Step Start Nurseries Braintree

Inspection of Step Start Nurseries Braintree John Ray House, Bocking End, Braintree, Essex CM7 9RW

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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 Requires improvement

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The provision is good

Children arrive happy at the nursery and readily leave their parents at the door. New children are offered comfort and reassurance as they adapt to nursery life. This helps to build secure bonds with their key persons. Children quickly join their friends and engage in play. Young children explore materials in their 'dinosaur swamp'. They use their fingers to pull apart the swamp materials and sprinkle them over the dinosaurs. Other children focus on making a home for the animals out of a cardboard box, and decorate it with crayons.

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The provision is good

Older children use their imagination as they make themselves a bed out of resources and pretend it is the doctor's surgery. They take turns acting out roles and share their experiences with friends. They creatively choose different items, such as wooden blocks, to add to their play, to imitate the equipment the doctor needs, such as a thermometer.

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The provision is good

Children enjoy regular time exploring outside. Staff help them to understand the effects of the weather as the children use paper bags to make kites. Children spend time decorating their kites as they talk to staff and share ideas. Other children experiment with sound tubes as they make noises to imitate elephants. They giggle as they chase their friends with their 'sound trunks'.

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need to do better?

n The manager reflects on practice and has worked hard since the last inspection to bring about the necessary changes to improve the nursery. She sought support from the local authority to make changes to practice, to further benefit the children's care and learning. The manager has set clear goals to build on these improvements, such as developing her staff team. n Children are confident talkers. Staff place a strong focus on supporting children's speaking and communication skills. For example, staff create picture cards and share these with very young children to introduce new vocabulary to them. Staff provide a narrative to children's play and place an emphasis on repeating key words, such as 'splash, splash', during water play. n Overall, children behave well. They learn to share and take turns from a young age. Staff provide activities that promote turn-taking and ensure that all children have a turn. For example, toddlers play 'what's in the box' as they sing a song

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need to do better?

and wait their turn to choose items from a box. However, on occasions, staff overlook the opportunity to help children understand the consequences of their behaviour. For example, when children are having a story, other children push their pushchairs through the middle of the group. Not only does this distract children, but it also has an impact on their levels of engagement, and some children leave the story time.

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need to do better?

12 January 2023 n Children benefit from a broad curriculum that provides activities that follow their interests. This helps to engage children and support them to make good progress from their starting points. Staff value children's interests and their input into the activities that are offered. Older children are elected as part of a committee and hold meetings to share ideas about their likes and dislikes. Their ideas are added to the planned curriculum. This helps children feel valued and that their views are respected. n Children are encouraged to be critical thinkers and solve problems. For example, during a cooking activity, staff challenge children to work out why their mixture has turned brown, despite using multi-coloured sprinkles. Some children confidently share their thoughts. However, occasionally, staff do not consistently adapt their interactions to respond to individual children's engagement during

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need to do better?

activities. This means that the less confident children do not have the same opportunities to share their thoughts and ideas. n Children are encouraged to be physically active. They spend time in the well- resourced garden and get fresh air daily. Babies use the low-level furniture to pull themselves up and practise their walking. n Partnerships with parents are good. Parents say that they have seen the nursery grow in strength since the last inspection. They feel that the manager makes herself available to them and listens to their thoughts and opinions. Parents comment that their children are happy in the nursery and that they are pleased with their progress.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

The manager and staff understand their responsibilities to safeguard the children in their care. The manager regularly tests staff's knowledge with quizzes to make sure they have a good understanding of safeguarding concerns, such as female genital mutilation. Robust recruitment processes are in place to ensure that those working with children are safe to do so. Staff know when and how to report any concerns they have about a child in their care or about a colleague. This promotes children's safety and welfare.

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should:

n encourage staff to consistently support children to understand the actions and consequences of their behaviour, to strengthen their knowledge about what is right and wrong n review the organisation of group and story times so that children can remain focused and engaged n encourage the less confident children to contribute and express their ideas

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should:

12 January 2023 during group activities.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2598104 Local authority Essex Inspection number 10230096 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 75 Number of children on roll 133 Name of registered person Step Start Nurseries Bocking Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01376402001 Date of previous inspection 8 February 2022

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Information about this early years setting

Step Start Nurseries Braintree registered in 2020. The setting employs 23 members of childcare staff. Of these, 16 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and above, including one who has qualified teacher status. The setting is open from 7am until 7pm, Monday to Friday, for 51 weeks of the year. The setting provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want their children to learn. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views as well as the views shared in writing.

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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

12 January 2023 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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