First Steps Cornwall Ltd - Porthleven

First Steps Pre-school St. Elvans Children's Centre, Torleven Road, Porthleven, Helston, Cornwall, TR13 9BX

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 25 February 2016 Not applicable

p.1

This inspection: Outstanding 1

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Outstanding 1

p.1

This inspection: Outstanding 1

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding 1

p.1

This inspection: Outstanding 1

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding 1

p.1

This provision is outstanding

 Staff have excellent partnerships with parents, support workers, schools and other settings. They provide extremely effective support for children's individual care and learning. Children thrive and are very happy in the highly stimulating environment.  Staff interact with children extremely well to skilfully promote their learning and development. They have exemplary knowledge of each child and successfully use children's interests to provide fascinating learning opportunities.  The manager and owners use meticulous observation, assessment and planning procedures to monitor children's progress exceptionally well. They scrutinise and analyse data on children's individual development highly effectively. They use the information gained to take rigorous and prompt action to close any gaps in learning and enable children to make outstanding progress.  The manager and owners use highly rigorous self-evaluation systems to monitor and

p.1

This provision is outstanding

further improve the excellent provision for children. Staff benefit from exemplary support in their professional development, which continuously extends their teaching skills.  Staff support children's emotional development extremely well. Children are enthusiastic and motivated learners. They develop significant skills in all areas of their development, which support their future learning.

p.1

What the setting needs to do to improve further

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

p.2

What the setting needs to do to improve further

 implement planned actions to enhance children's creativity in their outdoor play.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector held discussions with the management team, staff and parents.  The inspector undertook a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector observed staff working with children of all ages in the indoor and outdoor areas.  The inspector took account of the self-evaluation procedures and sampled children's records of development.  The inspector checked safety of the premises and inspected required documentation, including evidence of staff suitability.

p.2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management is outstanding

Safeguarding is effective. Staff have a robust knowledge of child protection procedures, which enables them to safeguard children's welfare. Excellent arrangements enable staff to share inspirational ideas and best practice between settings. Ongoing training opportunities further develop staff knowledge and skills. For example, new staff and students benefit from observing the exemplary practice of experienced and qualified staff. Staff are prompt to share information from training to successfully promote a consistent approach. Outdoor learning includes excellent opportunities for sensory play and exploring nature. Through effective evaluation of practice, the manager and staff have identified plans to enhance children's creativity further outdoors.

p.3

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

Staff provide extremely well-equipped play areas to inspire children's learning. They expertly divide children into age-appropriate and stage-appropriate groups to ensure highly effective challenges. Babies and toddlers listen, look and have a go with rapt attention during their activities. Staff model play and communication extremely well, which successfully supports the development of the youngest children. Older children play exceptionally well and love being busy. Staff skilfully sustain children's high level of interest. They successfully involve parents in children's learning. Parents make a valuable contribution to the inspiring educational programme. For example, staff followed children's interest in space, encouraging them to create footsteps in 'moon dust' and supporting them to recreate a castle as a spaceship. Parents extended the interest at home, for example, by making spaceship models which children proudly display in the pre-school.

p.3

Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

The highly effective key-person system successfully promotes excellent relationships between staff, children and their parents. Babies and toddlers feel exceptionally secure. They rapidly show confidence as they socialise with others outside and happily explore a wider area. Staff use pictures, words and signing to excellent effect to promote children's very positive behaviour. Toddlers spontaneously use signs, such as for good manners and to show being gentle. Older children negotiate, cooperate and work things out. They confidently ask staff for help and clearly express their needs. Children love to play outside and have great fun as they exercise. They learn about safety through exciting activities, which reflect their surroundings and community, such as being safe at the seaside.

p.3

Outcomes for children are outstanding

Children have a wonderful time and thoroughly enjoy their learning activities. They are very keen to participate in all activities and are confident in their independent play. Children make significant progress and are exceptionally well prepared for school.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number EY477643 Local authority Cornwall Inspection number 977314 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 55 Number of children on roll 35 Name of provider First Steps Cornwall Ltd Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 01326 565662

p.4

Setting details

First Steps Pre-school and Blues Club re-registered as a limited company in 2014. It is one of three out-of-school clubs and daycare provisions run by First Steps Cornwall Limited. The setting operates within St Elvan's Children Centre, in the grounds of Porthleven School, in Porthleven, Cornwall. It is open each weekday from 7.45am until 6.15pm for 50 weeks of the year. The setting is in receipt of early education funding to provide free places for children aged two, three and four years. There are 12 members of staff employed to work with the children, 11 of whom hold childcare qualifications. The manager has a degree level qualification.

p.4

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.

p.4

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.

p.4

Setting details

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 reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/, write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.5

Setting details

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our website for news, information and updates at www.ofsted.gov.uk/user.

p.5

Setting details

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

p.5