Small Steps Day Nursery And Pre-School

Small Steps Day Nursery And Pre-School 2 Park Road, West Kirby, WIRRAL, Merseyside, CH48 4DW

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 25 September 2015 2 June 2011

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Outstanding 1

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding 1

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding 1

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This provision is outstanding

 Managers have an excellent understanding of the curriculum and regularly check children's progress. Gaps in learning and development are quickly identified and appropriate support is accessed to meet individual children's needs.  Teaching is consistently of a high quality as staff use a wide variety of strategies which engage and inspire children to learn. As a result, all children are highly motivated and effective learners.  Staff continuously assess children's progress through high-quality observations, and plan or adapt activities according to children's individual needs.  Children form exceptional attachments with adults and other children at the nursery because staff are highly skilled at supporting children's emotional needs. Consequently, children are extremely confident and self-assured.  Safety is of the utmost priority for staff and they are all extremely vigilant in checking for possible risks. Children are actively involved in identifying and minimising risks, and

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This provision is outstanding

as a result, they understand how to keep themselves safe.  Partnerships with parents are very well established. Parents are kept informed about their child's progress and they value the support they receive from staff.  Leaders and managers have robust systems in place to evaluate the setting and are continuously striving to improve the nursery, taking into account the views of parents, staff and children.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

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

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

 enhance opportunities for younger children to learn to feed themselves.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the nursery manager.  The inspector held a meeting with the nursery manager and provider. She looked at relevant documentation, such as the self-evaluation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.  The inspector spoke to a small selection of parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is outstanding

Leaders and managers have an excellent view of the nursery's strengths and weaknesses because they regularly evaluate practice and check children's progress. Staff reflect daily on the impact of their practice on children's learning and development, and this leads to rigorous performance management. Staff qualifications and ongoing professional development has a positive impact on the quality of the practice, and new learning is quickly implemented. The arrangements for safeguarding are highly effective because all staff attend regular safeguarding training and have an exceptional knowledge of the procedures to follow if they have concerns about a child in their care. The nursery has superb partnerships with other agencies and with parents, and this ensures that children's needs are exceedingly well met.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

Staff have high expectations of children and use their expert knowledge of how each child learns to plan exciting and interesting activities. They sensitively engage with children during play and daily routines, using highly effective teaching strategies to promote each child's learning and development. For example, they use exceptionally clear language, extend children's sentences and introduce new vocabulary during conversations with children. Staff support children's thinking and problem-solving skills by asking questions and narrating as children play. Mathematical concepts are introduced during daily routines and in all areas of learning. As a result, children make exceptional progress in relation to their starting points. Staff develop excellent partnerships with parents and use information from home to both assess children's progress and to plan their curriculum. Parents are exceedingly well supported to continue children's learning at home.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Children are confident and happy at the nursery. Staff are highly effective in developing children's social skills, for example, they encourage children to support each other when they require help. Children have a wide range of experiences that promote understanding of people from communities beyond their own. Furthermore, children and staff learn basic words and songs in the different home languages of children attending the nursery. Behaviour is exemplary because staff have established clear boundaries and consistently reinforce messages about respecting and caring for each other. Children develop the skills they need to be independent and they are emotionally well prepared for the next stages in their learning. However, younger children are not always offered the utensils they require to practise skills, such as feeding themselves.

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Outcomes for children are outstanding

Almost all children, including disabled children and those who have special educational needs, are making substantial and sustained progress in relation to their starting points. They develop the skills they will need for the next steps in their learning, including school, and they are confident and effective learners.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY416910 Local authority Wirral Inspection number 851772 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 45 Number of children on roll 59 Name of provider Small Steps Day Nursery (Wirral) Ltd Date of previous inspection 2 June 2011 Telephone number 01516256127

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Setting details

Small Steps Day Nursery And Pre-School was registered in 2010. The nursery employs 16 members of childcare staff. Of these, 15 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and above, including the manager, who holds Early Years Teacher Status, and another staff member with a level 6 qualification. The nursery opens Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Setting details

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

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

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Setting details

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Setting details

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Setting details

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

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