Footsteps Nursery Canwell

Inspection of Footsteps Nursery Canwell Old London Road, Canwell, Sutton Coldfield, Staffordshire B75 5SD

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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 Outstanding

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The provision is good

Children and babies are happy, safe and secure in the care of the nurturing and attentive staff. Babies frequently smile and thoroughly enjoy the interactions they receive from staff. The manager and staff prioritise children's emotional security and have supportive systems in place to help children to settle well. This includes effective key-person arrangements. For example, babies and toddlers benefit from having the same key person when they move to the next room.

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The provision is good

Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress. Pre-school children articulately express their needs and wishes, and ask questions. They have good social skills and harmoniously play together. For example, they show good team spirit as they sort jigsaw pieces into the corresponding puzzles.

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The provision is good

Staff skilfully support children's communication and language. They know how to adjust their language to support children at different stages of development, such as using gestures and sign language. Babies learn words to label actions. For example, they put the hat on their head when member of staff says 'on' and remove it when the member of staff says 'off'. Two-year-old children and pre- school children thoroughly enjoy listening to staff read books, and enthusiastically join in with songs and rhymes. Staff have effective strategies for children who need additional support with their language development.

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need to do better?

n The manager reflects well on the service provided and successfully oversees the quality of children's learning. She provides staff with good support for their professional development and well-being. Apprentices feel well supported to complete their qualifications. Recent training for support staff working with two- year-old children enabled them to gain a deeper understanding of how young children think. This helped them to reflect on and skilfully adapt their teaching. n Parents say how much their children enjoy attending and that staff are 'dynamic'. The manager has recently begun to welcome parents back into the setting and re-introduced 'stay and play' sessions. Staff working with younger children regularly share detailed information about children's progress with parents. However, staff do not exchange information as well as possible with all new parents and parents of pre-school children. They do not routinely liaise with

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need to do better?

previous settings that children have attended. This means that staff do not have a fully comprehensive understanding of children's achievements to help them to precisely plan for their development and support their continued learning at home. n The manager has a well-planned education programme that is successfully

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need to do better?

8 August 2022 implemented by staff. Staff use their observations of children effectively to prioritise further learning. For example, they adjust mealtimes to ensure that children at different stages of development are supported to extend their skills. Babies hold a spoon in each hand in readiness for using a knife and fork. Older children learn how to steady food with their one hand so they can chop food with a knife. This supports their physical skills well. n Staff create exciting learning environments, both indoors and outdoors, that motivate children to play and explore. Younger children explore cause and effect as they roll objects down planks of wood. Staff design learning experiences for babies based on their preferred learning styles. When babies show an interest in 'enclosing' objects, staff provide many opportunities for them to cover equipment with containers and scarves. However, staff working with pre-school

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need to do better?

children do not organise daily learning experiences as well as possible to maximise opportunities for children to make choices in their play and lead their own learning. n Staff are positive role models and have high expectations of children. They successfully help children learn to manage their feelings and behaviour. For example, when children find it hard to manage their feelings, staff identify potential triggers for this and use effective approaches to support children. n Children develop a good understanding of the world. This includes learning how the weather changes according to the seasons and about cause and effect. For example, children understand that some materials are waterproof and will stop them from getting wet in the rain, such as wellies and umbrellas.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager ensures that all the required documentation is maintained to safeguard children. This includes recording significant events, accidents and administering medication. The manager and staff receive regular training to update their knowledge of safeguarding children. They understand about signs and symptoms that might indicate a child is at risk of harm and how to report these. Staff complete effective risk assessments and take steps to identify and minimise hazards to children. Staff vigilantly supervise children and regularly complete head counts. The manager completes rigorous recruitment procedures to check that staff are suitable to work with children.

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should:

n extend the partnership working with parents and with other settings that children have attended, to obtain a fully comprehensive understanding of children's progress and to support all children with their learning at home

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should:

8 August 2022 n adjust the learning experiences for pre-school children to help achieve a balance between adult-led and child-led activities, to consistently help children to become independent thinkers and learners.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY442340 Local authority Staffordshire Inspection number 10249287 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 56 Number of children on roll 105 Name of registered person Footsteps Day Nurseries Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 0121 3083547 Date of previous inspection 22 November 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Footsteps Nursery Canwell registered in 2012. The nursery is open Monday to Friday from 7.30am to 6.30pm, all year round. There are 16 members of staff who work directly with the children, 11 of whom hold qualifications at level 3 or above. The nursery receives funding to provide free early years 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 manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together. The inspector observed teaching practices and considered the impact these have on children's learning. n The inspector held discussions with the leaders, staff, children and parents. n The inspector sampled some of the setting's documentation, including the safeguarding policy and procedures. n The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager.

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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

8 August 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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