First Steps (Rocester)

First Steps (Rocester) Rochester Community Centre, High Street, Rocester, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, ST14 5JU

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 29 June 2018 8 December 2014

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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 deputy manager are committed and dedicated to providing the best quality care and education they can for young children. They seek the views of staff, parents and children to help identify areas to develop.  All children, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, make good progress from their starting points. Staff expertly identify any gaps in children's learning and provide targeted interventions and support.  Partnerships with parents are good. Staff provide opportunities throughout the year to engage parents in activities with their children in the nursery and at home.  Children are happy and confident. They share good relationships with friendly and caring staff. Children readily accept praise from staff for their achievements. This helps to support their self-esteem.  Staff provide a well-organised and calm environment. Children follow the routines, rules

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This provision is good

and boundaries. As a result, children understand how to keep safe and their behaviour is good.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 At times, staff do not use children's next steps in learning to plan challenging activities that extend their learning to an even higher level.  Current arrangements for staff development do not focus strongly enough on raising the already good standard of teaching to an even 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

 use the information gathered from observations and assessments to plan more challenging activities based on what children need to learn next  increase opportunities for staff to update their knowledge and professional development to help raise the quality of teaching even further.

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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 completed a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager. She looked at relevant documentation, such as policies and procedures, staff's qualifications and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery and committee members.  The inspector discussed the nursery's self-evaluation.  The inspector spoke to parents and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. Staff demonstrate a clear understanding of how to protect children from harm. They know the signs and symptoms of abuse and have a good knowledge of referral procedures to follow if they have a concern. Policies and procedures are robust, and regular risk assessments help staff minimise potential hazards and promote children's safety. The manager monitors children's progress. This helps to promptly identify any need for early intervention and supports all children to make good progress. Parents contribute to initial assessments to help staff identify children's starting points. They are very complimentary about the nursery and staff. Parents feel they are kept well informed about their children's care and learning. They comment on how happy their children are at the setting.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff observe and assess children's progress regularly to enable them to identify children's next steps in learning. Children have access to a good range of activities and resources. Staff provide targeted support for individual children, as required. Children develop their communication skills well. For example, as they play a magnetic fishing game, they catch a fish with a picture of objects in different positions, such as a hat under a table, and describe this to staff. Children use their descriptive language and demonstrate their understanding of position as they use words to explain where the object is in the picture. Young children enjoy playing with musical instruments and begin to learn about rhythm.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children enter the nursery eagerly and separate happily from their parents. Young children new to the setting settle quickly and develop strong emotional attachments to their key person. They demonstrate that they are learning how to keep themselves safe and confidently explain to visitors why they need to wear sun cream. Children have regular access to the outdoor spaces. Staff ensure children have a shaded area in which to play. Young children enjoy kicking and safely throwing large soft balls. Children learn about the wider community. For example, they go in small groups to the local shops or school. Children enjoy visits from local farmers or the vet who teaches them how to care for the nursery's pet guinea pigs.

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Outcomes for children are good

All children make good progress from their starting points. Children are well prepared for school and learn some key skills. For example, older children engage in regular sessions to help them learn to link sounds to letters. They are all fully engaged as they sit and listen to adults. Children use tools, such as scissors and pencils, with good control. They develop their independence as they access toys and resources of their choice. Older children learn to peel their own fruit at snack time and carry their dinner to a table in readiness for school. All children enjoy listening to stories and joining in with rhymes and songs.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 218145 Local authority Staffordshire Inspection number 1103185 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 1 - 9 Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 73 Name of registered person First Steps Pre-School (Rocester) Committee

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 8 December 2014 Telephone number 01889 591396

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reference number

First Steps (Rocester) registered in 1992. The nursery employs eight members of childcare staff. Of these, two hold qualifications at level 5 and two hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, for 48 weeks a year. Sessions are from 7.30am 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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