First Step Nursery Day Care

First Step Nursery Day Care 52 Deptford, Broadway, Deptford, London, SE8 4PH

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 14/02/2013 27/09/2011

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 Previous inspection: 2 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children 3 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 3

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This provision is satisfactory

 The management team values children's richly diverse backgrounds by promoting differing cultures across the planned experiences, children to take pride in their heritage.  Older children are progressing well in their socially behaving well and building respectful relationships with each other, owing to clear expectations from staff.  The management team build good partnerships with parents, so staff know children's needs and meet these appropriately.

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It is not yet good because

 The assessment and planning system shows improvement but staff do not implement it consistently, resulting in some children not progressing as quickly as they should.  Induction systems are not good enough to ensure all adults understand their individual roles and responsibilities well.  The key person system does not work well enough in the baby room.  Staff do not challenge children's creative thinking and problem solving fully effectively during activities.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections of registered early years provision are scheduled:  at least once in every inspection cycle. The current cycle ends on 31 July 2016  more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged as inadequate  brought forward in the inspection cycle where Ofsted has received information that suggests the provision may not be meeting the legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage; or where assessment of the provision identifies a need for early inspection  prioritised for inspection where we have received information that the provision is not meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and which suggests children may not be safe  at the completion of an investigation into failure to comply with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector reviewed a sample of documentation and children's progress files  The inspector observed children's activities in different nursery rooms  The inspector held discussions with the manager and the provider  The inspector conducted a joint observation of an activity with the manager  The inspector spoke to a range of adults including staff and students.

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Information about the setting

First Step Nursery Day Care has been registered since 2011. It is privately owned. It operates from a two storey premises in Deptford close to Deptford Bridge Station. Children are cared for across the ground, first and second floors. There is an enclosed area for outdoor play and a separate outdoor area for babies. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register. The nursery opens from 7.30am to 6.15pm Monday to Friday all year round. There are currently 74 children on roll. The nursery cares for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities as well as those who learn English as an additional language attending. The nursery is funded to provide free early education to all children aged three and four years. There are 18 staff employed to work with the children. Of these, 12 staff are qualified at level three and four are qualified at level two.

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must:

 put into place a robust induction and ongoing supervision system for new staff, candidates on work trials and students on placement, to ensure that all adults working in the nursery understand their individual roles and responsibilities with particular regard to knowing how to report concerns to outside agencies  strengthen the monitoring of the assessment system to ensure that each child's progress in the most important areas of learning is being identified and plans to address gaps in learning are consistently applied, to help all children progress more quickly, including those learning English as an additional language  support children better in learning to develop their own ideas and strategies for doing things, for example by using skilful questioning and setting challenges to help children think more frequently and clearly for themselves.  ensure all adults working in the nursery understand how to implement the

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must:

safeguarding policy fully (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)

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To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

 strengthen the key person system to ensure that key people working with babies are more available to meet the individual needs of their key children effectively and provide stability for them.

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who attend

Overall, all children make satisfactory progress from their starting points on entry. Systems for observing and assessing children's progress are in place. Where these systems are implemented well, the needs of individual children are met effectively. Not all staff operate the system properly, however, which means they do not plan what children need to do next effectively, so children's progress in not quick enough.

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who attend

The welcoming staff and friendliness of the nursery manager mean that all families receive a warm introduction to the start of their children's day. The positive atmosphere is infectious; older children are friendly to visitors and each other, thereby contributing to a encouraging learning environment. The staff prepare the nursery rooms for their particular group of children, offering a suitable variety of experiences in order to develop and learn. In the 'baby room', a low-level ball pool provides enjoyment for crawling babies, encouraging them to move around, as well as plenty of stable furniture which they use to pull themselves upright and begin to balance. Those already walking have plenty of space to practise their toddling skills, moving fast, back and forth and laughing with pleasure. The outdoor space offers other physical experiences. All such activities help to promote the babies' physical development. 'Outdoor time' to use the climbing frame and bikes is

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who attend

planned for daily, so older children gain physical skills. In the pre-school room children develop their hand control as they mould and manipulate play dough or make biscuits for Valentine's Day. These types of activities help children gain the necessary control to hold a pencil effectively in preparation for school.

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who attend

Overall, all children receive satisfactory support to develop their language and communication skills. They learn songs and rhymes, listen to stories and enjoy weekly trips to the local library, all of which develop their vocabularies and encourages conversations. Such visits encourage an interest in books too and story telling is enjoyed by all. When staff play with children, particularly the younger ones, and lead activities they talk about what children are doing, which again extends vocabulary and encourages children to talk. Staff interaction with older children is not challenging enough, however. They do not ask questions effectively to prompt children to solve problems or think of new and creative ideas. Older children learning English as an additional language do not always have good support, so that they learn necessary vocabulary to play with others successfully.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

The nursery manager and her staff value children's differing backgrounds. There are displays showing families' countries of origin and staff devise many activities for families and children to share their first language and cultural heritage. These activities encourage children well as they grow in self-awareness and gain a respectful understanding of difference. Staff are positive role models who speak to each other and the children respectfully, which helps children learn how to treat each other well too. This kindness helps children feel secure. Some aspects of supporting the emotional development of all children are not yet good enough. The key person system is not fully effective in ensuring that the babies have their individual needs understood and met well at all times. This is because there are changes to the staff who deal with the youngest ones' care needs. The last of consistency does not build strong relationships for these babies, although

