Magic Steps Nursery

Inspection of Magic Steps Nursery Trout Road, Yiewsley, West Drayton, Middlesex UB7 7RN

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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 greeted warmly by managers and staff on their arrival. Settling-in procedures are effective and new children develop secure attachments with their key person. This helps children's emotional development. Children are happy and have close bonds with staff. They demonstrate that they feel safe and secure. Staff work closely with parents to identify children's starting points in learning. They gather information about children's interests and what they can already do. They use this information well to plan an effective curriculum.

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The provision is good

Children behave well. They say 'please' and 'thank you' and help at tidy-up time. Staff are positive role models. They speak to each other with respect, and ask children before they wipe their noses and change nappies. Children are energetic and keen to learn. Even the youngest children show confidence as they explore their environment and interact with their peers. Toddlers communicate well with staff, using their words to express their needs. Children develop their small muscles as they explore play dough or practise their mark-making skills. Pre-school children listen intently as staff read stories. They are given time to ask questions to extend their learning and comment on the story to demonstrate the knowledge they have gained. Children make good progress.

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need to do better?

n The nursery's special educational needs coordinator works closely with other professionals to support individual children's needs. The manager has high expectations for all children and uses additional funding to ensure that children from disadvantaged backgrounds and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities have access to the curriculum and make good progress. n Staff have a very good relationship with parents. Parents comment that staff share noticeable improvements in their children's confidence and independence. Parents value the ideas that staff give them to extend their children's learning at home. n Children's language and communication is of paramount importance in the nursery. Staff provide a language-rich environment where they talk to children and sing songs. They also use visual prompts, such as picture cards and a pictorial timetable, to help children to understand the rules and routines. In

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need to do better?

addition, staff provide small-group sessions to further assist those children who need support in this area. n Staff support children to develop their physical skills effectively. Children have regular access to the outdoor space and use this to run, climb and kick balls. They manage their coordination as they climb up and down the climbing equipment and navigate around obstacles as they run. n Children learn about the different cultures and languages represented in the

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need to do better?

16 March 2023 nursery. Staff share materials and songs from their own cultures and assist children in learning about various cultural festivals. They provide resources, such as books and posters, to reflect children in the nursery. n Staff support children to keep healthy. They provide children with healthy food choices and show younger children how to brush their teeth. Staff follow good procedures to ensure that children with an intolerance or dietary requirement are catered for. n The manager evaluates the nursery effectively and works with the team to improve children's experiences. Staff say they feel supported by their managers and that their well-being is always taken into account. They undertake regular training initiatives and implement what they learn to benefit all children. n Staff plan a wide range of interesting activities around children's interests. They make regular observations of what children know and can do and use this

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need to do better?

information to plan what they need to learn next. Overall, children learn good mathematical skills. For example, staff encourage children to identify shapes and count as they play. However, during everyday routines and activities, staff do not maximise children's awareness of capacity, quantity, weight and mathematical language. n Overall, children are focused and concentrate for extended periods of time. However, older children sometimes lose interest in activities and resources as they are not as challenging as they could be. Staff do not consistently extend older children's learning to a high enough level when working with them.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager deploys staff effectively to keep children safe. The manager and staff make careful risk assessments to check that the areas of the nursery used by children are safe. Staff keep an accurate record of any accidents that children have and promptly inform parents. The manager and staff have a good understanding of how to protect children and understand the procedures to follow if they identify any concerns about a child's welfare. The provider follows robust recruitment procedures to help ensure staff's suitability. Staff know that they must disclose any changes to their suitability to work with children.

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should:

n strengthen and incorporate the teaching of mathematics more consistently throughout the day n develop staff's practice so that they can understand how to extend and deepen older children's learning, including how activities and resources can provide challenge.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY452984 Local authority Hillingdon Inspection number 10264907 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 91 Number of children on roll 162 Name of registered person M&M Associates (Trading) Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01895 435844 Date of previous inspection 29 June 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Magic Steps Nursery is located in West Drayton, in the London Borough of Hillingdon. It is open all year round, from 7.30am to 6.30pm, with core hours being 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. The nursery runs an after-school club, which is open from 3pm to 6.30pm during term time. It also runs a playscheme during the school holidays. The nursery receives funding for the provision of early education for children aged two, three and four years. It employs 27 members of staff, including a chef. Of these, 19 members of staff hold a relevant childcare qualification.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the nursery 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 joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want 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 observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact on children's learning. n The inspector completed two joint observations with the manager. n Parents shared their views of the nursery with the inspector. 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 March 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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