Early Learning Steps Maidstone

Inspection of Early Learning Steps Maidstone Grace Community Church, Grove Road, Maidstone, Kent ME15 9AR

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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

Children settle well into this welcoming environment. They form strong relationships with their key person, often seeking a cuddle. Children behave well. They recognise the high expectations staff have of children's understanding about how to share and take turns. For example, they use sand timers to regulate how long they use a bicycle for, before passing it to a friend. Children confidently lead their own learning. They create obstacle courses to ride their bikes along, recognising when it is not safe and making changes. Children are happy and feel secure. They are confident that staff will keep them safe, and this helps to support their ability to engage with visitors. Children play a matching game where they independently take turns. Staff and children have fun together, happily choosing which clothes the doll should wear and where the furniture should go.

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The provision is good

Children enjoy mark making, both inside and outside, and this helps to support their early writing skills, which are good in relation to their age and stage of development. They have fun using the cars to make marks with paint. Others use simple tools to cut, roll and make shapes in the modelling dough. Outside, children chalk and make patterns in the sand. Books are popular. Children of all ages snuggle up with an adult to share a book. Some use the books and resources to find out about the life cycle of a frog.

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need to do better?

n Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive good support, and staff work with parents and external professionals to meet their individual needs. Children who speak English as an additional language are well supported. Staff regularly share books and other resources with children that are in their home language and English. This helps them to develop their vocabulary in both languages. n Parents speak positively about their partnerships with their child's key person. They are appreciative of the support and advice they receive to help their children at home, for example with potty training. The partnerships between staff and parents are strong. Communication between key persons and parents is good, and parents are regularly informed about their child's next steps. n Children are encouraged to eat healthily. They know that sugary foods are bad for their teeth. Staff encourage children to manage tasks for themselves at

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need to do better?

mealtimes, such as opening their own sandwich packages and pouring their own drinks. However, at other times, staff do not consistently promote opportunities for children to do things for themselves. n Staff work with parents to establish children's starting points when they join the setting. Children's key persons plan suitable activities which reflect all areas of the curriculum, to help children make good progress. Where delays in learning

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need to do better?

4 May 2022 are identified, staff discuss these with parents and plan appropriate learning experiences to close these gaps. Staff seek external advice if progress continues to be slow. n The manager holds regular meetings with staff to discuss their practice and identify their training needs. She observes their interactions with children and provides feedback to help them improve. The manager is ambitious. She has plans to improve the setting, such as re-organising the outside area to reflect all areas of the curriculum, to help support those children who prefer to learn outside. n Children display good attitudes to learning and are focused on the engaging activities. They particularly enjoy observing the petals in the purple water and decide to use these to create pictures to take home. Children ride the different sized, age-appropriate bicycles and other ride-on-toys outside in the fresh air. This helps them to develop their balancing skills and to negotiate space safely.

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need to do better?

n Staff develop positive working relationships with other settings children attend. They use a contact book to share information about children's learning, progress and care. On transfer to school, staff complete the transition document which informs the school about the child's learning and next steps. Teachers usually visit the children in the setting and speak to the key person. This helps to ensure consistency in children's education. n Children have plenty of opportunities for open-ended play. They have fun running the cars down the ramps. However, staff do not consistently challenge children to problem-solve, for example by changing the height, or to develop their mathematical language to measure how far the cars travel.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and her staff understand their responsibilities to keep children safe at all times. They are very clear about the signs to look for that may indicate a child is at risk of harm. All staff know who they should contact if they suspect a child may be in danger. The manager has established clear procedures should an allegation be made against her or a member of staff. Daily risk assessments of the premises are completed by all members of staff, to ensure they are safe for children to use. On trips out, children are supported to know where it is safe to cross the road.

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should:

n provide more activities to support children's problem-solving skills and use of mathematical language n ensure that staff consistently provide opportunities for children to develop their independence skills within routine activities.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2538829 Local authority Kent Inspection number 10208639 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 Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 39 Name of registered person Early Learning Steps Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 07891801222 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Early Learning Steps Maidstone registered in 2019 and is situated in Maidstone, Kent. The setting operates Monday to Friday from 9am to 3.30pm during term time only. It accepts funding for the free provision of education for children aged two, three and four years. There are six members of staff who hold appropriate qualifications at level 2 and above. The manager hold an early years teacher qualification at level 6.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the setting has received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the setting and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the setting. n The manager took the inspector on a learning walk and tour of the premises. She explained the learning intent behind the activities available. n At appropriate times, the inspector spoke to parents, children and staff and took their views into consideration. n The inspector observed the interactions of staff with children and discussed these with the manager. n The manager and the inspector conducted a joint observation and reviewed the learning that took place. n The inspector viewed relevant documentation relating to suitability, safeguarding and record-keeping.

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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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