Early Steps Day Nursery

Inspection of Early Steps Day Nursery St. Wilfrid Catholic Church, 97 Lorrimore Road, LONDON SE17 3LZ

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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The provision is good

Children eagerly start their day at the nursery. They are warmly greeted by staff who take time to find out how they are. Staff support babies extremely well to extend their physical development. They use their expert knowledge well, for example making sure babies have supportive equipment to gain confidence with their new found walking skills. Staff support other children in learning how to use the climbing frames safely to slide down. This helps children to develop new skills and promotes their learning and development. Staff are consistent in their approach to behaviour management. Staff remind children to use their words as they play, supporting their language development and their behaviour. They work well in partnership with parents to support children's behaviour. Children behave exceptionally well. Staff remind children the importance of their own hygiene, helping them to learn about their own health and well-being. Meal times are social

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The provision is good

occasions. Staff sit with children talking about their day and what they are eating. This helps to support children's language and social skills.

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need to do better?

n Leaders are aware of the importance of evaluating the effectiveness of planning and how to make improvements to the nursery. They work with staff to ensure they are fully aware of their roles in planning, generally, good quality activities to support children's learning and development. n Children are all highly mindful of each other. Most-able children help and support those who are less able to get ready to play outside and to fasten their shoes. Children thank each other for the help, helping to build each other's self- esteem. n Overall, staff support children well. However, staff do not always give children a sufficient amount of time during activities to finish off their learning. For example, during play dough activities, staff are quick to end the activity in order to move on. This does not allow some children to reach their full learning potential during activities. n Leaders are aware of the impact that the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic has

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need to do better?

had on children. They work with staff to ensure they plan effective activities in order to support key areas of development. For example, staff are supporting children's physical and emotional development. They are skilled in working with parents to support these areas of learning. This is helping children to make good progress from their starting points. n Staff support babies to try new activities and extend their development further. However, they do not always provide enough challenge during activities to extend older children's learning to an even higher level. n Parents say they are very happy with the care that is provided and feel safe leaving their children in the care of the staff. They also say their children are

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need to do better?

17 August 2021 making good progress with their learning. n Staff support children's language development well. They talk with them during activities, asking them effective questions to get them to think about their answers. Staff simplify their questioning depending on the ability of children, enabling all ages to develop language skills. n Babies thoroughly enjoy learning how to play musical instruments. Staff teach them how to hold the beaters so they can hear the noise they make as they beat. This helps to support children's emerging physical development. Staff are skilled in giving them more complex instruments to play to extend this area of learning. n The quality of the curriculum on offer to the children is, generally, good. Staff are fully aware of children's next steps of learning and plan activities to help achieve these. Staff use resources well to promote children's learning. For example, they encourage children to carry out activities together to help support

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders work closely with other agencies to keep children safe. Together with the staff team, they are fully aware of signs and symptoms of child abuse. They also have a good understanding of contextual safeguarding concerns, such as signs and symptoms of domestic abuse and issues arising overseas that may affect families in the nursery. They are also aware of local trends they need to be aware of to keep children safe. Staff and the provider have taken appropriate steps to keep children safe, when playing outside. They carry out regular head counts of the children before, during and after outside play. This helps them to keep children safe.

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should:

n support staff to provide more challenge to older children to enhance their learning and development n ensure staff give children time to naturally finish activities and to value more the creations they make.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY460674 Local authority Southwark Inspection number 10197390 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

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inspection

Total number of places 36 Number of children on roll 31 Name of registered person Miata Educational Services

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reference number

Telephone number 02077012800 Date of previous inspection 4 October 2016

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Information about this early years setting

Early Steps Day Nursery registered in 2013. It is located in Kennington, London. It is open weekdays for most of the year. There are three members of staff. The manager holds a degree in childhood education and two members of staff hold level 3 qualifications. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early education sessions for children aged two, three and four years.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the setting received since the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in the evaluation of the provider. n The inspector carried out a learning walk and joint observation with the manager to discuss the quality of the curriculum on offer to the children. n The inspector spoke with parents to gather their views on the nursery. n The inspector observed children in the main areas and outside to review the quality of curriculum on offer. n The inspector sampled documents including staff suitability, risk assessments and reporting procedures.

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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

17 August 2021 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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