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

consistency of care improves quickly as they become older.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

In general, staff understand their roles and responsibilities and they work well together to ensure that children are supervised at all times, while allowing children to gain independence. For example, as older children leave the playroom to take themselves off to the toilet, they tell a staff member and their whereabouts is then monitored. Similarly, the baby room team has regular routines for changing children's nappies which they adhere to, so that only vetted persons deal with intimate care. Should an accident happen, staff are suitably trained to administer appropriate first aid , record the incident and report back to parents. Supervision of adults entering and leaving the building is maintained. There are established procedures for checking the identity of adults in the building, so the premises are secure from intruders.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Staff make suitable checks on the safety of the nursery rooms on a daily basis. Children learn to keep themselves safe, such as climbing up and down the stairs safely from their room to the garden. The promotion of good hygiene practice at all times varies because not all adults, for example, candidates on work trials, are monitored well enough to ensure that they put into practice all the nursery procedures.

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provision

The nursery provider and the manager have a sound knowledge of their responsibilities for safeguarding children and adhering to the welfare requirements of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage, although there are some systems that require strengthening. There is a safeguarding policy with relevant procedures in place and all employed staff have recently received safeguarding training. As a result, procedures for documenting accidents and incidents are now more robust and links with the local authority's designated safeguarding officer have been made. These developments have enabled the management team to feel much more confident about dealing with safeguarding incidents. Overall, children's welfare is protected and no child has come to harm, but the provider can still do more through the induction process to make sure staff understand their wider responsibilities to contact outside agencies if

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provision

necessary, such as if they had concerns about anyone working in the nursery. This applies to the implementation of safeguarding procedures on the Childcare Register too. The management can demonstrate that nursery staff have been cleared as suitable to work with children. They also use a variety of other methods to check staff suitability to work with children.

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provision

The systems in place to appraise and monitor the performance of permanent staff are well embedded. There are some weaknesses in the induction system for new staff, students on placements and candidates on work trials, however. Induction covers the nursery's policies and procedures but the system is not monitored sufficiently well to pick up all weaknesses, . For example, the deployment of adults new to the nursery in the baby room does not help babies form strong attachments quickly. There is insufficient monitoring of such adults to make sure they understand the safeguarding policy, and implement procedures properly, so that any minor lapses are picked up quickly, such as to maintain good standards of hygiene. The management team has carried out its duties to conduct a risk assessment of the nursery and ensure daily checks maintain safety.

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provision

Partnerships with parents are well established and there is an emphasis on developing good communication between nursery and home. Parents say that they particularly like the friendliness of the management and staff. A new parent says it is helpful to go back to work and leave your child for the first time when you know you are welcome at the nursery any time. Established partnerships with outside agencies mean that the Special Educational Needs Coordinator knows where to go for advice and make referrals, so children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported appropriately.

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provision

The management team has a secure understanding of the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Since its opening in 2011 the numbers of children on role in this nursery have expanded rapidly. As a result, progress on recommendations from the last inspection has not gone according to the devised plan; observation and assessment of children's progress still needs improvement to be good enough. The management recognise that expansion has brought with it new challenges to ensure that systems in place are monitored for their effectiveness, as well as developed to improve quality. However, their commitment to continuous improvement is clear and they have a positive attitude to meeting the challenges ahead.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding Outstanding provision is highly effective in meeting the needs of all children exceptionally well. This ensures that children are very well prepared for the next stage of their learning. Grade 2 Good Good provision is effective in delivering provision that meets the needs of all children well. This ensures children are ready for the next stage of their learning. Grade 3 Satisfactory Satisfactory provision is performing less well than expectations in one or more of the key areas. It requires improvement in order to be good. Grade 4 Inadequate Provision that is inadequate requires significant improvement and/or enforcement. The provision is failing to give children an acceptable standard of early years education and/or is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be inspected again within 12 months of the date of this inspection.

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Grade Judgement Description

Met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider continues to meet the requirements for registration. Not Met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider does not meet the requirements for registration.

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Inspection

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under Sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and care, known as the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY422898 Local authority Lewisham Inspection number 903373 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 4 Total number of places 85 Number of children on roll 74 Name of provider Mary Gwari Date of previous inspection 27/09/2011 Telephone number 0208 0454421

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Setting details

set out in the guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

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Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

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Type of provision

Full-time provision is that which operates for more than three hours. These are usually known as nurseries, nursery schools and pre-schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the higher fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Sessional provision operates for more than two hours but does not exceed three hours in any one day. These are usually known as pre-schools, kindergartens or nursery schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the lower fee for registration. Childminders care for one or more children where individual children attend for a period of more than two hours in any one day. They operate from domestic premises that are usually their own home. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Type of provision

Out of school provision may be sessional or full-time provision and is delivered before or after school and/or in the summer holidays. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. Where children receive their Early Years Foundation Stage in school these providers do not have to deliver the learning and development requirements in full but should complement the experiences children receive in school. achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children,

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Type of provision

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Type of provision

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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