Newtown Community Learning Center t/a First Steps Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff know children well and create a friendly and inviting environment where children happily learn and play. Children play independently and with their friends, choosing from the wide range of enticing resources and activities. Staff join children's play and embed their learning well. They ask thoughtful questions to extend children's thinking skills and refer to prior learning. Staff promote interesting discussions offering children a wide vocabulary to hear and practise. Staff understand what children need to learn next and plan effectively to build on what they know and can do. Staff embed the golden rules of the nursery throughout children's learning fostering confidence and boosting children's self-esteem. Staff are good role models and children generally display positive attitudes towards their learning.

Staff foster a sense of excitement about the next stage of children's education. Children learn and practise the skills they will need as they move on to school. Staff promote a love of books and stories. Children listen attentively as staff read with enthusiasm, capturing children's interest. Staff sing interesting songs which children enjoy learning and demonstrating. Children enjoy hearing the sounds they can make with unusual instruments such as an accordion. Staff help children to adopt healthy habits such as good hygiene and oral health routines. Children learn physical skills and about keeping their bodies healthy through movement, for example. Children make good progress in all areas of their learning.

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

• Staff promote children's language skills well. They use interesting contextual vocabulary such as talking about pigments while painting. Staff encourage parents to read with their children at home. Back-and-forth interactions support babies early communication skills. Children become articulate and confident in their communications.
• Children learn social skills such as sitting for meals with their friends, taking turns and sharing resources. Staff support children to manage their own self-care needs. They learn skills such as setting the table for snacks and clearing away their own crockery afterwards. Children become increasingly independent.
• Staff teach children about managing risk and keeping themselves and others safe. For instance, they learn about water safety through a fun song. They also find out how guide dogs help to keep people with visual impairments safe. Staff help children to appreciate and celebrate their unique characteristics. Children's personal development is thoughtfully considered.
• Tailored strategies support children's individual needs and help to narrow and close gaps identified through effective monitoring of their progress. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those in receipt of additional
• Inspection report: Newtown Community Learning Center t/a First Steps Day Nursery 2 24 June 2025 funding are supported well. Funding is spent thoughtfully, and staff access timely support from other professionals. All children make good progress from their starting points.
• Staff's sensitive interactions with babies help them to settle well and form attachments to their key staff. Babies are busy and curious, generally enjoying their play and experiences. On occasion, staff do not adapt routines to help babies get the most benefit from each aspect of their day. For instance, staff interrupt babies who are engaged in their play, moving them on to a different activity before they are ready.
• Staff are positive role models and children generally behave well. However, staff do not always ensure that children understand the expectations of them at nursery. For instance, staff are occasionally unsure about how to manage some aspects of children's behaviour and about how to promote consistent understanding.
• Staff build supportive relationships with parents who note how helpful and supportive staff are. Staff offer individual support around parenting issues such as weaning and sleep routines. The good two-way flow of information between parents and staff promotes consistency of children's care and learning.
• Leaders are reflective of practice and the provision and receptive to advice and ideas. They seek out the views of staff and parents. Leaders offer strong support for staff who are new to the sector and to those wishing to develop and enhance their practice further. Staff training is targeted to enhance the quality of practice and education. Staff feel valued in their roles and children benefit from the continual drive to raise standards.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to manage routines for the youngest children to foster a sense of choice and control throughout their day
• develop staff's confidence to help all children understand the expectations of them to promote consistently positive attitudes and behaviours.
• Inspection report: Newtown Community Learning Center t/a First Steps Day Nursery 3 24 June 2025