Little Steps (Higham Ferrers) Ltd

Little Steps (Higham Ferrers) Ltd 5-7 College Street, Higham Ferrers, RUSHDEN, Northamptonshire, NN10 8DX

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 30 October 2017 1 June 2015

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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 and staff team continue to set themselves extremely high standards and this is reflected in their commitment to supporting individual children and their families. The nursery staff are very reflective practitioners.  All staff are highly skilled and exceptionally sensitive in their teaching. They successfully differentiate activities for each child taking part, and this results in children being highly motivated and excited to join in.  Parents are very pleased with the care their children receive at the nursery. They comment on the excellent, friendly and approachable staff. Parents are happy with the great range of activities their children take part in that widens their experiences.  Children are safe in the nursery. Staff manage the children's freedom to explore the different rooms in their unit exceptionally well. They provide close supervision while encouraging children to think about how to keep themselves and their friends safe.

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This provision is outstanding

 Children thoroughly enjoy the consistent use of signing and other strategies in the nursery that actively help promote their communication and language skills. Babies respond to simple signs during their play and older children use signs competently.  Children quickly become fully engaged in their activities. Babies are excited to explore how paint feels on their hands and bodies as they use rollers and brushes with large sheets of paper on the floor. They are confident to take part and enjoy the experience.

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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 refine the excellent arrangements for working and communicating with parents.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities both inside and outside, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the nursery manager.  The inspector held meetings with the nursery directors, the manager and with three members of staff. She looked at relevant documentation and checked evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.  The inspector spoke with children during the inspection.  The inspector spoke with a number of parents during the inspection and took account of their views. She also looked at written information from parents.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is outstanding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff have a secure understanding of how to keep children safe and protect their welfare. Managers have a commitment to regular refresher training in child protection to keep staff's knowledge up to date. The professional development for staff is nurtured exceptionally well and they are supported to achieve qualifications. Highly effective supervision results in staff's rapidly growing confidence and develops consistently high-quality teaching throughout the nursery. The progress of individuals as well as different groups of children is monitored in a highly effective way. This means that any gaps in learning are identified and plans are swiftly implemented to provide support where necessary. The management team works very closely with staff and demonstrates a continuous drive to offer the very best it can for the children attending the nursery. It identifies a continued commitment to further extend the

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is outstanding

excellent partnerships it develops with parents.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

Children thoroughly enjoy highly positive and effective involvement from staff during their play. Staff are skilled in their teaching. They recognise individual children's different needs during group activities and make very successful adaptations to their interactions which ensures all children remain fully involved. Children wait with excited anticipation as staff introduce what they are going to do. When group activities are finished the staff recap with the children and this is highly effective in consolidating their learning. For example, pre-school children learn about working together as they build towers with large blocks and toddlers explore the texture of jelly, play dough and pumpkin seeds. Precise, accurate assessments of children's progress links directly with their interests and ideas and in turn contributes to the excellent planning of activities.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

The nursery environment is organised exceptionally well. The resources and activities spark children's interest and curiosity, and staff are deployed most effectively to support and extend children's learning. Children are very confident in the nursery. They choose their own activities both inside and outside, they know where to find items they want to add to their play and they enthusiastically help to tidy away. Staff manage children's personal care needs very sensitively. Children behave exceptionally well. They respond to the staff's highly consistent approach and they know what is expected of them. Children are very well prepared for their move to the next stage, staff work closely with each other and with parents to ensure children have a positive transition.

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Outcomes for children are outstanding

Children make rapid progress from their starting points. They learn key skills that prepare them for starting school. Children become very independent, they take part in a wealth of activities that promotes their communication skills and their awareness of mathematics. Children are respectful of each other, they learn to share and develop strong friendships.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY378109 Local authority Northamptonshire Inspection number 1093524 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 - 9 Total number of places 99 Number of children on roll 154 Name of registered person Little Steps (Higham Ferrers) Ltd

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 1 June 2015 Telephone number 01933 357400

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reference number

Little Steps (Higham Ferrers) Ltd registered in 2008 and is managed by a limited company. The nursery employs 29 members of childcare staff. Of these, 24 hold early years qualifications between level 2 and 6, including one with early years professional status and two with qualified teacher status. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday for 51 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 7.45am to 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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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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