First Steps Childcare @ Chichester College

Inspection of First Steps Childcare @ Chichester College Chichester College, Westgate Fields, Chichester, West Sussex PO19 1SB

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Outstanding

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The provision is outstanding

Throughout this wonderful nursery, skilful staff support every child to have highly purposeful and appropriately challenging experiences. Children thrive in the extremely well-resourced environments, thoughtfully arranged to motivate children to explore from the security of their base rooms. Staff interact in the exciting activities and help children to make links in their learning, often using stories as a prompt. Children repeat and consolidate what they have learned through their play. For example, following the three bears story, children play with water and oats, feeling the textures and noticing changes. They later remember they need to add water as they make real porridge for snack time.

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The provision is outstanding

Children are extremely confident and self-assured. They readily share their huge enjoyment and wonder in learning. Younger children show secure attachments as they enjoy cuddles from staff. Babies learn to control their bodies and use all their senses as they happily explore their playroom. They excitedly hunt for picture clues to choose songs to sing. Children behave well, supported by consistent staff strategies, such as the use of calming reflection areas. Older children demonstrate excellent language skills as they negotiate roles and share ideas with their friends. Children show exceptional care and concern for others. For example, they help each other find resources and get a chair so an adult can sit down.

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need to do better?

n The talented manager demonstrates immense passion, knowledge and ambition. She shares her clear vision and curriculum planning to ensure all areas of staff practice are consistent and of high quality. Managers actively promote staff well- being and staff work extremely effectively together. They benefit from highly focused performance management systems and excellent opportunities to develop their skills, knowledge and qualifications even further. n The manager and staff have a deep understanding of how children learn. They maximise every opportunity to help all children develop the skills they need and progressively support new learning. For example, they provide younger children with streamers to wave and bags of foam to squeeze, to develop arm and finger strength to support later writing skills. Older children increase vocabulary as they investigate the answers to 'what if' questions. n Children are superbly engaged in making decisions about the nursery. Managers

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need to do better?

and staff listen carefully to children and take their views into account, for example when arranging the playrooms. Each day children choose which group time activity they would like to do. Staff use group times extremely well to encourage positive attitudes to learning, such as good social skills, listening and attention. Children are well prepared for the next stage of learning and their eventual move to school.

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need to do better?

27 February 2020 n Staff are extremely caring and nurturing. They focus strongly on developing children's understanding and control of their emotions and supporting well- being. For example, staff use calm spaces and the story of the 'Colour Monster' to help even the youngest children understand their feelings. Children readily express their feelings and often find their own resolutions to conflicts. n Care practices are excellent. Staff support children to do things for themselves, which promotes resilience and independence. For example, children persevere when using scissors and easily find their own resources for play. They know they need boots and coats to go outside on a cold day and quickly put them on. n Children access an exceptional range of additional opportunities for learning. For example, they use their imagination and learn about the world around them in the 'First Steps Village' of role-play settings. Managers and staff make good use

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need to do better?

of the close link with Chichester College. Children gain an understanding of different people as they welcome nursery visitors who have come to the college from abroad. n The manager and staff forge highly successful partnerships with parents through a variety of strategies. For example, parents are encouraged to join in play sessions with the children. Attractive display boards show what children are learning, through photographs and captions. Parents are extremely complimentary about the service, saying that the manager and staff go 'above and beyond' to give support.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Managers ensure that safeguarding is a key focus and a shared responsibility in the setting. Staff have a strong understanding of the safeguarding procedures and how to report concerns. They fully understand their role in protecting children from harm. Managers make very good use of the college links to access additional safeguarding expertise and safe recruitment procedures. Thorough background checks ensure staff are suitable to work with children. Managers monitor children's health and safety carefully and make changes to ensure the building stays suitable for children to play safely.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 113485 Local authority West Sussex Inspection number 10128547 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care Age range of children 0 to 4 Total number of places 142 Number of children on roll 140 Name of registered person Chichester College Services Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01243 532043 Date of previous inspection 23 July 2015

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Information about this early years setting

First Steps Childcare @ Chichester College registered in 1990. It operates from purpose-built premises on the campus of Chichester College, in the Chichester area of West Sussex. The nursery is open each weekday from 7.30am to 6pm for 51 weeks of the year. The nursery receives funding for early education for two-, three- and four-year-olds. The nursery employs 21 staff to work with the children. Of these, 18 hold appropriate early years qualifications.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector observed the quality of teaching in all rooms and assessed the impact of this on children's learning. n The inspector and manager completed a learning walk around the nursery and met to discuss the nursery and look at a sample of documentation. n A joint observation of staff practice was carried out by the inspector and the manager. n Some parents gave their views to the inspector and these were taken into account. n Children talked and played with the inspector and she talked to the manager and staff.

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Inspection activities

We carried out this inspection 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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Inspection activities

27 February 2020 regulates and inspects to 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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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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