Footsteps to Dolphin Street

Footsteps to Dolphin Street 38 Dolphin Street, Benwell, Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 8AZ

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Inspection date 20 March 2019 Previous inspection date 7 March 2016

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Previous inspection: Good 2 Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding 1 Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding 1 Outcomes for children Outstanding 1

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This provision is outstanding

n Partnerships with parents are excellent. Parents are highly complimentary about the outstanding quality of the nursery environment, the educational support and exemplary care that their children receive from staff. They describe how staff create a 'welcoming', 'non-judgemental' and 'special' atmosphere. n Partnership working is exceptionally well embedded. These highly effective and engaging partnerships with parents and other professionals enable staff to meet all children's individual needs exceptionally well. This is particularly effective in supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Parents feel they are kept fully involved in their children's learning and all assessment processes. n There is a culture of reflective practice in place. The manager and staff are entirely invested and show a firm commitment to continuously improving the already excellent practice in place. Self-evaluation is ongoing, incisive and leads to targeted improvement

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This provision is outstanding

plans that have a substantial impact on outcomes for children. n Teaching is inspirational. Staff consistently extend children's learning to the highest levels, using their professional knowledge of how children learn and develop exceptionally well. They expertly adapt activities to tailor their approach to reflect children's individual stage of learning and their emerging interests. Children make rapid progress in their learning. n Staff are excellent role models. They strongly support children to develop their self- confidence and self-awareness. Children are extremely well behaved.

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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

n build on the already strong strategies for promoting children's independence to reach even higher levels and evaluate the impact on their learning.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

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

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

Safeguarding is effective. Staff confidently fulfil their role to protect children from harm. They have an expert knowledge of wider safeguarding issues and know what to do should they have any concerns about a child's welfare. The management team implements highly effective recruitment and vetting procedures to help ensure staff are suitable. Parents are highly complimentary about the care and education their children receive. They trust staff implicitly and comment that children are extremely happy, well settled and make excellent progress in the nursery. The professional development of the staff team is sharply focused and helps to maintain the exceptional quality of teaching already in place. The management team meticulously monitors how well individual and different groups of children achieve in their learning.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

Staff are highly motivated and they know the children exceptionally well. They accurately assess children's progress and identify their next steps in learning. Staff speak clearly and precisely. This is particularly beneficial for children who speak English as an additional language to support their understanding. Staff use their accurate observations and assessments of children to precisely tailor learning experiences to meet their individual needs. For example, after a child wrote a letter independently, staff extended this learning by working with her to create a post box and to visit the local Post Office to send a letter home. Staff use highly engaging and interesting activities to develop children's interests. For example, one boy was keen to use builder's tools and so staff froze toy cars and trucks inside ice so that he could use construction equipment to get them out.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Staff warmly welcome children on arrival so they feel happy and safe. In addition, transition processes meet the needs of the children and enable them to settle with ease when moving on to school. Children thrive in this caring and nurturing environment and develop highly meaningful relationships with their key person and staff they regularly see. The well-qualified staff place a strong emphasis on promoting children's independence and self-care skills, and children are encouraged to put on their own coats. Staff have identified ways to promote children's independence even further. Staff are skilled at teaching children how to share and take turns, and behaviour is excellent throughout the nursery. Staff help children to learn about living creatures. For example, when the children found a ladybird, staff encouraged them to find a safe place for it to live and showed them how to handle it carefully.

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Outcomes for children are outstanding

All children, including those with SEND, make exceptional rates of progress given their starting points and capabilities. Children are exceedingly well prepared for the next stage in learning and their move to school. Older children are keen to write their name while younger children are engaged in wonderful mark-making activities both indoors and outdoors. Children are highly motivated learners and are eager to explore their environment and learn new skills.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY477695 Local authority Newcastle upon Tyne Inspection number 10064912 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Full day care Age range of children 1 - 4 Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 24 Name of registered person Footsteps Children's Service Ltd

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 7 March 2016 Telephone number 0191 4359084

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reference number

Footsteps to Dolphin Street registered in 2014. The nursery employs six members of childcare staff. All staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and above, including the manager who holds a BA Honours Degree in Children and Young Persons. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday. Sessions are from 9am until 4pm, term time only. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The nursery supports children with SEND and those who speak English as an additional language.

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

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