First Steps Day Nursery & Big Steps

First Steps Day Nursery & Big Steps Out Of School Club Unit 2, Carlton Miniott Business Centre, Carlton Road, Carlton Miniott, Thirsk, North Yorkshire YO7 4NF

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Inspection date 7 February 2019 Previous inspection date 10 April 2015

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3

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

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3

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

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3

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

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3

Outcomes for children Requires improvement

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This is a provision that requires improvement

n Managers do not ensure that the qualification requirements for staff working with children are consistently met. n Managers have not ensured that they are familiar with guidance on the safe use of some equipment in the baby room. n Managers have not implemented rigorous arrangements for the monitoring and coaching of staff. n The quality of teaching is variable. Activities are not always appropriate for the age of the children involved. Additionally, there are times when children have to wait for long periods and they become restless.

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It has the following strengths

n Staff are caring. Children show confidence and a sense of belonging. Most children make good progress in their learning, despite the variations in teaching. n Managers have established partnerships with other professionals. Parents contribute to reviews of practice and staff share information from professional development that helps to inform plans for improvement.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must: Due date deploy staff effectively to ensure that the requirements for qualified staff are met at all times 08/02/2019

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

ensure that risk assessments are robust, consider the safe use of equipment and are shared with staff to identify and minimise all risks to children 28/02/2019

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

implement an effective programme of support and supervision for staff and drive improvements to the quality of teaching 28/02/2019

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

improve planning to ensure that activities consistently meet the learning needs of the children involved and provide an appropriate level of challenge. 28/02/2019

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

Inspection activities n The inspector had a tour of the premises. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching and assessed the impact on children's learning and development. n The inspector completed a joint observation with the managers. n The inspector held a meeting with the managers to discuss leadership. She looked at a range of documents, including evidence of the suitability checks carried out on staff and their qualifications. n The inspector spoke to staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection. She spoke to a number of parents and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

There is a low level of staff who hold appropriate early years qualifications for their role. They are not deployed effectively to ensure that legal requirements are met. This does not have a significant impact on children's welfare because staff know the children well and meet their care needs, and qualified managers are available to provide support. However, this contributes to weaknesses in teaching. Managers acknowledge that new staff, although working towards a recognised qualification, have not yet developed the knowledge and skills to uphold an overall good quality of teaching. They have not developed effective supervision procedures to help to identify and address weaknesses in staff teaching. Managers have not ensured that staff are aware of guidance for the safe use of baby swings and bouncer chairs. However, the impact of this is minimised because children are supervised at all times when using such equipment. Safeguarding is

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

effective. Staff know what to do if they are concerned about a child's welfare.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

Staff provide some interesting activities that children enjoy and, generally, help them to build on what they already know and can do. For example, older children talk about shape and size while they make paper robots. Staff teach them to hop and balance while acting out scenes from a favourite story. Babies benefit from fun-filled song sessions where they learn to make animal sounds. Staff observations are mostly accurate and help to identify what children need to learn next. A wall display of 'focused feet' is used to represent the next steps in each child's learning and is used to share this information with parents. Staff monitor children's progress, supported by managers, to help identify children who need extra support. However, activities are not consistently planned well enough to match children's learning needs. For example, very young children take part in a whole-group story time. Staff do not respond to their cues when they stop paying

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

attention and become restless. Activities for older children often lack challenge.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

Staff are polite and respectful, and encourage children's good behaviour. However, sometimes, children have to wait too long between parts of their day. For example, while staff tidy up in preparation for going outdoors, children have too few activities to take part in and not enough interaction from staff. They disrupt one another and their behaviour is mildly disruptive. Children take responsibility for their own belongings and help with tasks, such as pouring drinks and sweeping up. This helps to develop their independence. Children benefit from home-cooked meals and plenty of fresh air and exercise, which helps to promote their good physical health.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Most children achieve the levels of development typical for their age, despite the weaknesses in teaching. However, children are not supported well enough to develop enthusiasm and motivation to learn. Lower levels of engagement mean some children are not helped to make the progress that they are capable of. Children benefit from some activities that promote early mathematics and literacy that help to prepare them for later learning in school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY337006 Local authority North Yorkshire Inspection number 10071081 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Full day care Age range of children 0 - 10 Total number of places 69 Number of children on roll 91

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Name of registered person

First Step Day Nursery & Big Steps Out of School CLub Partnership

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 10 April 2015 Telephone number 01845 525 509

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reference number

First Steps Day Nursery & Big Steps Out Of School Club registered in 2006 and is located in Thirsk, North Yorkshire. There are currently 16 staff, 10 of whom have an appropriate early years qualification at level 2 or above. The nursery opens five days a week from 7.30am until 6pm, all year round, except for bank holidays and a week at Christmas. 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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procedures set out in the guidance Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . 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 and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, 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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If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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

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