Step by Step Children's Nursery Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enter the nursery happily; they settle quickly and enjoy exploring the activities on offer. The atmosphere is calm, and children are engaged. They have positive relationships with staff and approach them when they need reassurance and comfort, which is regularly offered. This helps children to feel safe and secure.

Staff take account of what interest's the children and organise the environment in a way that supports their needs and next steps in development. For example, babies have their own area in the large nursery space but also enjoy opportunities to spend time with the older children. Older children show perseverance as they keep trying when they want to achieve a set outcome. For instance, when trying to fit peg pieces together, they help each other to build them as high as they can and celebrate their achievement. This helps children to make good progress and develop a positive attitude to learning.

Staff are calm and patient. They demonstrate the positive and respectful behaviour that they expect of children. For example, they use positive language and teach children to say 'please' and 'thank you'. Staff use effective explanations and distractions to help children learn to choose between right and wrong. For instance, they support children to understand why they need to share and take turns with their friends. This approach contributes positively to the way children behave.

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

• Leaders and staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well. They make timely referrals and work closely with parents and outside professionals. Leaders ensure targeted plans are implemented, so children receive early intervention. This has a positive impact on helping children reach their potential.
• Leaders demonstrate clear intentions for the nursery's curriculum. They identify curriculum priorities, such as providing children with opportunities to develop their social skills, build relationships and become independent. However, the leaders have not ensured that all staff have the knowledge or teaching skills required to implement the curriculum effectively. This means that children's learning and development is not consistently supported.
• Leaders provide staff with regular supervision and support for their well-being. Staff have access to training opportunities to support their continued professional development. The leader uses additional funding that children are entitled to effectively. For example, staff have attended specific training to support children's individual needs.
• Children are developing a love of books and reading. For instance, they select books independently and spend time studying the pages before turning them over. Staff regularly read a wide range of stories throughout the day and children listen enthusiastically. For example, children enjoy sitting with staff in cosy spaces and engross themselves in the story. Staff make story time an enjoyable experience. This supports children's early literacy skills.
• Children enjoy being physically active in their play. For instance, children enjoy riding and washing the vehicles in the garden. The outside space inspires them to explore and use their imagination. For example, children enjoy working together to add ingredients as they create mud cakes and drinks in the mud kitchen. Staff join in with them and use this as an opportunity to extend their vocabulary. For instance, they talk to children asking questions about the ingredients they are using. Staff speak clearly, introduce new words and sensitively repeat any words that children mispronounce. This supports children's communication and language development.
• Generally, children's mathematical development is supported well. For example, staff talk to children about measuring how much water they have, as they fill and empty containers in the garden. However, they do not consistently extend children's mathematical learning further, such as promoting their awareness of number and shape during activities.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. The key person gathers detailed information from parents when children start at the nursery. This helps staff to plan for the children's individual care and learning needs. Staff communicate well with parents. For instance, they provide daily updates on children's care and learning and invite parents to meetings to discuss children's progress.
• The leaders and staff recognise the importance of giving children opportunities to develop an understanding of their community. For example, children frequently visit a local care home and spend time taking part in activities with the elderly residents. Furthermore, they visit the local library and park. This supports children's sense of belonging.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support all staff to have a clear understanding of the curriculum intent, so that their teaching is consistently focused on what they want children to learn
• strengthen staff practice to promote children's awareness of number and shape during their play, and extend their mathematical learning further.