Footsteps Day Nursery

Footsteps Day Nursery Edward Spencer House, 221-223 Old Shoreham Road, Portslade, Brighton, BN41 1XR

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 11/07/2013 17/10/2012

p.1

early years provision

This inspection: 2 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 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

p.1

This provision is good

 Managers have very effective systems for making improvements and consult with parents and staff to ensure that changes are of benefit to families.  Children benefit from a wide variety of interesting activities, including Spanish lessons, helping children make good progress across all seven areas of learning.  Parents are very appreciative of the good working relationships that staff build, and how responsive managers are to any questions they have.  Staff benefit from good support to build their professional qualifications and skills. They can put their ideas into practice for the benefit of children.

p.1

It is not yet outstanding because

 There are minor weaknesses in the assessments of children's next steps, which means that learning intentions are not clear and cannot therefore be robustly evaluated.

p.1

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

p.2

Information about this inspection

 scheduled more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged 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 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  scheduled at the completion of an investigation into failure to comply with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

p.2

Information about this inspection

The provision is also registered on the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. This report includes a judgment about compliance with the requirements of that register.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children in each playroom.  The inspector discussed children's learning and development with staff.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the manager.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled documentation and discussed the provision with the manager.

p.2

Information about the setting

Footsteps Day Nursery registered in 2003 and operates from a converted building in Portslade, East Sussex. Children have access to three rooms located on the first floor of the property. All children have access to an enclosed garden area. The nursery is open each weekday from 8am to 6pm, all year round. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. There are currently 93 children on roll in the early years age range. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The nursery currently supports children who speak English as an additional language. The nursery employs 10 members of staff. Nine staff hold appropriate early years qualifications including one with Early Years Professional Status.

p.3

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

 assess children's next steps more frequently and identify what the learning intentions are in activities, so that they can be robustly reviewed.

p.3

who attend

Staff have a good understanding of how to support children's learning and development. They provide a broad and balanced curriculum which covers all seven areas of learning, and concentrate on the prime areas of learning when children are young. Staff understand that children learn best when they are interested and engaged in play, and include children's interests in the planning at all times. This means that children are consistently curious and enjoy playing and learning. As a result, they make good progress in their learning and development.

p.3

who attend

Staff have good teaching skills and use open questions to engage children in conversations. For example, when a child asks a member of staff to paint a crocodile, staff ask what colours they might use, what features should they include and how many legs. In this way, children chat about the teeth and scales on a crocodile and consolidate their vocabulary. Children are keen to share news and favourite things with staff. Children show their collection of shells and staff talk with the children, taking the opportunity to add new words and concepts to the conversation to extend children's language skills. With babies, staff use clear simple words and phrases and encourage a conversational atmosphere using sounds and expressions. Babies respond well and staff are attentive to the babies' communication. Staff are skilled at using sign language as a means of non-verbal communication, which supports children who may be shy or have additional needs.

p.3

who attend

Children also benefit from Spanish lessons with a native speaker, as part of the normal curriculum. These lively and engaging sessions give children a very positive experience of learning new languages. Children enjoy playing with technological toys and equipment. Babies enjoy cause and effect toys and move rhythmically to the music and sounds that push-button toys make. Older children enjoy using the computer and are skilled with the mouse and key board. Children of all ages initiate imaginative play such as playing with dolls or pretending to cook. They use musical instruments from around the world to create rhythms and play together. Children enjoy singing and can choose songs using the song bag, where staff have assembled different items related to songs. This helps quieter children to choose their favourites. Babies and children enjoy looking at books themselves or at story times to develop early literacy skills. Staff provide a wide range of early writing

p.4

who attend

activities which help children to write their names independently.

p.4

who attend

Staff are very effective at planning to meet children's interests. Staff know the individual children very well and set plans to include activities of specific interest to each child. Staff make regular observations of children at play and note which area of learning it relates to. This helps them to check that children are making progress in each area of learning. They make summary reviews of children's progress regularly to identify children's next steps and plan accordingly. However, the next steps are written in terms of what activities they will plan for a child without including the detail of what they intend the child to gain from the activity. This reduces their ability to evaluate the effectiveness of their plans in terms of the impact on children's learning. Learning journals include the progress children are making and it is clear that children make good progress given their starting points and

p.4

who attend

capabilities. Parents can see these journals at any time and meet with key persons to review children's learning. This helps to build a good partnership.

