Your Co-Op Little Pioneers Nursery and Pre-School, Stonehouse Farm

First Steps Children's Nursery First Steps Nursery, Stonehouse Farm, Birmingham, B32 3DX

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 17 April 2018 Not applicable

p.1

This inspection: Outstanding 1

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Outstanding 1

p.1

This inspection: Outstanding 1

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding 1

p.1

This inspection: Outstanding 1

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding 1

p.1

This provision is outstanding

 Children experience exceptionally challenging and stimulating learning experiences based on their own choices. The environment is extremely well planned and resourced. Staff provide exciting activities for children that increase their learning and exploration.  Partnerships with parents are highly successful and they are involved in all aspects of their children's learning and care. Staff guide parents skilfully in how to support children's learning at home and to plan their next steps.  The quality of teaching and staff's interaction with children is outstanding. Staff guide and support children's learning and engage their enthusiasm. They develop children's language extremely well and children make rapid progress in all their learning.  Children are very happy in the environment, and their individual needs are met exceptionally well. Staff teach children to have good manners and to share the toys. All

p.1

This provision is outstanding

children gain high levels of independence, such as when they serve themselves at meal times. They play happily together and form close bonds with their key person. Children behave extremely well.  Managers and staff are innovative in their drive to help all children achieve their full potential. Self-evaluation and monitoring is precise and meticulous. Areas for improvement in staff practice and all aspects of the nursery are identified and quickly addressed to maintain the outstanding quality of the provision.

p.1

What the setting needs to do to improve further

To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

p.2

What the setting needs to do to improve further

 continue to extend staff knowledge and practice of inspirational approaches to learning to further enhance children's excellent learning opportunities.

p.2

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 spoke with staff and children during the inspection.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the nursery manager, the deputy manager, the area manager and the quality excellence manager.  The inspector held a meeting with the nursery manager. She looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.  The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and considered their views.

p.2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management is outstanding

Safeguarding is effective. The managers and staff implement rigorous procedures to keep children safe. They update their knowledge regularly and have a thorough understanding of their responsibilities. The managers test staff's knowledge and practice regularly. Managers have high expectations for the achievements of children and staff. Staff are extremely well supported to continually update their knowledge and skills. Staff continually review the impact of their teaching and planning on children's learning. They monitor the progress of individual children and of specific groups exceptionally well to help identify and close any gaps in learning rapidly. Staff work very successfully with other professionals when necessary.

p.3

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

Staff prepare all children extremely well for the next stages in their learning. They teach children to recognise sounds, letters and numbers from an early age. Staff use expert questioning and demonstrations to help children to count and use simple addition. They continually challenge children's thinking and encourage their ideas. For example, staff ask toddlers which parts of a robot they still need to attach and where they need to put each arm and leg. Staff guide children in their thinking about how they might be able to do this. When babies show that they enjoy the sound of a spade banging on a bucket, staff copy this and encourage them to make other sounds and to repeat sounds and words. They take every opportunity to increase children's knowledge and skills and to develop their interests. The outdoor area is exceptionally well-resourced and provides highly stimulating and varied learning experiences for all children.

p.3

Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Children demonstrate confidence in their social skills and enjoy their interactions with staff. Babies are relaxed and secure with the caring staff and they settle to sleep easily. Staff know children very well and give the highest priority to their well-being. Children are familiar with their routines and understand what is expected of them. They follow instructions extremely well and older children help staff to set their rooms up for lunch and tidy up afterwards. Children develop their physical skills through their use of an extensive range of exciting activities. For example, older children show great enthusiasm when they race down a slope on sit-and-ride toys, then lift these up to run up the slope to start again. They show thoughtfulness as they wait for all the children to get to the starting position.

p.3

Outcomes for children are outstanding

All children show great enthusiasm in their play and are eager to try new activities. For example, babies are enthralled as they watch and try to catch bubbles. They persevere and have good control when they concentrate hard on trying to fit the bubble wand into the tube to load it with liquid. Pre-school children are extremely imaginative as they choose and pack the clothes they need to travel to Italy. They eagerly make their own passports and form letters of their names correctly. Children make rapid progress.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number EY539602 Local authority Birmingham Inspection number 1076340 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 60 Number of children on roll 80 Name of registered person The Midcounties Co-Operative Limited

p.4

reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 0121 427 9056

p.4

reference number

First Steps Children's Nursery is one of several settings owned by The Midcounties Co- Operative Limited. The nursery re-registered in 2016. The nursery employs 20 members of childcare staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2, 3, 5 or 7. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday all year round, except for one week at Christmas. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

p.4

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.

p.4

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.

p.4

reference number

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/, write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.5

reference number

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our website for news, information and updates at www.ofsted.gov.uk/user.

p.5

reference number

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

p.5