First Steps

First Steps 5 Cheshunt Park Farm, Cheshunt Park, Cheshunt, WALTHAM CROSS, Hertfordshire EN7 6PZ

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Inspection date 30 April 2019 Previous inspection date 11 October 2018

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This inspection: Good 2

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

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This provision is good

n The manager and staff have worked hard as a team to address prior areas of weakness. Staff are deployed effectively and required progress checks are completed in a timely manner. The manager has a clear vision for the setting and works with her staff to effectively reflect on practice. n Children form close attachments with their key person. Staff warmly welcome families into the setting. Staff are enthusiastic and motivated as they engage children in a wide range of planned and spontaneous learning experiences. Staff interaction helps children to develop new skills in all areas of learning. n Children's good behaviour demonstrates that they feel safe and secure in their surroundings. Staff understand children's individual needs well and work closely with parents to offer consistency of care. Children are happy and settled at nursery. n Parents are complimentary about the quality of care their children receive. They

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This provision is good

comment that their children make great progress and that they can see a difference in their child's developing speech and language skills. Parents state that they would highly recommend the nursery to others. n All children make good progress in their development and are supported well. The knowledgeable staff work with other professionals to help identify and support children's individual needs. n Staff's professional development is not yet sharply focused on enhancing specific skills to raise the quality of teaching to the highest level. n While parents share information when their children begin in the nursery and enjoy good communication with staff, they are not always offered further guidance about how to extend their child's 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

n extend further training and professional development opportunities to strengthen existing knowledge and teaching skills n enrich partnerships with parents by sharing ideas about activities to further support and extend their children's learning at home.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

n The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector discussed an evaluation of an activity with the manager. n The inspector held a number of discussions with the manager, staff and children. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation, including evidence of the suitability of persons working with children. The inspector discussed with the manager and staff how they reflect on their practice. n The inspector took account of the views of parents through discussions during the inspection process.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

The manager is a good role model. She offers regular support to ensure training, linked to the care of children, remains up to date. For example, all staff have completed paediatric first-aid and food safety training. They are competent at providing care for children in the event of an accident and manage food preparation hygienically. Safeguarding is effective. Staff keep themselves updated with changes in child protection legislation and if they have a concern about a child's welfare, they know how to make a referral to the relevant agency. Staff complete induction training and attend ongoing supervision meetings. Staff make good use of assessment to identify children's current stage of development. Children's progress is regularly reviewed to help identify gaps in their learning. Staff provide targeted support to close or minimise these areas as quickly as possible.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Learning opportunities are guided by children's interests. Staff have a good knowledge of children's next steps for learning. Children handle and explore different textured materials. They develop literacy skills as they select books independently. Staff teach children mathematics well. For example, older children giggle with delight as they sort and compare groups of brightly coloured plastic bears, arranging these by size. Children enjoy exploring bubbles in water and pour this accurately between containers. They chat confidently to staff about which containers are full or empty. Children are confident to move freely inside and out. They demonstrate good decision making as they think about what to explore next. The arrival of a ladybird and dragonfly in the garden, create the opportunity for a spontaneous bug hunt. While tracking insects with magnifying glasses, staff support children well as they observe and talk about the different aspects of these

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

insects. They closely examine the wings, feet and colours.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff create a friendly environment and consistently promote positive behaviour. Children use their manners at snack time and willingly share resources with each other. Staff nurture children's emotional well-being and welfare. Children learn about healthy lifestyles as staff ensure that they have regular opportunities to play outside and chat about healthy eating. Outdoor learning is planned well. Children enjoy using a variety of toys and equipment. They learn to take risks and develop a secure understanding of how to keep themselves safe as they negotiate safe pathways while using wheeled toys. Children have fun as they climb with competence. They develop the muscles in their hands, arms and legs as they run, skip and jump.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children are enthusiastic learners who make good progress from their initial starting points. They develop good levels of language. Older children understand the protocols of speaking and listening during conversations. Young children thoroughly enjoy looking at books and joining in with action rhymes and songs. All children are supported well to develop the basic skills they need for future learning and their move on to school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY255445 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10082310 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 1 - 4 Total number of places 20 Number of children on roll 18 Name of registered person First Steps Partnership

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 11 October 2018 Telephone number 01992 635416

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reference number

First Steps registered in 2003. The nursery employs five members of childcare staff. Of these, two staff hold an appropriate early years qualification at level 3 and three staff hold an appropriate qualification at level 2. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday for 50 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 8am to 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for 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.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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