First Steps Nursery (New Mills) Ltd

First Steps Nursery (New Mills) Ltd 1 Hibbert Street, New Mills, HIGH PEAK, Derbyshire, SK22 3JJ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 6 April 2017 13 April 2015

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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 her leadership team have high expectations and set a clear direction for the nursery's future development. They understand the needs of the children and parents well.  Staff accurately assess children's individual achievements and use this information to develop their interests and enthusiasm. They plan interesting activities to engage and motivate all children.  Staff help children to develop positive attitudes and good personal learning skills. Children learn to manage their own behaviour and play and learn alongside others.  Staff help children to develop a good awareness of healthy lifestyles. Children understand how to play and learn in safety and to look after others through, for example, their activities in the forest school. They enjoy the well-planned healthy meals the nursery provides.  Staff establish a positive relationship with parents. Parents welcome the care and support the nursery provides to their children and themselves.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 The management does not fully compare and analyse the progress made by all groups of children to enable them to swiftly reduce any differences in their achievement.  Staff's professional development is not yet robustly focused on minimising the few inconsistencies in the quality of teaching and raising it to a higher level.

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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

 compare the progress made by different groups of children and use the information gained from this to ensure that every child receives the focused support they need to achieve at their full potential  strengthen procedures for staff's professional development to minimise the few inconsistencies and raise the overall quality of teaching to a higher level.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector spoke with staff and children during the inspection.  The inspector completed joint observations with the nursery manager and deputy.  The inspector held a meeting with the nursery manager. He looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.  The inspector spoke to parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff are vigilant and caring. Staff are trained in child protection procedures and have a good, up-to-date knowledge of how to identify and address any concerns. Almost all staff hold paediatric first-aid qualifications. The manager and her deputies provide strong and purposeful guidance to staff. There are effective procedures for delegating responsibility and supporting staff in their roles. Staff, parents and children contribute to robust procedures for evaluating the effectiveness of the nursery. The information is used well overall to plan further developments, such as providing imaginative training opportunities for staff and parents on child development and other themes. The nursery works well with other early years professionals, for example, to develop resources to improve children's literacy skills.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff help all children to make a secure start to their learning. They work closely with other education specialists, such as speech and language professionals, to help children make good progress. Activities are enjoyable and engaging to all groups of learners. For example, children learn how to create a story by picking hidden toys from bags representing the location, the problem and the resolution. Staff make good use of activities that children choose for themselves to help them progress to the next steps in their learning. They use a good range of strategies, such as skilful questioning to help children deepen their knowledge and retain information. Staff encourage children to solve problems for themselves in well-planned activities in the forest school.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children are polite and friendly. Staff set a good example for them to follow. They support children to understand the consequences of their behaviour, to be attentive to the needs of others and to cooperate well with each other. Staff help children to be increasingly independent. For example, children learn to serve themselves at mealtimes and choose from a range of healthy snacks. There are good procedures to help children make a smooth start to their time in nursery and to settle well. Children and their parents quickly establish good relationships with their key person. This helps children to grow in confidence and feel secure.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children develop the skills they need for their future learning effectively. They learn to follow a story carefully and anticipate what will happen next. Older children make good progress in their knowledge of letters and the sounds they make. They have many opportunities to develop writing skills, such as making greeting cards or writing recipes and menus. Children develop their mathematical knowledge well. They count and order toy animals by their size and match their colours. Children's physical development is supported through a variety of activities, including regular swimming lessons.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY346962 Local authority Derbyshire Inspection number 1092961 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 - 5 Total number of places 68 Number of children on roll 66 Name of registered person First Steps Nursery (New Mills) Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 13 April 2015 Telephone number 01663 745 000

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reference number

First Steps Nursery (New Mills) Ltd registered in 2007. The nursery employs 17 members of childcare staff. Of these, 13 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or higher, including one with early years professional status and one with qualified teacher status. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday all year round, except for Christmas week and bank holidays. Sessions are from 7.45am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for children aged two, 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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