First Steps Nursery and Play Scheme

First Steps Nursery and Play Scheme Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, Barrack Road, Exeter, EX2 5DW

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 9 January 2017 12 March 2014

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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

 The management team is inspirational. It evaluates the quality of the provision meticulously and seeks the views of parents, staff and children to identify and make even more improvements. For example, it has introduced new methods of working with parents and schools to ensure excellent continuity in children's care and learning.  The management team checks individual and different groups of children's progress exceptionally well and addresses any gaps in learning. For example, staff have received specialist training on the use of signs and symbols to help all children communicate, participate fully and make rapid progress.  Staff are highly effective at developing children's physical skills. For example, they very skilfully encourage children to move under, over and through climbing equipment outdoors in search of 'bears' after listening to a favourite story. The oldest children benefit from weekly yoga sessions where they learn to move in different ways.

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This provision is outstanding

 Children's behaviour is exemplary. Staff are impressive role models and teach the children how to respect and value others. For example, children independently get sand timers so they can share resources with others fairly.  Staff form highly successful partnerships with parents and other settings that children attend. They keep parents extremely well informed, to extend their children's learning at home and actively share information about their children's development.

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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

 implement plans to extend opportunities for younger children who learn better outdoors, to develop their communication even more.

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Inspection activities

 The inspectors observed children and staff engaged in activities indoors and outside.  The inspectors conducted a joint observation with the manager. They met with the nominated person and manager at appropriate times throughout the inspection, to discuss how they monitor and support staff.  The inspectors looked at a range of relevant documentation, including policies and children's assessment records.  The inspectors checked evidence of staff suitability and qualifications.  The inspectors took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day of the inspection.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is outstanding

The management team very thoroughly monitors staff's performance. It offers excellent professional development opportunities for staff to continually enhance their skills and actively implement new ideas to improve outcomes for children. For instance, staff have introduced nurture groups to develop children's confidence and self-esteem even further. Safeguarding is effective. The management team has rigorous recruitment and induction procedures to help ensure the continued suitability of staff. Management and staff have an excellent understanding of how to keep children safe and secure, and know the procedures to follow should they have a concern about a child's welfare.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

Highly skilled staff accurately identify children's next steps in learning and use these to plan enriching activities to support children's learning to the highest level. For example, babies thoroughly enjoyed rolling balls down tubes. Staff introduced larger balls so children had to work out which tubes were too small, and encouraged them to identify 'big' and 'small'. Staff support children's speech development extremely effectively. They very skilfully ask questions that encourage children to think and solve problems for themselves. For example, staff asked the oldest children how they could attach their bird feeders to trees. They encouraged the youngest children building a trainset to identify the colours of the engines, whether these connected at the front or back, and to count out pieces of track. Staff intend to provide even more opportunities for the younger children to develop their speech and language further, particularly in the outdoor area.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Children thrive in the nurturing environment. Staff follow excellent settling-in procedures that help babies quickly feel secure. All children form very strong bonds with the staff. Staff highly value children's home languages and encourage children extremely well to learn from each other. For instance, children thoroughly enjoyed learning songs in each other's languages and finding out about the Hindu festival of Pongal. Staff place a very strong focus on children's health and well-being. For example, children enjoy freshly prepared meals each day and can choose a piece of fruit to take home.

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Outcomes for children are outstanding

All children, including those learning English as an additional language and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, make excellent progress in their learning. Children of all ages are extremely well motivated to learn. They listen very carefully to stories and join in enthusiastically with phrases from favourite books. Babies and children show very high levels of independence and confidence. They are exceptionally well prepared for their next stage of learning and school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY407433 Local authority Devon Inspection number 1068987 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 129 Number of children on roll 252 Name of registered person Royal Devon and Exeter N.H.S Foundation Trust

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 12 March 2014 Telephone number 01392405868

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reference number

First Steps Nursery and Play Scheme registered in 2010. It operates from a purpose-built ground-level building in the grounds of Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital, Devon. The nursery serves National Health Service staff. The nursery is open each weekday from 7am to 6pm all year round, except Christmas day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day. The play scheme is open from 7.45am to 6pm during school holiday periods only. The nursery receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The nursery employs 55 members of staff. Of these, two members of staff hold qualified teacher status, six hold a level 6 qualification, one holds a level 4 qualification, 33 hold a level 3 qualification and 13 hold a level 2 qualification.

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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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