Giant Steps Nursery

Inspection of Giant Steps Nursery Giant Steps Nursery, Breamore Road, Downton, SALISBURY SP5 3HN

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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 enjoy attending this calm and welcoming nursery. They are happy and content, and show how secure they feel as they interact confidently with the caring staff. Children build strong relationships with each other and are good at sharing and taking turns. For example, they wait patiently for their go at choosing an item from the song bag. Children are interested in the activities and resources and are motivated to learn. They make independent choices about their play and focus well on activities. For example, babies enjoy repeatedly looking at their reflection in a mirror wall and exploring the texture of shells. Older children work out how to roll balls down a guttering structure and ably rebuild it when it comes apart.

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The provision is good

Staff have high expectations for all children and effectively support their development in all areas of learning. They use what they know about each child to plan and provide a varied range of interesting resources and activities. This helps all children to make good progress from their initial starting points. Staff provide an attractive and interesting environment, which supports children's learning. For example, children have easy access to varied resources which are stored at low level and have good opportunities to explore natural materials. Each room has its own carefully planned outdoor space, which gives children additional learning opportunities as well as the chance to develop their physical skills. Children have been taking part in a gardening award scheme, which helps them learn about growth and nature. Staff are hoping to involve the local community in this scheme.

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need to do better?

n Staff know the children well. They work closely with parents to establish each child's starting points and carefully monitor children's progress as they move up through the nursery. They confidently describe the progress individual children have made and what they do next to continue to make good progress. Staff use this information to provide tailored support for each child's learning. n The provision in the baby room is particularly strong. The dedicated, long- serving staff work together seamlessly. They genuinely care about the babies and build strong bonds with them. This helps the babies to be settled and content. Staff interact well with the babies and are skilled at introducing new language as they talk to them and support their play. For example, when a baby picks up a shell the member of staff describes how it feels and introduce the word 'bumpy.' The staff offer the babies lots of encouragement for learning new

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need to do better?

skills and can identify when older babies need more challenge. For example, they take them through to the outdoor area for toddlers, when they have finished exploring their own outdoor space. n Children of all ages are confident; they move around and make choices with assurance. They seek the support of staff as necessary but also feel secure

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need to do better?

16 January 2023 enough to play and learn independently. They are interested by visitors to the nursery and confidently engage with them. Children behave well. They listen to staff and follow instructions promptly. They show respect for one another, taking turns during activities and sharing resources. n Children develop good communication skills. Babies have a particularly good start and, across the rest of the nursery, staff provide effective support for children's emerging language skills. They talk with children as they play, introducing new vocabulary and encouraging conversations. n The owner/manager is skilled and knowledgeable. She knows parents and children well and ensures that they receive a warm welcome in a friendly environment. She has built an effective staff team and is supportive of their well-being. Although she observes staff practice regularly, monitoring and coaching are not currently sharply focused enough to move staff's teaching skills

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need to do better?

to a higher level. n Parents report high levels of satisfaction with the nursery. They describe staff as trustworthy and approachable. They feel well informed about their children's development and describe the good progress they have made. This is particularly the case with children's personal, social and emotional development. n Teaching is good. However, there is some variation in the quality. Not all staff have an in-depth understanding of how to move children's learning on to the next level and some do not extend children's learning as fully as possible.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff have a good understanding of how to safeguard children. They are knowledgeable about the possible signs that a child may be at risk of harm. They know what to do if they have concerns and are confident about making referrals themselves if necessary. They have easy access to information about how to do this. Staff are vigilant and provide a safe and secure environment.

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should:

n develop further the monitoring and coaching of staff to ensure even more effective teaching and greater consistency in meeting the learning needs of individual children.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY406353 Local authority Wiltshire Inspection number 10263515 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 38 Number of children on roll 67 Name of registered person Giant Steps (Yexley) Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01725511138 Date of previous inspection 4 May 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Giant Steps Day Nursery registered in 2007. It is located on the grounds of Trafalgar School in Downton, near Salisbury. The nursery is open from 8am to 6pm each week day, for 51 weeks of the year. The nursery receives funding for free early education for children aged two, three and four years. There are 13 members of staff who work at the nursery. Of these, 11 hold an appropriate early years qualification.

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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 owner/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 Children spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector spoke with the owner/manager about the leadership and management of the setting. n The special educational needs coordinator spoke to the inspector about how they support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. 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.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the owner/manager. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views. She also took account of the written views of some parents. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.

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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

16 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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