p.4

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

Staff are very effective key persons for children. Staff gather information from parents to establish children's starting points and care routines. This is particularly the case in the care of babies, where staff will adapt routines to the changing needs of each child. In this way, if a young child is showing signs of being tired, staff will adapt the routine to ensure the child gets the sleep he or she needs. All staff know the children well and build warm, positive relationships with them. As a result, children are contented and confident to separate from their parents. Children enjoy exploring from this secure base and are consistently engaged in purposeful play. Staff manage transitions between rooms with great consideration for the child's stage of development, which makes sure that the child is ready for the move. Staff create learning environments where children can be independent in deciding what to play. Good quality toys and play equipment are stored at

p.4

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

low level, so children can reach what they want. Children enjoy exploring natural and household equipment such as baskets and pans, as well as homemade toys such as shakers made from clear bottles with lentils in. The garden also provides for the whole curriculum all year round. Children enjoy the physical challenges of balance beams and slides and can also practise their early writing skills with chalks, sand and other sensory play. This supports children who like to be active as they learn.

p.4

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

Children benefit from a healthy lifestyle in the nursery. They can help themselves from a wide selection of healthy options at snack time and children can pour their own drinks of milk or water. Babies have their bottles according to their own routine and older children also have a drink available at all times. Parents are given good guidance about providing healthy lunches so that children have a balanced meal. Staff refrigerate perishable items from lunch boxes, which supports children's good health. Staff follow well-established and thorough hygiene routines. For example, they change nappies frequently through the day, wearing aprons and gloves to minimise the potential for cross-infection. Children who are toilet training have easy access to the toilets to support their emerging personal care skills and older children are also very independent. Children enjoy regular physical activities in the garden and indoors to help them develop their skills and strength. Staff thoughtfully

p.5

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

provide a range of different scissors for example, which helps children to build strength and skills in their small muscles. Children learn simple rules to guide their safety such as not running indoors, which means they gain skills in managing their own safety.

p.5

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

Children's behaviour is good. Staff are consistent with setting boundaries for children's behaviour and are firm and positive in their interactions. As a result, children play cooperatively, taking turns and sharing equipment. Staff give children praise and encouragement verbally and also in the form of certificates to praise particular efforts such as being helpful. This builds children's confidence and their self-esteem. Children understand routines with the help of simple visual timetables, and they respond quickly at the signal for tidy-up time. Staff use a sand-timer to help children understand how long there is left to play. Overall, this means that children learn the skills they need for the next stage in their learning.

p.5

provision

Managers have a good understanding of how to meet the safeguarding and welfare requirements. All staff undergo rigorous checks at recruitment to assess their suitability to work with children. They all undertake child protection training and update their knowledge and understanding with further training every three years. There is a clear policy and guidance in place so staff know who to report to if they have concerns about the welfare of a child. Managers liaise with children's services over any concerns and understand the importance of notifying the authorities to help safeguard children. Managers undertake robust risk assessments to underpin children's safety in the setting and staff are vigilant in following procedures. Door security is good, as no unauthorised persons can gain entry, and notices remind parents not to let other people in with them. Managers have a strong and well-established system for monitoring staff. Staff have

p.5

provision

regular supervision and appraisals which identify their training and professional development needs. In this way, managers enable staff to develop their qualifications and undertake courses of interest such as sign language. Managers also review the learning and development records made by staff to monitor children's progress. This helps them to identify achievement gaps and address any issues by enhancing the provision or supporting staff in developing their skills. For example, the manager wrote guidance for staff on improving their skills in using measuring and mathematical language with children. Managers work with parents and staff to reflect on practice and develop new initiatives. For example, they consult over new initiatives such as using social media or email as a communication tool to ensure it meets the needs of families. This demonstrates that the nursery has a strong capacity for continuous improvement.

p.5

provision

Parents benefit from thoughtful and considerate partnerships with staff. Parents receive information about their child's day in writing or verbally, and can talk with the key person at any time. Regular social events and annual parents' evenings give them longer opportunities to share information about children's progress. Frequent newsletters keep parents up to date with what is happening in the nursery and regularly include feedback forms so that parents can share their views. Managers respond quickly and effectively to any concerns raised by parents. Parents say that they value how flexible staff are in meeting their child's needs and that the nursery provides excellent support for the whole family. Managers and staff work with professionals and other agencies and have built strong partnerships. Reception teachers visit the nursery to meet the children who will be transferring and children visit the schools. Key persons work closely with speech therapists

p.6

provision

and other professionals to ensure that children are receiving consistent care over any additional needs. This greatly supports children's well-being.

p.6

The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are Met

p.6

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 action. 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.

p.7

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.

p.7

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.

p.8

Setting details

Unique reference number EY248780 Local authority Brighton & Hove Inspection number 901271 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 93 Name of provider Footsteps Day Nursery Partnership Date of previous inspection 17/10/2012 Telephone number 01273 416164

p.8

Setting details

set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: 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.

p.8

Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

p.8

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.

p.8

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.

p.8

Type of provision

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, which are usually the childminder’s own home. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage.

p.9

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,

p.9

Type of provision

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

p.10

Type of provision

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

p.10