Early Steps Day Nursery

Early Steps Day Nursery St. Wilfrid Catholic Church, 97 Lorrimore Road, London, SE17 3LZ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 4 October 2016 25 November 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

 The manager and staff team work well with outside professionals and have improved the quality of the provision since the last inspection. They have clear plans in place to maintain the momentum of improvement.  Staff are warm, friendly and they form strong relationships with the children. They know them very well. Staff provide good levels of care to help children feel secure.  Children are taught well, particularly their communication and language skills. For instance, staff talk to children carefully and repeat words clearly to help them pronounce words correctly. Children make good progress with their learning.  Regular safety risk assessments are conducted to check the suitability of the environment and equipment. This ensures that potential hazards to children are minimised. Children know how to keep themselves safe and they behave well.  Partnerships with parents are strong. Parents speak highly of the care their children

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This provision is good

receive and value the improved provision.  Children requiring additional help are supported effectively to ensure they learn well.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 The management team does not effectively identify ways to help staff to extend their teaching skills and children's learning.  Staff do not ensure that the activities and experiences they provide meet the needs of children's different stages of learning as well as they could.

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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

 help individual staff to identify ways of improving their expertise and children's outcomes even further  ensure that planned activities and experiences provide for the needs of children at different stages of their development more effectively.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children as they played and took part in daily routines.  The inspector spoke with children, staff and the manager at appropriate times during the inspection.  The inspector looked at children's learning profiles, planning documentation, evidence of the suitability checks of staff working in the provision and a wide range of other documents, including policies and procedures.  The inspector took account of the views of the parents spoken to on the day of the inspection.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The manager is very ambitious for the nursery. Together with external advisers, she successfully reviews and evaluates practice on a regular basis, taking appropriate steps to build on recent improvements. Safeguarding is effective. There are good recruitment procedures to check and verify the suitability of all staff to work with children. Staff understand child protection issues and keep up to date with current guidance and legislation. Staff provide extra support for those children who need it so they can learn effectively. They assess children's progress carefully and seek advice quickly if they identify any children needing extra support. For example, they use additional funding to provide specialist help or resources for these children.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff make careful observations of children and regularly assess their progress. They provide a range of activities and allow children appropriate balance of time for self-chosen play and those activities directed by staff. For example, young children had enough time to explore the texture of sand using their hands before joining other children for group time. Staff speak clearly to children at the appropriate level and encourage early language skills by repeating key phrases. Staff in the baby room sing rhymes with the children to help their listening and early speaking skills. Children learn about the wider world around them. They can choose from resources that positively highlight the beliefs of other nationalities and they celebrate different cultural festivals.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

The key person system is effective in caring for children. Babies and children build strong emotional attachments to their key staff. Staff meet children's individual needs well and follow good hygiene routines. For example, they change babies' nappies regularly and keep a record for parents. Staff use daily routines, such as mealtimes, to develop children's social skills and good manners effectively. Staff are good examples of how to treat others, and children learn from them. Children begin to accept the needs of others as they share resources and take turns. Children enjoy daily opportunities to play outside and be physically active. There is a wide range of resources readily available for children to choose for themselves. Children feel valued, for example, when staff celebrate their work on display and praise their efforts proudly.

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Outcomes for children are good

All children make good progress in their learning from their starting points. They develop strong self-esteem and are confident and active learners. Children show strong independence skills, for example, they take off and hang up their own coats. Children have the skills needed for their future learning and the move to school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY460674 Local authority Southwark Inspection number 1033851 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 1 - 4 Total number of places 36 Number of children on roll 36 Name of registered person Miata Educational Services

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 25 November 2015 Telephone number 02077012800

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reference number

Early Steps Day Nursery registered in 2013. It is located in Kennington, London. It is open weekdays for most of the year. There are six members of staff. The manager holds a degree in childhood education and two members of staff hold level 3 qualifications. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early education sessions for children aged three and four years.

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reference number

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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reference number

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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reference number

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reference number

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reference number

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

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