Giant Steps Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and well settled in this nurturing and inclusive setting. Parents comment that the setting has a family atmosphere. They report they trust the staff, who are friendly and supportive. Children are eager to attend and greet each other warmly on arrival. Staff form positive relationships with children and their families. This helps children to feel safe. Staff know children well and work closely with parents to gain information to provide the right support for their children. The staff understand how to introduce the next steps in learning for each child to support their good progress.

Staff plan interesting activities to support the curriculum. For example, older children eagerly look for squares and the colour black in the setting's environment. Younger children explore the sensory room, marvelling at the pebble lights. Independence skills are nurtured when the children pour their own drinks and scrape their plates. The 'helping hands' give children responsibilities that they love to complete. For example, they help to set the table at mealtimes and help staff to sweep up. They then proudly show the sticker they have received for good helping. Staff support children to be kind and caring. Children help their friends put on their coat and play cooperatively. They behave well and are eager to learn.

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

• The manager is passionate and committed to providing an inclusive environment. There are effective partnerships with parents and external professionals to understand and meet all children's needs. Staff carefully monitor children's progress and any area of developmental delay. This leads to swift referrals and early intervention. The support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is successful.
• The manager is reflective and is continually looking at ways they can improve. They value parent's opinions and have recently provided mental health workshops at parent's request. Strawberries are now on the menu after the children's committee asked for them to be included. Staff recently attended specialist training to better support children attending the setting. They gained advice from experts about what resources to purchase for their sensory room to have the most impact.
• Thematic planning helps children to understand the world around them and learn new vocabulary. For instance, children learn about harvest and where their food comes from. They discuss different types of seeds and grow cress to take home. They learn about the different seasons. For example, they remember that in autumn the leaves change colour and fall off the trees. Parents comment that the staff explain what they are doing so that they can continue their children's learning at home.
• Staff support children's language and communication skills well. Children enjoy story time and cuddle up with staff to read their favourite book. They join in eagerly when singing action rhymes and gleefully dance around. Family photographs are displayed, and staff encourage children to talk about themselves and each other. This helps promote children's sense of belonging and self-esteem.
• Staff ensure that all children use the outside space daily. Children immerse themselves in their local community on outings such as to the library, soft play and local parks. However, currently, outings are only offered one day a week, which means not all children gain this experience. Children have good opportunities to develop strength in their large and small muscles. They roll and knead play dough, manoeuvre an obstacle course and balance on steps.
• Children's good health is promoted well. Staff provide healthy meals and snacks and children learn about different fruits and vegetables. They learn about what is healthy to eat and how to care for themselves. For example, they engage in activities that teach them how and why they need to brush their teeth. Children learn good hygiene routines such as washing their hands before meals.
• The manager and staff forge successful partnerships with parents. They endeavour to understand and support the whole family, which has a positive impact on children. Parents are complimentary about the setting. They appreciate the daily feedback about their child's day. They report that their children have 'come on in leaps and bounds', for instance, in their communication and social skills.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review the planning of outings to ensure all children can benefit from these experiences.