First Steps Nursery

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 18/01/2005 Inspector Name Hilary Murden

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name First Steps Private Day Nursery Setting Address Newmarket Street Skipton North Yorkshire BD23 2JP

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The partnership of First Steps Private Day Nursery

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name First Steps Private Day Nursery Address Newmarket Street Skipton North Yorkshire BD23 2JP

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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ABOUT THE INSPECTION

The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public that the nursery education for funded three and four year old children is of an acceptable quality. Inspection of nursery education also identifies strengths and weaknesses so that providers can improve the quality of educational provision and help children to achieve the early learning goals (elgs) by the end of the Foundation Stage. This inspection report must be made available to all parents. If the setting has been inspected previously, an action plan will have been drawn up to tackle issues identified. This inspection, therefore, must also assess what progress has been made in the implementation of this plan.

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Information about the setting

First Steps Day Nursery is a purpose built private day nursery situated close to the town of Skipton. The nursery, which opened in 1997, is open Monday to Friday 07.30 to 18.00 for 51 weeks of the year. The majority of children live within the local area. There are currently 90 children on roll, including 25 funded children. The group is not currently supporting funded children who have special educational needs or who have English as an additional language. There are two rooms on the first floor, one for 2-3 year olds and one for 3-5 year olds. Two separate outdoor play areas for under and over two year olds are available. There are 20 members of staff employed by the nursery, 18 of whom, including the manager, hold an early years qualification. The nursery receives qualified teacher support through the North Yorkshire Early Years and Childcare Partnership.

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Information about the setting

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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How effective is the nursery education?

First Steps Day Nursery provides good quality education provision to enable children to make generally good progress overall towards the early learning goals. Very good progress is made in mathematical development and physical development and generally good progress is made in the other areas of learning. The quality of teaching is generally good with some very good aspects. Staff plan a wide range of stimulating activities with clear links to the early learning goals. Although staff show good understanding of the different needs of the children, supported by ongoing observations and assessment, planning does not show how activities are adapted to provide additional challenges for the older and more able children. Occasionally, large group activities lack extension. However, staff have very good relationships with children and display some quality interaction to develop children's responses to learning. They have high expectations of behaviour and use

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How effective is the nursery education?

praise and encouragement to nurture children's confidence and self-esteem. Leadership and management are generally good. Staff work together well with very good support and direction from the manager. They are enthusiastic about their work and show commitment to improving the education provision through ongoing training and with support and advice from the advisory teacher. The keyworker system enables staff to monitor children's progress towards the early learning goals, although there are missed opportunities to extend the more able children. Partnership with parents is very good, underpinned by supportive relationships. Useful information is provided about the nursery and parents receive clear details about the educational provision. Staff encourage parents to share what they know about their child through daily contact and formal parents' evenings. Parents receive two written progress reports each year. Monthly newsletters describe new topics

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How effective is the nursery education?

with suggestions for activities at home to support learning.

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What is being done well?

• Children's enjoyment of learning is promoted through quality interaction by staff in a wide range of exciting activities. • Behaviour is very good with the older children providing excellent role models of co-operation and sharing. • Stimulating role play situations, sustained by staff, help to develop children's imaginative use of language. • Physical skills are developed through a good range of outdoor and indoor activities. • Staff have very good relationships with parents and their involvement in children's learning is encouraged.

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What is being done well?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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What needs to be improved?

• planning, to show how activities are adapted to meet the needs of the older and more able children • opportunities to solve simple number problems by adding and taking away • organisation of resources to enable children to select and use creative materials for their own purposes.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Generally good progress has been made in addressing the two key issues from the last inspection. Staff were asked to develop teaching skills to provide more opportunities for children to count, recognise numbers and solve problems and identify letter shapes and sounds during routine and everyday activities. Children count and recognise numbers through planned and spontaneous opportunities, although insufficient time is planned to encourage children to solve problems by adding and taking away numbers. Good opportunities are provided for children to link sounds to letters in names and objects. Staff were also asked to monitor the stepping stones by developing medium term plans to show how the six areas of learning are covered. Planning has been considerably improved to show clear links to the early learning goals across the six areas, although some aspects of mathematical development and creative development are not fully covered.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are confident and well-motivated for learning. The older children in particular display high levels of concentration and perseverance. They express a wide range of feelings, for example, whole group excitement when they use the 'parachute'. Behaviour is very good with the older children providing excellent role models of co-operation, sharing and taking turns. Independence is encouraged through making choices of activities and taking responsibility for personal needs.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children express their thoughts and ideas freely in large and small group situations. Well-planned role play situations stimulate children's imaginative use of language. Children recognise their names and have good opportunities to link sounds to letters in names and objects. They enjoy listening to a wide range of stories and acting out familiar tales. Awareness of writing for different purposes is gradually developing as staff develop and resource the different areas of provision.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Three and four-year olds count confidently to ten and beyond. They recognise numbers on display and in number games. Number rhymes help children to understand language such as 'how many left?' although there are insufficient opportunities for the older and more able children to solve simple number problems by adding and taking away. Children learn about size, shape and position, for example, during physical activities, and they develop awareness of capacity through sand and water exploration.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good First hand experiences such as making bird feeders help children to learn about the natural world. They make observations about changes in the seasons and the weather and describe what they like, for example, playing in the snow. Children enjoy using design materials, although there are insufficient opportunities to experiment for their own purposes. They talk readily about their families and events. Visitors, such as a policeman and a vet, help children to learn about community roles

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children move around indoor and outdoor space confidently and with good control of movement. Regular use of large outdoor equipment supports climbing and balancing skills. Staff plan some exciting activities, such as running under the 'parachute' and travelling across an obstacle course. Children ride wheeled toys with increasing skill and with good awareness of space. Activities such as threading, and cutting with scissors promote hand eye co-ordination.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children take part in a wide range of interesting structured activities, often linked to topics. They enjoy painting and designing, although there are too few opportunities to use resources spontaneously for their own purposes. Children are familiar with many songs which they sing enthusiastically, and they use instruments to learn about loud and soft sounds. Role play situations and 'small world' resources are used effectively to encourage children to develop their own imaginative stories.

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Children's spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development is fostered

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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OUTCOME OF THE INSPECTION

The provision is acceptable and is of good quality overall. Children are making generally good progress towards the early learning goals. The next inspection will take place in three to four years time.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT: THE KEY ISSUES

• ensure that planning shows how activities are adapted to meet the needs of the older and more able children, particularly in mathematical development and in large group activities • provide ongoing opportunities for children to select and use creative resources imaginatively and for their own purposes.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT: THE KEY ISSUES

The provider must draw up an action plan within 40 working days of receipt of this report showing how the key issues detailed above will be addressed. The action plan must be made available to all parents and to the Local Authority if required. An evaluation of the action taken will form part of the next inspection of funded nursery education.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT: THE KEY ISSUES

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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