Happy Steps

Happy Steps Unit 1, Beeding Court, Shoreham Road, Upper Beeding, Steyning, West Sussex, BN44 3TN

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 12 April 2017 Not applicable

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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

 Staff provide many opportunities for children to be creative. They encourage children to use their senses to explore new textures and sensations.  Staff and managers take great steps to keep children safe. For example, they regularly practise emergency evacuation and make daily checks of the premises and equipment for any possible hazards.  Children benefit from outdoor play. They learn to enjoy being active and exploring how differently they can play from indoors, such as climbing, riding and running.  Children are well prepared for school. For example, they spend time discussing what it will be like, including meeting teachers and seeing the school, as well as trying on uniforms and learning to do things independently.  Staff value each child's individuality and respect their differences. They find out about children's family values and lifestyles, recognising them as a key aspect of children's

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff working with babies miss some opportunities to encourage communication even further, such as by repeating their babbling sounds.  Managers do not monitor progress for groups of children in the same way they do for individual children to identify any common gaps.

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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

 encourage communication even further, particularly when caring for babies  extend processes for monitoring the progress made by individual children, with particular regard to different groups of children, to get a clearer overview of their development.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching and what children learned.  The inspector viewed the premises and resources inside and outside.  The inspector discussed staff's understanding of their roles, including how to safeguard children.  The inspector viewed documentation and discussed the self-evaluation process with the management team.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Managers lead and support staff well. For instance, they meet regularly with them as a team and individually to share good practice and identify ways to improve teaching, such as through training. Safeguarding is effective. Managers make every effort to protect children, including while in their care. Staff complete training to improve their understanding of the latest guidance and child protection procedures. Managers build effective partnerships with outside agencies involved in children's development, such as health visitors and therapists. They follow their advice to further support children's progress. Managers continually evaluate the quality of the care and learning they provide. They oversee how staff plan and record children's progress, updating and amending systems for greater efficiency.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Overall, staff interact and engage with children well. They take care to describe new activities and games for children to enable them to take part. Staff join in with children's play at times, such as to introduce some challenge or offer support. They know when to let children explore alone, recognising when they are concentrating on things that interest them, such as emptying containers. Staff base the planning mainly on children's identified next steps and support their progress. Staff use letter sounds at times, such as to support children's early reading skills. Generally, staff observe and record children's achievements to track their progress and identify any gaps. Staff regularly share records with parents for them to contribute to and be involved in children's learning.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff show children great care and affection. They develop strong bonds, particularly with babies, which help them to settle and feel safe. Staff value their relationships with parents and share information every day about children's care. Some parents like a written daily report and some prefer discussions with staff. Children are considerate of each other; they share and take turns. They make friends and include other children in their play, such as board games. Children show good control of their feelings and behave well. The nursery is kept clean and comfortable. Suitable hygiene procedures reduce the spread of infection, such as during nappy changing.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children develop many essential skills in learning. For example, their curiosity entices them to explore the slimy gloop and wonder at how it reacts. They learn about life, such as sowing cress seeds to care for until they grow and can be eaten. Children can count and measure, and they enjoy books. Children make good progress from their individual starting points.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY537358 Local authority West Sussex Inspection number 1096002 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 - 8 Total number of places 40 Number of children on roll 46 Name of registered person Happy Steps Nursery Ltd

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reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 01903 815800

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reference number

Happy Steps nursery registered in 2016 and is situated in Upper Beeding, Steyning, West Sussex. The nursery is open each weekday from 8am to 6pm, for 50 weeks of the year. There are nine members of staff, whose early years qualifications range from level 1 to level 5. The nursery receives funding to provide free 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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