Next Step Nursery

Next Step Nursery Church Street, Cuckfield, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH17 5JZ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 06/01/2015 14/01/2010

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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

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This provision is good

 Staff provide a varied range of activities which motivate children to learn. Consequently, all children are making good progress in their learning in preparation for school.  Children are happy and confident because they have good relationships with all of the staff, which allows them to feel safe and secure.  Staff have strong relationships with the parents and understand the importance of sharing information with them so that they are involved in their children's development.  Staff have a confident knowledge of safeguarding procedures and have all received specific training which means children are kept safe.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There is no labelling in the indoor or outdoor environment to enhance children's literacy development and independence.  Staff do not give children sufficient time to respond to their questions to enable them to think for themselves and develop their own ideas.

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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

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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.

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Information about this inspection

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

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in the indoor and outdoor areas.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector tracked children's development and sampled their development records.  The inspector took part in a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector spoke with parents to gain feedback on the setting.

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Information about the setting

Next Step Nursery registered in 1990 and opened at its current location in 1993. It operates within the Old School building, which is owned by the local church in Cuckfield, West Sussex. Children have access to the Victorian part of the old school, with the use of a larger hall for specific activities. Children also have access to an outdoor play area, allotment and orchard. The nursery opens Monday to Friday during term time, from 9.15am to 3.30pm. The setting is registered on the Early Years Register and on the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. The nursery currently has 51 children on roll, all of whom are within the early years age group. The nursery is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education to children aged two, three and four years. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and children with English as an additional language. There is a staff team of seven of

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Information about the setting

which all except one have early years qualifications to a minimum of level three, with the manager and deputy manager holding Early Years Professional Status.

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

 develop labelling in the indoor or outdoor area to promote children's literacy skills and independence

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

 allow children sufficient time to respond to staffs questioning so that they think for themselves and develop their own ideas.

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who attend

The staff have a good knowledge and understanding of the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Their knowledge of children's individual interests initially comes from the information parents' offer upon registration. This allows them to provide a range of activities that children are interested in. Children are motivated to learn and they make good progress in their development. Staff carry out various forms of observations on children's learning which informs their assessments and future planning. Next steps are planned and incorporate children's interests, which staff then clearly evaluate to show the progress children have made. All staff take responsibility for the planning and collate their ideas during weekly meetings. This allows the children to benefit from all of the staffs knowledge and not just that of their key person. Staff track children's progress each half term, which enables them to focus on particular areas of

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who attend

development that may need additional support, or areas that children need further challenge in. Staff share all observations and assessments with the children's parents and welcome their input into their child's learning.

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who attend

Children demonstrate good levels of independence during their play. For example, staff encouraged children to build a track and move their cars around it. Staff asked children to decide which pieces fitted where and to try out different ways to make them fit. This encouraged children to think and work together to achieve the correct outcome. Staff praised children's efforts and gently guided them when they needed support. This encouraged children to have a go as well as developing their confidence at trying out new skills. Staff are fully aware of what children can do for themselves and skilfully incorporate elements of challenge into their chosen play. For example, children enjoyed playing with farm animals and created pens for them to go in. Children independently grouped different animals together. Staff extended children's mathematical skills by asking them to count the animals in each pen. Children confidently counted the different amounts and

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who attend

then discussed the different noises the animals made. The staff provide a well-resourced environment and all equipment is stored at the child's level for them to access easily. However, there is no labelling on any of the equipment, which does not support children's literacy skills or further develop their independence.

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who attend

Children enjoyed singing various nursery rhymes and were eager to join in with the actions. Children were confident when joining in with number rhymes which further demonstrated their knowledge of number. Staff asked children to recognise different letters and sound out their phonetic sound. For example, snake, they then sang specific songs and acted out the actions of the animal while sounding out the sound. This develops children's literacy skills and helps prepare them for their move to school. Children enjoyed painting and were able to choose from various colours to create their picture. Staff asked children to tell them about their painting, which encouraged them to use their imaginations and describe what they were doing. Staff offered high levels of praise, which develops children's confidence and self-esteem. Children enjoyed mixing the colours and staff asked them to tell her about the different colours they were making. Occasionally,

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who attend

staff did not allow children enough time to respond to their questioning which means they did not have time to put forward their ideas. Therefore, staff did not fully promote children's knowledge of colour.

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who attend

Staff organise the environment so children have access to a secure free flow area that staff equip with various activities. In addition to the free flow area, children also benefit from daily walks around the local area, which they access via footpaths. The setting has their own orchard and allotment that the staff and children take care of and visit twice a week. Children regularly enjoy eating and juicing the apples for their snack. Bird nesting boxes have also been set up which encourages wildlife and enables the staff to teach children about the world they live in.

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

Children have good relationships with all of the staff. Children have a key person who is responsible for monitoring their overall development. However, all of the children respond well to all staff and actively seek them out for support if they need to. Staff tailor settling in sessions to meet the needs of individual children. Staff welcome parents to stay at the setting for as long as they wish to help their child settle which ensures children feel safe. They arrive at the setting happy and excited to be back after their holidays. Children enjoy talking to the staff about their Christmas and talk with confidence about the toys they received and are very keen to see their friends and find their favourite toys. This demonstrates how safe and secure the children feel within the setting, which successfully supports their emotional well-being. Children have a 'My Book' that they are able to put their favourite things into. This includes photographs of their favourite activities, friends

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

and family, pictures and pieces of work that they are proud of. This further develops children's self-esteem and sense of belonging within the setting.

