Steps Community Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

All children thrive at this extremely inclusive, welcoming and community-spirited nursery. Highly dedicated leaders and the passionate staff team have designed their own precise, broad and ambitious curriculum that is superbly tailored to meet each child's learning needs. Staff provide high-quality learning experiences and always demonstrate the utmost care and respect for children. Staff have an insightful understanding of every child. Children are deeply nurtured and cared for by dedicated and experienced staff. Staff know children extremely well. They adapt their interactions and routines to ensure that those children who need extra support or who are new receive one-to-one attention from staff swiftly to form strong attachments. All children demonstrate that they feel very happy, secure and safe.

Children thrive with rich experiences that help them to learn about the world around them. For instance, children enjoy birdwatching. Staff skilfully support children to identify birds, and children excitedly tell staff when they identify new birds in the outdoor area. Children, staff, parents and carers express their enthusiasm for nurturing the ducklings that staff have incubated from eggs. Staff are exceptional role models. They skilfully support all children to understand and manage their own emotions and to learn how to show respect for others using excellent manners. This results in a harmonious and inclusive environment, where all children are confident and independent learners ready to explore the world. Children's behaviour is exemplary.

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

• All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), thrive in the supportive, nurturing care of the highly skilled staff team. Staff use meticulous assessments to identify children's needs early and to access external expertise swiftly. Children make excellent progress at the nursery. Staff are highly alert to identifying children's needs and know how to support them. They set realistic targets and next steps for children.
• Partnerships with parents are excellent. Leaders collaborate closely with families to help children to reach their full potential. Staff provide guidance on many topics, including weaning, boundaries and bedtime routines, to help secure and enhance parental support. Parents commend the care and progress their children achieve, particularly in their readiness for school. They describe staff as inspirational and going above and beyond to support their children's success.
• Leaders are inspirational and excellent role models for staff. They work closely with staff to reflect on their own practice and share new knowledge and skills. Staff access and benefit from an abundance of professional development opportunities. For example, they have recently attended training to further extend children's already excellent communication and language skills. This supports staff to implement excellent practice. Leaders welcome professionals to visit the nursery where they share ideas to help extend outcomes for all children. Partnership with local schools is highly effective.
• Leaders value the experienced staff team. Staff are highly enthusiastic and proud of their roles in nursery. Leaders ensure that highly effective and meaningful engagement takes place as part of the ongoing mentoring and coaching programme they implement. Staff consistently report high levels of support for well-being issues. They value the well-being bags they receive from the hygiene bank.
• The nursery celebrates diversity and promotes an appreciation of each child's uniqueness within the wider community. Each child and family bring their own identities, values and their unique knowledge, which are developed over time by highly experienced staff. The nursery is based in a community hub where children appreciate the uniqueness of the local community every day. Children visit the community cafe and interact with the local community each and every day. They explore different religions and festivals and learn about life in modern Britain.
• The key-person approach is well organised and ensures that every child has a supportive adult to care for them. Staff find out about children's home routines and follow these precisely in the nursery. They show warmth, care and affection to children. Children frequently approach staff for comfort and cuddles. Babies snuggle their key persons and rest their head on their shoulder. Relationships between staff and children are sensitive, stimulating and responsive. All children demonstrate that they are extremely happy at nursery.
• Staff successfully support children to be highly effective communicators. They carefully choose focus books and songs to extend children's vocabulary and language skills. The baby room is alive with a buzz of children listening to familiar songs and rhymes. Staff support toddlers to develop a love of books. Older children enjoy rich discussions between staff and children as they explore the 'Dear Zoo' story. Staff provide cosy book areas where children can relax and look at familiar books on their own and alongside friends.