and are learning to manage their feelings and to solve problems independently. For example, after toddlers carry the colouring pencils away from the mark-making table, the pre-school children decide to get the crayons out to use instead.
• Children are becoming independent. They manage their own toileting needs, use cutlery to prepare snacks and feed themselves, and make their own decisions in their play and learning.
• Leaders and staff promote children's health effectively. For example, they work well with parents to promote healthy eating and to teach children about nutritious diets, including encouraging children to try different foods.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• ensure staff organise and manage children's physical development activities more effectively, to engage all children more deeply and support them to concentrate
• support staff to identify when and how to help and challenge each child during their self-chosen play and extend their learning further.