Little Foot Steps Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and secure, arriving eager to play and explore the activities on offer at this nurturing setting. They move confidently around the room selecting toys and resources to play with. The manager and staff plan and implement an exciting curriculum for all children. They provide a wide range of learning opportunities and have high expectations for all children. Children become fully engaged in their learning. For example, children pretend to make soup with real vegetables in the home corner and are supported by staff to use knives to chop the broccoli and cauliflower. They concentrate well and eagerly take part in the activity. Staff help ignite children's imaginations as they talk about what they are doing and what they need to do next.

Babies are happy and have good attachments with their key persons. They enjoy snuggling up with staff to look at books. Staff introduce key words as babies enthusiastically point to pictures and help turn the page. Staff provide space for babies to move around and explore the room independently. They encourage babies to pull themselves up and climb on steps to help develop their strength and physical skills.

Staff are good role models for children. They set clear expectations for behaviour and encourage children's independence throughout their play and routines. For example, when moving from the playroom to the garden, children know they need to line up and wait for the headcount to be completed. Staff provide older children with verbal instructions and use sand timers to help them understand when the routine is changing. Consequently, children behave well, they know and understand what is expected of them.

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

• Since the last inspection, the leadership team has made improvements to the nursery. Staff, including the manager, have embarked on further training to increase their knowledge and understanding of how children learn. They have received help from the local authority to support them in their progression. This has had a positive impact on the provision and the children benefit from a range of child-centred activities, based around their needs and development.
• Mathematics is woven into everyday routines. For example, at snack time, staff explain to children that they have one apple but have cut it into four pieces. Staff ask children questions and comment on their actions, such as 'half' and 'quarter' as they cut the fruit with them. As a result, children are beginning to use mathematical skills with confidence.
• Staff implement an exciting curriculum. For instance, children thoroughly enjoy learning about how tomato seeds will grow into tomatoes. However, during this planting activity, staff do not give children enough time to solve problems for themselves or answer questions. Staff jump in too quickly and tell children what to do next and give insufficient thinking time for them to respond with an answer and this limits their communication skills.
• Meal and snack times are calm and enjoyable experiences that are filled with opportunities to learn. Children are asked to serve their own food, helping them to manage portion sizes and make choices about what they want to eat. This helps children to develop good social and physical skills.
• Staff teach children to keep themselves healthy. Children drink water throughout the day and learn about oral health with daily toothbrushing. Staff talk to children about the benefits of the healthy food they eat.
• Opportunities for children to be independent are threaded throughout the daily routine. Children skilfully use the stairs, whilst singing the 'staircase song' to remind them to carefully hold on to the banister. They wash their hands, use the water dispenser and put on their jackets. Children are developing important skills needed for their transition to school
• Staff provide regular opportunities for children to access fresh air and exercise. Children show enjoyment as they play in the outdoor environment. They enthusiastically join in with a range of activities, such as balancing on planks. This helps children develop their physical skills, using a variety of tools that staff have thoughtfully provided.
• The manager supports her team very well. She is committed to improving not only her own professional development but that of her staff. Staff benefit from regular appraisals and supervision meetings. This helps to further enhance staff practice.
• Partnerships with parents are good. Parents describe the staff as caring and friendly, and state that they are very happy with the provision. Staff keep parents regularly informed about their children's learning and provide advice for supporting their children's learning at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• use consistent and effective questioning techniques to further extend children's speaking and communication skills. Allow children thinking time to process and answer questions before staff step in.