First Steps Day Nursery & Pre-School Limited

First Steps Day Nursery & Pre-School Limited 1 Orrell Street, Bury, Lancashire, BL8 1PB

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 17 June 2016 3 August 2015

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This inspection: Good 2

Previous inspection: Requires Improvement

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This inspection: Good 2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good 2

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This provision is good

 Since coming into post in February 2016 the new manager has worked well with the local authority to improve the learning outcomes for children, and these are now good.  Staff support children’s care needs effectively. Parents, including those whose children have specific care needs, give moving examples of the difference this has made to children's health, confidence and well-being.  Staff use information from children’s assessment and from parents to provide activities which successfully build on children's emerging abilities and interests. Consequently, children become engrossed in learning and behave well.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 The manager has put in place systems to regularly observe staff in order to check the quality of teaching and give them detailed feedback to help them improve. Teaching is improving rapidly. However, some staff need more support to ensure that the quality of teaching is consistent across the large staff team.  Leaders are revising the checklist-based system currently used to assess risks. They recognise that this could be amended to help them identify and minimise a greater range of risks, for example, a small hole with sharp edges in the corridor.

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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

 continue to use observation, supervision and professional development to strengthen the quality of teaching across the staff team  continue to improve the systems used to assess risk in the premises used by children, so that staff identify and minimise all possible hazards, including those not covered by the current checklists.

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Inspection activities

 Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI) observed the quality of teaching during activities in all areas of the setting including the outdoor areas.  HMI held meetings with the manager and deputy manager. HMI also spoke with staff and children in the out-of-school club and in the nursery at appropriate times throughout the inspection.  HMI carried out joint observations with the manager and one with the deputy manager in the out-of-school club and nursery. The manager accompanied HMI throughout most of the general observations of teaching and learning.  HMI reviewed evidence of staff's suitability, their qualifications and training records. She also looked at the setting's self-evaluation form and supervision records.  HMI reviewed a broad range of documentation, including children's assessments. HMI also sampled policies and procedures, including those supporting safeguarding and risk assessment. She sampled other documentation such as records of complaints and

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Inspection activities

accident and medication records.  HMI took parental views and written feedback into account during the inspection. HMI tracked two children and viewed their assessments and learning journals.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Staff report that the manager has improved staff morale and raised their expectations of what children can achieve. She has made a very strong start in observing staff and giving them detailed feedback to help them improve their teaching. Leaders use supervision meetings well to identify staff training and professional development needs. They check what impact training has on staff practice. Consequently teaching is improving rapidly, although there is still some inconsistency within this large team. Leaders have identified the right priorities to improve the setting further. Parents praise the way the manager and staff work with them and with external professionals to support children's individual care and learning needs. Safeguarding is effective. Staff are up-to-date with current research about the possible risks to children and know how to identify and report any concerns.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Older children learn simple science and mathematics as they measure water to pour onto flour to make bread dough. Staff make sure children have enough bowls, spoons and measuring jugs. They extend children's vocabulary well as they help them understand what happens when wet and dry ingredients are mixed. Children use terms like 'sticky' and 'knead'. However, some staff do not organise activities as well, such as a movement to music session in which children had limited space to move. Older children learn about the world as they watch video clips of volcanoes erupting. They make models of this, learning new words like 'lava' 'rubble' and 'tsunami'. Toddlers and older children tend seedlings they have planted and show great care when stroking the chickens. Babies babble happily as they explore a good selection of interesting items. Staff know children’s needs and interests well. Leaders check the accuracy of assessments to ensure that gaps

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

in children’s learning are not missed. Staff and parents work well together to help children to catch up, which prepares them well for the next stage of their learning or for school.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

The key person system is used well to form secure emotional attachments with children in the nursery and out-of-school club. This helps children feel safe and secure. Older children can describe the club rules, including who to tell if they feel bullied. Children extend their physical skills well outside as they ride tricycles and practice climbing and balancing. They enjoy healthy hot lunches and fruit snacks and can explain why it's important to wash their hands before eating. Leaders are already in the process of improving systems to check the safety of all areas used by children to ensure that all risks are minimised.

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Outcomes for children are good

The large majority of children make good progress and are working within typical levels of development. Leaders can show that they are narrowing gaps in the progress made by children who receive additional funding to help them catch up and those who do not. Children speak confidently and use their developing physical and mathematical skills to solve simple problems, such as making sand castles in the pretend beach area, or threading wool through mathematical shapes. They are keen, motivated learners.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY486241 Local authority Bury Inspection number 1030616 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 - 11 Total number of places 146 Number of children on roll 148 Name of provider First Steps Day Nursery & Pre-School Limited Date of previous inspection 3 August 2015 Telephone number 01617646752

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Setting details

First Steps Day Nursery & Pre-School Limited in the Tottington area of Bury was registered in April 2015. It is one of five settings owned by the providers. The nursery is open from 7am until 6pm, Monday to Friday, all year round. The nursery employs a manager and 25 members of childcare staff. All but one member of staff working with children hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and above. The setting provides funded early education for two-, three-, and four-year olds.

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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

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