Early Steps Dudley

Inspection of Early Steps Dudley Bank Road, Gornal Wood, DUDLEY, West Midlands DY3 2NT

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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 their time with the staff in this nursery. School-age children enjoy the opportunity to relax and play with their friends during the school holidays. Children are happy and safe as they play, explore and learn. They thoroughly enjoy the opportunities for adventurous play and experiences outdoors. Staff teach older children how to jump safely from climbing equipment. Two-year-old children enjoy balancing at the top of a sloped wall and learn how to descend it safely.

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The provision is good

Children make good progress and develop a wealth of useful skills that prepare them well for school. They are confident communicators. Conversations flow easily between staff and children. Babies use single words and gestures to make their needs and wishes known. Older children discuss their preferences, such as the various toppings they like on their pancakes. They develop interesting storylines in their role play.

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The provision is good

Children gain good levels of independence and eagerly attempt everyday tasks for themselves. Staff provide babies and younger children with a good level of age- appropriate challenge to support them to be independent at mealtimes. This includes, serving their food, pouring drinks and learning how to progress from a spoon to a knife and fork. Older children make decisions about when they will have their snacks and access drinks for themselves.

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need to do better?

n Leaders have designed a curriculum that focuses on helping children to be inquisitive and to experiment with their own ideas. Staff understand the curriculum aims and implement these successfully. They make good use of their observations of children to plan well for their learning. Leaders ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive targeted support. n Overall, staff provide children with quality interactions to help them to build on their knowledge and skills. However, there are times when staff working with older children do not recognise when they need to adapt their teaching and consider how they can further support children who are leading their own play. n Leaders have effective systems in place to work with schools when children start their Reception year. Staff work closely with parents to gather information about children when they start. However, leaders do not have fully successful

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need to do better?

partnership working with the previous settings that children have attended, to obtain comprehensive information about children's starting points. n Leaders are committed to making continual improvements that benefit children. They value the staff team and support them to extend their professional knowledge and skills. Management, apprentices and less experienced staff all

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need to do better?

21 February 2023 receive effective, targeted support. Leaders are currently supporting staff to further enhance the already good curriculum provision for babies. n Parent partnership working is good. Parents say how their children enjoy attending the nursery and holiday club. Leaders have recently made changes, so that children and their parents are greeted by their key person or a familiar member of staff who knows them well. Staff provide parents with regular updates about their children's progress. n Staff plan many opportunities for children to make links with their own experiences and to explore through role play. For example, babies and young children thoroughly enjoy serving food and drinks at their tea party. They concentrate as they mix fruit teabags with water and explore the aroma and colour change. Older children dress up in role-play costumes and take on the role of various characters. n Staff support children's health well. Children know that they wash their hands

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need to do better?

before they eat their nutritiously balanced meals and snacks. Staff follow good hygiene routines at nappy changing times and when they serve food. n Children behave well and understand the staff's expectations of them. Staff help children to develop strategies they can use to manage conflict, such as when sharing and taking turns. Children play well together and respond positively to the gentle reminders from staff about boundaries and expectations. n Leaders ensure that staff provide children with opportunities to learn about the wider community and the different beliefs that people have. They focus on helping all children to develop a sense of belonging at the nursery. Staff value the different languages that children speak and encourage them to use these in their play.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have robust arrangements in place to train staff to understand their roles and responsibilities to safeguard children. They complete effective risk assessment to ensure that the premises and equipment are safe for children to use. Staff supervise children well. Leaders and staff understand signs that may indicate that a child is at risk of harm and how to report these. This includes managing any allegations about the conduct of staff. Leaders work closely with outside agencies and the local safeguarding children's partnerships. They implement effective policies and procedures related to managing accidents and administering medication. Staff understand about arrangements to help keep children safe while they sleep.

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should:

21 February 2023 n support staff to recognise when to adapt their teaching so that all children benefit from opportunities for their play and learning to be enhanced fully n extend the partnership working with other settings that children have previously attended to help gather comprehensive information about children's development when they start.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY494273 Local authority Dudley Inspection number 10278520 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 41 Number of children on roll 115 Name of registered person Early Steps Dudley Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 07507984600 Date of previous inspection 20 December 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Early Steps Dudley registered in 2015. The nursery employs 11 members of childcare staff. Of these, 10 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round, except for bank holidays and one week at Christmas. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. It 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 inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The deputy manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the deputy manager. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery. 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

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

21 February 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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