Giant Steps Seaham

Giant Steps Seaham Haven House, SEAHAM, County Durham, SR7 0DR

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 19 January 2018 Not applicable

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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

 Staff provide a vibrant and highly welcoming environment and are highly skilled at nurturing children's love of learning. Children thrive and relish the superb opportunities provided to play, explore and discover.  Staff use highly accurate assessments to quickly identify any gaps in children's learning and promptly seek additional support. This significantly contributes towards the substantial progress that all children are making.  The management team is highly committed to achieving the best possible outcomes for children. Rigorous self-evaluation leads to precise plans for improvement. This includes the views of parents and children.  The key-person system works exceptionally well, children form strong attachments to their special person very quickly. Staff quickly establish an excellent understanding of children's needs during their induction visits.  Children benefit from staff using highly successful communication methods to involve

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This provision is outstanding

parents in nursery experiences. Staff take every opportunity to involve them in their child's daily care and give them guidance on how they can develop their child's active learning at home.

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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 enhance the highly stimulating outdoor area, particularly for those children that love to play outside.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector had a tour of the premises and spoke with staff and children during the inspection.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the acting nursery manager.  The inspector held a meeting with the acting nursery manager and provider. She looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.  The inspector spoke to a number of parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is outstanding

Excellent leadership and management underpin extremely high-quality practice and precisely targeted continued improvement at this nursery. The provider constantly provides the well-qualified staff with exceptional guidance and training that successfully influences the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. For example, following on from training in woodwork staff were inspired. They have taught children how to use tools safely and children have created their own pieces of woodwork. The acting manager observes staff in their work as part of the rigorous monitoring of suitability. Supervision meetings help to keep staff highly motivated and develop their excellent teaching skills even further. Safeguarding is effective. The acting manager and staff have an excellent understanding of safeguarding procedures and what to do to help to protect children from harm.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

Observation, planning and assessment processes are exceptionally rigorous. Staff know children remarkably well and plan activities based on their interests. They are skilled in knowing how children learn best and provide activities to challenge and extend their learning. For example, the provision of fresh vegetables in the play kitchen inspires children to investigate. They show high levels of curiosity, asking what some of them are and with the close supervision of staff use knives to cut them up. Staff skilfully promote communication and language skills well. They ask open-ended questions and give children time to think and respond. Staff take every opportunity to promote early literacy skills. For example, they frequently ask children what the first letter of a word is, such as their name. All children develop excellent listening and attention skills. For example, they learn to take account of each other when working as a group.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Children have plenty of opportunities to practise their physical skills, for example, as they play with vigour and energy outdoors in the fresh air. They become involved in painting with rollers, exploring what the water does to ice when poured on it and where water goes when poured down a ramp. Staff are now considering how to further promote water activities for children as they clearly love playing with this. Children behave extremely well and swiftly rise to staff's high expectations. Highly effective behaviour management strategies support children to develop their self-esteem and confidence. Staff give clear explanations to children regarding managing their own safety, such as how to carry a knife safely.

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Outcomes for children are outstanding

Children are exceptionally inquisitive and relish exploring. They are enthusiastic to join in and participate in activities. They remain engrossed and engaged in purposeful activities for incredibly long periods of time. Children make significant progress and develop a wealth of skills that prepare them extremely well for starting school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY494558 Local authority Durham Inspection number 1035612 Type of provision Sessional provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 28 Number of children on roll 16 Name of registered person Giant Steps Horden Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 0191 5979012

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reference number

Giant Steps Seaham registered in 2016. The nursery employs four members of childcare staff. All staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday during term time. Sessions are from 8.45am until 3.45pm. 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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