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

Children have a good understanding of the staffs' expectations and how to behave. For example, staff clapped their hands and children quickly stopped what they were doing and began to copy. Once all of the children were joining in, staff explained to children what would be happening next. They asked them to help tidy away so they could sit down together before snack. Children helped to tidy away their toys, which demonstrated that they are used to taking responsibility for their belongings. Staff told children when their drinks were ready but asked them to tell them what they had to do before they ate and why they washed their hands. Children were confident when telling staff that they have to wash their hands 'to get rid of germs' and then did so independently. This demonstrated a secure knowledge of correct hygiene procedures. Staff risk assess the environment and equipment on a daily basis. Staff also encourage children to take part in this activity so

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

that they begin to develop an understanding of hazards and how to keep themselves safe.

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

In the outdoor area, children enjoyed posting cars down a length of guttering pipe and raced them to the end before they reached the bucket. Staff asked them if they would like to use balls instead of cars and children screeched with excitement as staff joined in and ran around catching the balls. Children thrived on the staff joining in which encouraged them to continue playing and running around and promoted their healthy lifestyle. In addition to these opportunities, each child has a sticker card, which allows them to collect specific stickers if they bring in fresh fruit as part of their lunch. This further develops children's healthy lifestyles and their knowledge of how to help keep themselves healthy. Staff treat all children as individuals and any additional needs they may have are always met. Staff incorporate a wide range of cultural festivals and celebrations into the planning as they feel it is important for children to have an understanding of the world they live in

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

and the different lives that people lead. This teaches children to respect each other and prepares them for their future learning.

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provision

The manager and staff have a secure knowledge and understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements. All of the staff have received child protection training and their knowledge is up-dated during regular inset days. Staff clearly document any existing injuries or concerns they may have about children's welfare and make parents aware of staffs roles and responsibilities when they register their child. This ensures that staff keep children safe from harm. Recruitment procedures are robust and include a formal interview, which gains information about the applicants experience, knowledge and understanding of childcare. A practical observation ensures that applicants are able to interact with children effectively and are able to promote their learning and development. All staff have a suitability check in place and all new staff complete a thorough induction. This ensures that they are fully aware of what the management expect from them and

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provision

their roles and responsibilities towards children.

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provision

All of the staff, except for volunteers, are fully qualified to a minimum of level three in childcare and all hold a full and valid paediatric first aid certificate. The manager and deputy manager hold their Early Years Professional Status. This demonstrates that the manger is committed to training her staff to the highest possible level and supports them in improving their practices. Consequently, this improves outcomes for children. Annual training plans highlight areas that staff have identified as needing further support in or areas that they find of interest. Staff access training countrywide and disseminate this to the other staff during training sessions so that everyone benefits from the knowledge they have gained. The staff commented on how supportive they are of each other and how they understand the importance of working closely as a team.

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provision

The manager holds informal discussions with all of her staff at the beginning and end of each day. This ensures that the manager addresses any concerns or queries quickly. In addition to these discussions, all staff benefit from a formal annual appraisal with the manager. The staff have recently up-dated their self-evaluation form and use it as a tool to discuss their strengths and weaknesses and ways in which they can push the setting forward. For example, the staff have highlighted that an area they would like to improve is technology. The staff now utilise the skills of the managers husband who is experienced with computers and visits the setting to work with the children and resources, such as electronic toys and laptops. The staff also highlighted that their outside area was limited and therefore have raised the funds to build an additional outdoor classroom, which will further benefit children's learning and development.

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provision

The staff have effective relationships with other early years settings, external agencies and local schools. For children who attend additional settings, the key person shares information about their development and next steps which allows them to work in partnership and offer a consistent approach to learning. The manager holds meetings with local schools and arranges visits for the children to visit their new school with their key person and then their parents. Staff also invite teachers into the setting to observe the children in an environment they feel confident in and therefore gain a knowledge of children's interests. This helps children prepare well for their move to school.

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provision

The staff understand the importance of building a relationship with each parent and involving them in their children's learning. Staff constantly share information with parents about what their children are doing and what they enjoy. Parents are able to visit the setting when they wish and have the opportunity to attend parent coffee mornings and drop in sessions to discuss their child's development with their key person. Parents are extremely happy with the care that their children receive. They speak highly of the warmth and nurturing relationships all of the staff have with their children and how much they enjoy being here. Parents state, 'That nothing is too much trouble', which fills them with confidence and reassurance that their children are genuinely cared about. Parents comment that their children have made good progress since starting at the setting and have formed real friendships with other children.

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The Childcare Register

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

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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 Requires improvement The provision is not giving children a good standard of early years education and/or there are minor breaches of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. We re-inspect nurseries and pre-schools judged as requires improvement within 12 months of the date of inspection. 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

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Grade Judgement Description

is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected again within six months of the date of this inspection. Met There were no children present at the time of the inspection. The inspection judgement is that the provider continues to meet the requirements for registration. Not met There were no children present at the time of the inspection. 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 113612 Local authority West Sussex Inspection number 835924 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 8 Total number of places 28 Number of children on roll 51 Name of provider Janet Beales Date of previous inspection 14/01/2010 Telephone number 01444 455233

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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’.

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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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