Footsteps Daycare 2018 Ltd

Inspection of Footsteps Daycare 2018 Ltd St. Peters House, St Peters Way, Northampton, Northamptonshire NN1 1TP

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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 Not applicable

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The provision is good

All children attending this nursery clearly show they feel happy and safe. Children are warmly welcomed by staff when they arrive, and children's feelings of well- being and belonging are fostered very well by staff. Babies look intently at staff and giggle with delight as staff talk and sing to them. Toddlers thoroughly enjoy stories read by staff. They are confident to speak to visitors and proudly show how they use a spade to fill containers with sand. Pre-school children learn about nature as they enthusiastically prepare growing containers, and plant seeds. They work very well together, negotiating with each other, sharing and confidently talk about the spinach and carrots they will grow for the tortoises to eat.

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The provision is good

Children benefit significantly from the effective curriculum the staff plan. The activities take account of what children are interested in and provide achievable challenges. For example, children in the Infant Room show an interest in road works they can see through the window. Staff offer activities where children can pretend to do their own construction work. They add books, high-visibility jackets and writing materials, to also promote children's literacy and independence skills as they play. Children rise to the high expectations staff have for them as they are curious and motivated to explore, try new experiences and join in.

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need to do better?

n The manager and deputy work very well together. They effectively support the staff team with their well-being and their ongoing professional development. Staff have regular supervision meetings, where they discuss and reflect on their own practice and the deputy checks on their feelings of well-being and job satisfaction. Recent training for staff, relating to teaching, has a positive impact on children's learning. Staff are now more mindful to extend children's vocabulary through using more descriptive words when they speak to them during play. n Children take part in a range of experiences that they may not have at home, to widen their knowledge. They learn about nature when they visit a local pond to see and feed the ducks and show interest in checking duck eggs at nursery that are due to hatch any day. n A significant strength at this nursery is how effectively staff promote children's developing independence skills. Children are encouraged to make choices about

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need to do better?

the toys they play with. They follow their own creative ideas for art and craft as they make paper aeroplanes. Pre-school children enjoy being the daily 'helper'. They take on this responsibility well, helping their friends to do the zip up on their coat. Staff support children and give lots of praise to help them develop confidence in how to manage themselves in the toilet, how to put on dressing- up clothes and how to find a tissue to wipe their own nose.

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need to do better?

4 May 2022 n Children learn about respect through discussion and good role modelling from staff. Children listen when staff explain what is coming next. This helps children, particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language, to become familiar with the daily routine. However, occasionally, staff caring for children in the Infant Room use overly lengthy explanations, and language that is too complicated for the children's level of understanding. This does not consistently ensure that children understand what is expected of them. n Staff are highly effective in their teaching. They successfully engage children in their activities and show a real interest in what children are doing. Staff accurately know where children are in their learning, and they help children to think about what they want to do next. For example, when children use

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need to do better?

connecting straws and say they are 'making a drone', staff talk to them about this and suggest they make a 'remote control' so they 'can control the drone when it is high up'. n Staff provide a consistent approach to help children learn about the expectations for appropriate behaviour. This results in children showing positive behaviour. Children listen to the staff when they help children to resolve minor disagreements that arise. However, occasionally, some staff do not notice when more confident children dominate activities or take toys away from their quieter and less confident friends, which impacts on these children's play. n Parents report that they are very happy with the nursery. They comment that staff are exceptionally supportive of their children and that they 'go the extra mile' to help families through times of ill health or difficulty. Parents are confident that their children's individual needs are managed well and say the

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need to do better?

staff make sure their children are well prepared for the move on to school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff complete regular refresher safeguarding training which, alongside discussions in team meetings, helps ensure their knowledge of safeguarding issues is kept up to date. Staff confidently talk about the signs and symptoms that may mean a child is being abused. They know how to report these concerns following the nursery's safeguarding procedures. The management team have thorough risk assessments in place and children are supervised well during their play to help support their safety and welfare. Robust recruitment and staff supervision procedures include checks to ensure staff are, and remain, suitable to work with children.

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should:

n focus more precisely on how staff give instructions to ensure they are clear, and

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should:

4 May 2022 children can understand what they are expected to do n help all staff to be aware of children who are quieter and less confident to make sure they consistently receive the same levels of positive interaction as their more confident friends.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY561083 Local authority West Northamptonshire Inspection number 10233203 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

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Total number of places

Number of children on roll 0 Name of registered person Footsteps Daycare 2018 Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01604239188 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Footsteps Daycare 2018 Ltd re-registered in 2018 and is situated in Northampton. The nursery employs 18 members of childcare staff. Of these, 10 hold appropriate early years qualifications between level 2 and 6. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday for 51 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 8am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the provider received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The inspector observed the quality of education during activities indoors and outdoors and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector completed two joint observations, one with the nursery manager and one with the deputy. n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk together to help the inspector understand the nursery curriculum. n The inspector held a meeting with the nursery manager and the deputy. She looked at relevant documentation and checked evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery. n The inspector spoke with staff and children during the inspection. n The inspector spoke to a number of parents during the inspection and took

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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

4 May 2022 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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