Next Steps Childcare Centre

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff design the curriculum and the environment efficiently to support children's interests and to encourage new ones, such as through forest skills, cooking and yoga. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those with English as an additional language, make good progress.

Young children engage well in group activities. They sit and listen for their name and respond with a smile or a gesture. Children make decisions about their play. For example, staff give children time to choose which song to sing and do not rush them. Staff constantly provide narration to children's actions. This helps children build their vocabulary and be confident in their speech.

Older children show a love of storytelling. For example, sing the teepee as a cave they thoroughly enjoy re-enacting the journey to hunt the bear in the forest environment. Children remember the repetitive phrases and the sounds. They listen well to instructions, find the hidden bears and begin to recognise corresponding numerals.

Children persevere in rotating plastic pizza slices until they fit together in their imaginative play. They are keen to share their triumphs and receive praise. Staff model language and children copy their actions to count the pieces successfully.

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

• The curriculum is well designed to sequence children's learning and build on what they know. Staff use their training well to implement the curriculum. They confidently build on children's skills and know how to challenge their learning. For example, while exploring autumn leaves, staff take the opportunity to encourage children's independence and to support boys' early writing skills. Children keenly squeeze the paint into the tray and persevere when it becomes a bit tricky. They mix the paint together with their sticks to make marks. Children show curiosity as they recall how to mix colours and to create new ones.
• The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) ensures she works closely with key people, parents and other professionals. This helps her to take prompt action when identifying and supporting children's additional needs. Staff adapt routines well to ensure they include children, and their emotional needs are met, especially during transition times.
• The learning environment is well designed and offers children a wealth of resources to choose from. For example, children play imaginatively in the role-play area and enjoy dressing up as different characters. However, on occasion, staff do not always ensure that children's learning and play is not disrupted. For example, staff do not always ensure that the environment is quiet when reading stories or singing songs to encourage good listening and attention.
• Children behave well. Staff use consistent routines to help children settle quickly and become familiar with the nursery day. For example, when it is snack time, young children know to pull their sleeves up and wash their hands. Generally, the staff use good strategies to support children's understanding of expectations, such as distraction and modelling how to share. However, on occasion, strategies, such as the sand timer, are not consistently used well enough to ensure children remain engaged in their learning.
• There are good transition and settling-in arrangements to ensure children feel safe and secure. Children form close attachments with familiar adults. For example, young children seek reassurance and cuddles when new adults visit their room.
• Staff follow effective care practices. They establish healthcare plans which are regularly reviewed with parents so they can take prompt action in an emergency. Staff follow hygienic nappy changing procedures. Staff help children to care for themselves and gain good independence. For example, young children wipe their faces after their lunch, while older children serve their lunches independently.
• The new manager is passionate about her role. There are effective arrangements for staff's professional development. Staff meet regularly to share good practice and attend training to raise the quality of their teaching. They regularly observe each other's teaching and evaluate activities. The manager offers targeted support to improve staff's confidence in delivering the curriculum and assessing children's progress.
• Staff forge strong relationships with parents. There is good communication and parents are kept well informed about their children's progress. Staff share valuable ideas to encourage learning at home, such as sharing songs and recipes. The management team has ensured that parents are aware of the actions put in place to meet requirements. They have sought parents' feedback on the process and received positive responses.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• consider the learning environment further to help maintain children's learning, particularly their listening and attention
• develop further the use of appropriate strategies to manage children's behaviour more consistently.