Small Step's World

Inspection of Small Step's World Christopher House, 2a Streatfeild Avenue, London E6 2LA

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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 Not applicable

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The provision is good

Children enter the nursery happily and quickly settle into the routines of the day. Even the newest children are content and are forming attachments with staff. The staff are warm and welcoming. They get to know the children very well right from the start. Staff have high expectations for all the children. Staff provide a varied and interesting curriculum that follows children's interests and supports their developmental needs. Children are keen to get involved in the activities on offer and show positive attitudes to learning. For example, in the main, children enjoy a range of sensory play, including water play. They delight as they clean the ducks in soapy water. They make good progress in their learning during their time at the nursery and gain a range of skills that aid their eventual move to school.

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The provision is good

Children are happy and play independently. Staff are kind and calm with children. Children demonstrate positive behaviour and get on well with one another. Staff are sensitive to children and work closely with parents to ensure there is a continuity of care from home. Parents are happy with the care their children receive. They talk about the good progress their children have made, particularly in their social and language skills.

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need to do better?

n The enthusiastic manager and staff team have a clear vision of what they want children to learn and achieve. They know children well and plan a range of activities based on children's individual interests, across all areas of learning. The manager is passionate about future improvements to the nursery and evaluates staff practice. She has implemented a broad training plan for her new staff members. n Staff work well as a team to support children who speak English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They monitor children's progress to identify if a child may need additional support. Staff are effective in engaging with other professionals. In addition, staff work with parents closely to keep them updated on their children's learning. n Staff promote children's communication and language skills well. They introduce new vocabulary to children, give a commentary to their play and use a range of

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need to do better?

descriptive words to enhance children's language skills further. Staff use effective strategies to help all children communicate. For example, staff use visual aids alongside spoken words to help children understand, communicate their needs and make their own choices. The manager has recently joined a training project with the local authority to enhance children's language skills even further. n The nursery works well to promote children's literacy skills. Younger children enjoy listening to familiar stories. Older children delight as they learn new

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need to do better?

19 April 2023 sounds. Staff lay out letters of the alphabet on the carpet during circle time. Children follow instructions and help their friends to find the letters to match the sounds. This helps children with their early phonics knowledge and prepares them well for their eventual move to school. n Children enjoy a variety of opportunities to take part in activities that support and develop their physical skills, such as riding on bikes and scooters. Staff further improve activities outside. For example, they use stop and go traffic signs to play a stop and start game. Staff provide a range of healthy snacks for children to select. n The quality of teaching is good. Overall, children enjoy a range of adult-led creative experiences. However, at times, staff do not make use of opportunities to enable children to freely explore different materials and express their own ideas, to further develop their creative skills.

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need to do better?

n The staff team is diverse, which reflects the local community. Children learn about a range of different cultural celebrations throughout the year, such as Easter and Eid. Staff plan various activities to teach children about the wider world. However, children do not always have opportunities to explore and extend their real-life cultural experiences during imaginative play. n Staff gather information from parents when children join the nursery. This helps the staff to know children's starting points and their wider life outside of the nursery. Staff are good role models. They teach children good manners and remind them of the nursery rules as they play. Children cooperate with each other and share resources as they play.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff demonstrate a good understanding of their roles and responsibilities regarding safeguarding children. There are robust policies and procedures in place to follow if they have any concerns regarding a child in their care. Staff have a secure knowledge of the signs and symptoms of abuse. Regular risk assessments of the premises are carried out to ensure that it is safe and secure. Rigorous recruitment procedures are in place to ensure that all people working with children are suitable to do so.

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should:

n make more use of opportunities to enable children to explore different materials and use their imaginations, to further develop their creative skills n enhance opportunities for young children to engage in real-life imaginative play that reflects their own cultural experiences.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2618634 Local authority Newham Inspection number 10281029 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 35 Number of children on roll 24 Name of registered person Small Step's World Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 07462952026 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Small Step's World Ltd registered in 2021. It is situated in East Ham in the London Borough of Newham. The nursery operates Monday to Friday from 9am to 4pm all year round. There are six members of staff, all of whom hold appropriate qualifications ranging from level 2 to level 5. The nursery receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years.

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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 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 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 carried out a joint observation of a group activity with the manager. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery. n The inspector spoke to children about their play and learning. n Parents shared their views of the nursery with the inspector.

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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

19 April 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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