Positive Steps Nursery

Inspection of Positive Steps Nursery East Durham College, Willerby Grove, Peterlee, County Durham SR8 2RN

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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 are confident, happy and settled at this friendly and welcoming nursery. They are curious and motivated to learn, as they take part in a wide range of interesting and challenging activities. For example, they explore and concentrate as they play, blowing bubbles and making marks with paint. Staff have lovely relationships with the children in their care. They are caring, supportive and kind. Staff encourage children to 'have a try' as they thread pretend fruit onto shoelaces, as part of a game. They praise their efforts which helps to promote children's confidence and self-esteem.

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The provision is good

Staff support children to become increasingly independent. They encourage them to take off their coats and shoes, wash their hands and hang up their aprons. Older children serve themselves food at lunchtimes. There is a strong focus throughout the nursery on being respectful to others. They encourage children to take turns, share and play well with their friends. Staff know children individually well. They know where they are in their development and how to strengthen and extend their learning. Staff promote early reading through a 'Book Passport Scheme'. This rewards children for the number of books they explore each term. This, together with a lending library for parents, helps to promote a love of books to the children in their care.

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need to do better?

n There is good support for children's developing communication and language skills. Children learn words and phrases as they listen to stories and take part daily in singing and rhymes. n There is strong support for children's physical development. Children learn to climb, slide and balance of equipment, both inside and outside. Young children stretch their arms as they make marks on long rolls of paper. n Children strengthen their smaller muscles through a range of activities, including peeling fruit, exploring with dough and mixing paints. There is scope, however, for senior staff to review how they use staff during daily routines, to enhance support for children further still. n Good support for children's mathematics is found in everyday activities. Children learn how to count and identify colours, as they play with pretend fruit in the mud kitchen and build towers with bricks. There is scope, however, for staff to

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need to do better?

introduce more visual prompts to further support children's learning and behaviour. n Partnerships with parents are good. Parents speak highly of the setting and the dedicated staff team. They feel well-informed about the activities and experiences in which their children take part, and the progress they make. n There is strong support for children with special educational needs and/or

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need to do better?

29 September 2022 disabilities. Staff have completed training in supporting children with autism. They work closely with health professionals and develop individual support plans for children. n Children benefit from a menu of healthy, nutritious and balanced meals. Staff have completed training on healthy eating. They talk to the children about which foods are healthy and which are not. n Children enjoy daily access to fresh air and exercise in the setting's enclosed and spacious garden. They learn about the natural world and life outside the setting, as they collect leaves on nature walks. Senior staff use additional funding to buy waterproof suits, to help children play outside in all weathers. n Staff share appropriate information with schools that children go on to attend, to support their move to the next stage of their learning. The setting has also established a strong relationship with staff at the local college with whom they

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need to do better?

share knowledge and expertise. n Staff are very experienced and well-qualified. They work together well. Leadership at the setting is strong and the setting is very well organised. Staff benefit from strong support for both their professional development and well- being, through meetings, observations of practice and appraisals. n Senior staff are dedicated and professional. They gather the views of parents and reflect well on the experiences for children. Senior staff use this information to continually improve the quality of service they provide.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff have a strong awareness of how to keep children safe. They know what might concern them about a child and the procedures to follow to keep them safe. All staff have completed training in safeguarding, food hygiene and first aid. Senior staff have a good understanding of their responsibilities around child protection and wider aspects of safeguarding. Staff have a good awareness of how to teach children to keep themselves healthy and safe. For example, they talk to children about healthy eating and encourage them to wash their hands before mealtimes. Staff remind children to walk safely inside rather than run, and to tidy away their toys so that they do not trip.

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should:

n review how staff are used to better support children during daily routines, in order to raise the quality of learning further n introduce more visual prompts to further support children's learning and behaviour visually, as well as verbally.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY376425 Local authority Durham Inspection number 10216341 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 58 Number of children on roll 71 Name of registered person East Durham College

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reference number

Telephone number 01915185540 Date of previous inspection 16 November 2016

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Information about this early years setting

Positive Steps Nursery registered in 2008 and is located in Peterlee, County Durham. The nursery employs 16 members of childcare staff. Of these, 15 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above, including one with early years professional status. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round, except for bank holidays and for two weeks at Christmas. Sessions are from 7.45am until 5.45pm, Monday to Thursday, and from 7.45am until 5.15pm on Friday. 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 setting. n The deputy manager discussed with the inspector how the setting organises and plans the curriculum and experiences for children. The inspector viewed the space inside the setting and outside in the enclosed garden. n The inspector observed the quality of education during activities and assessed the impact on children's learning. The deputy manager and the inspector evaluated an activity together. n The inspector looked at a sample of the setting's documents. This included evidence of training and suitability of staff. n The inspector held discussions with the deputy manager and staff. She spoke to parents to gather their views on the setting. She took account of the written

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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

29 September 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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