Kindred Ruskington Nursery and Pre-School

Inspection of First Steps Nursery Meadowbrook, Ruskington, Sleaford, Lincolnshire NG34 9FJ

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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 show positive relationships with staff. For example, in the baby room, children sit with staff for comfort when they are tired or to listen to a story. Children in the toddler room learn new skills that help them to develop the muscles in their hands in preparation for early writing. For instance, they are excited to copy staff when they show them how to use the palm of their hand to press down on play dough. In the pre-school room, staff help children to recognise the name of shapes they play with, such as a hexagon. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well. Staff work closely with other professionals to meet their individual needs. The manager spends additional funding that some children receive to enable them to follow their interests and support their learning.

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The provision is good

Staff encourage children to use their voices to ask for what they want from their peers. For example, when children want a pen that is near to another child, staff encourage them to ask for it themselves. Children receive gentle reminders from staff to use good manners when they are given something by their peers, encouraging them to be polite. Children are supported by staff to understand how they can keep themselves safe. For example, children learn that they must not eat berries they pick outdoors and tell staff, 'My stomach might hurt.'

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need to do better?

n Staff offer children a nutritious range of snacks, helping to promote a healthy diet. They ask children to choose which food they would like to eat, such as from a selection of toast, banana and pear. This shows children that their opinions matter, helping to create an environment of care and respect. n The manager supports her staff through, for example, supervision meetings. This enables staff to reflect on their practice and identify professional development opportunities. Some staff have recently moved rooms, therefore, they are caring for a different age of children. Because of this, staff complete training to help to extend their knowledge of how to support the development and learning of the ages of children they work with. n In the baby room, staff hold onto children's hands to support their balance when they begin to take their first steps. However, staff in this room do not fully build on the more mobile children's large physical skills indoors. This limits

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need to do better?

opportunities for children to follow their interests and develop this aspect of their learning. n Staff implement rules and boundaries, helping children to understand what is expected of them. This includes asking children in the toddler room to tidy-up toys to encourage them to take care of the environment. n The manager and staff implement a curriculum that helps children to be ready for their next stage of learning. For example, they support children to develop

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need to do better?

10 October 2023 their communication and language skills. In the toddler room, staff introduce new words for children to learn, such as 'bumpy', that help to extend their vocabulary. Staff in the pre-school room ask children a good range of questions and give them time to reply. This helps to develop their thinking skills. n When children move rooms within the nursery, parents are given a welcome pack that gives them information about the staff who will be caring for their children. Children are supported emotionally by staff when they move rooms. For example, staff take them for visits to become familiar with the new environment and staff. Children have opportunities to play with resources that reflect the next room. For example, in the toddler room, children have access to polo shirts that children wear in the pre-school room. n Staff give parents written reports that show them their children's progress. In

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need to do better?

the toddler and pre-school room, staff share information with parents about how they can continue to support their children's learning at home. For example, parents are asked to collect natural items that reflect autumn with their children. However, this partnership working is not as effective in the baby room. Staff are not consistent in the level of support they offer parents to help them continue their children's learning at home.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff help children to learn how they can keep themselves safe. For example, they help them to understand about road safety and stranger danger. The manager carries out lock down drills, ensuring that staff and children know the procedure to follow if there is a critical incident in or around the nursery. The manager discusses safeguarding with staff during supervision and staff meetings. This is to ensure their knowledge is current. Staff know how to identify the signs and symptoms of abuse, including if children or parents are being exposed to extreme views. They know the procedure to follow if they have concerns about a child's safety.

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should:

n support staff to help more mobile children in the baby room to build on their large physical skills indoors n strengthen staff's partnership with parents of children in the baby room, offering all parents ideas and suggestions about how they can continue to support their children's learning at home.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY217413 Local authority Lincolnshire Inspection number 10308112 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 70 Number of children on roll 70 Name of registered person Lincolnshire Childcare Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01526 832518 Date of previous inspection 8 March 2018

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Information about this early years setting

First Steps Nursery registered in 2002 and is situated in Ruskington, Lincolnshire. The nursery employs 17 members of childcare staff. Of these, one holds an appropriate early years qualification at level 2, 10 at level 3, one at level 6, one with qualified teacher status and the manager who holds level 5. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. The nursery 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 provider. n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed how the manager implements the curriculum. n The inspector observed the quality of education during activities, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n Children spoke to and interacted with the inspector throughout the inspection. n The inspector spoke with staff at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager. n The inspector held a meeting with the manager. She reviewed relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.

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Inspection activities

n Parents shared their views on 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

10 October 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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