Little Steps Ltd

Little Steps Ltd Old School Site, Lister Drive, Tuebrook, LIVERPOOL, L13 7HH

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 5 May 2016 11 November 2015

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Inadequate 4

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate 4

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate 4

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This provision is inadequate

 Leaders fail to deploy staff appropriately across the nursery to ensure that they are able to meet children's needs at all times.  Children's behaviour is not well supported by staff, who do not always make their expectations clear or manage children's behaviour consistently.  Leaders' methods to improve the quality of teaching have not been focused or effective enough to improve the quality of teaching, so that it is consistently good across the nursery.  Children are not always sufficiently challenged by the learning experiences planned by staff. As a result, children's behaviour lapses and they do not make the best possible progress.

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It has the following strengths

 Leaders aspire to improve. They have a number of development plans in place and continue to work closely with their local authority to develop the nursery provision and achieve better outcomes for children.  Staff have caring relationships with children and know them well. Open communication with children's parents enables staff to gain a secure understanding of children's home lives and routines. This helps children when they begin attending the setting.  Staff endeavour to make use of children's home languages during play, to support their speaking skills.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

To meet the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage the provider must:

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Due Date

 ensure that staff are deployed appropriately throughout the setting, to meet children's individual needs effectively 12/05/2016

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Due Date

 train all staff to manage children's behaviour in a fair and consistent way that enables children to understand expectations and consequences 16/06/2016

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Due Date

 support staff to develop the quality of their practice, so that teaching is consistently good across the setting 16/06/2016

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Due Date

 plan learning experiences which are appropriately challenging, to support children's development in all areas of learning. 16/06/2016

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Inspection activities

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

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

Leaders do not monitor the deployment of staff throughout the setting closely enough. This means that staff are not always deployed appropriately to enable them to attend to children's needs. This also puts children's safety at risk. The arrangements for safeguarding are ineffective. However, staff show an appropriate understanding of other safeguarding issues, such as how to identify and report concerns relating to children's welfare. All staff and trustees have been appropriately vetted for their roles. Leaders and staff show a desire to improve. They have maintained links with their local authority to build on their existing ideas, and parents are also encouraged to contribute to the nursery's self-evaluation. Parents are encouraged to provide information about children's lives and achievements at home. They also have regular opportunities to review their children's learning records. Where children are identified as requiring additional support,

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

staff liaise with other professionals to help meet the needs of the child and support their progress. Newly implemented systems enable leaders to monitor the range of activities available to children appropriately, to identify any gaps in the provision.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

Staff are sufficiently qualified for their roles and have access to some training. They demonstrate an appropriate understanding of how children learn. Since the last inspection, leaders have implemented measures to supervise staff more closely to improve their practice. However, these strategies have not been focused enough to improve the quality of teaching across the nursery, which is inconsistent. Staff do not ensure that children are sufficiently challenged by the activities and experiences provided, to better support their progress. Children are not always engaged or motivated, due to a lack of stimulation. Occasionally, their learning is disrupted by other children's behaviour. Though staff observe children and conduct accurate assessments of what they can already do, they do not make successful use of this information to support children's progress. Some staff are successful at using questioning, for example, to help children think. Children eagerly make

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

suggestions as staff encourage them to reflect on a story they have just heard. Children occasionally show that they are curious and imaginative. For example, they use different tools to explore large blocks of ice, and create artwork with different materials.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

Staff do not make their expectations relating to children's behaviour clear. Children do not always understand that their actions will have consequences, or why they are being asked to sit out. As staff are not well deployed in the nursery, they do not always observe behavioural incidents. This means they cannot always provide a fair resolution for children. Despite this, generally, children have secure relationships with their key person and enjoy their time at the nursery. Staff gather relevant and purposeful information from parents to support children when they are settling in. Staff have appropriate strategies in place to help children as they prepare to move on to school. Children's health is sufficiently well promoted. The nursery is kept clean and food is prepared and served hygienically. Staff conduct regular risk assessments to ensure the premises is safe for children's use. Children have some opportunities to be independent. Children in the pre-

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

school and toddler rooms develop a sense of responsibility, as they serve themselves lunch, then wash their bowls when they have finished.

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Outcomes for children are inadequate

Children do not make the best possible progress, as they are not always engaged in meaningful and stimulating learning experiences. They generally have the basic skills required to help them feel prepared for their next stage in learning. Children are encouraged to make choices and show they can develop relationships with others.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY289844 Local authority Liverpool Inspection number 1033086 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 - 4 Total number of places 96 Number of children on roll 77 Name of provider Lister Steps Ltd Date of previous inspection 11 November 2015 Telephone number 0151 254 1394

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Setting details

Little Steps Ltd was registered in 2004. The nursery employs 18 members of childcare staff. Of these, four hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 4, 11 at level 3, three at level 2. The nursery opens from 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. The nursery provides care for children who have special educational needs or disability and for children who speak English as an additional language.

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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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