First Step Day Nursery Limited

Inspection of First Step Day Nursery Limited 11 Harold Road, LONDON SE19 3PU

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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 Requires improvement

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The provision is good

Staff, leaders and managers work well as a team to provide a welcoming environment for children and their families. They support children well to build positive relationships with others and to make friendships. Children are happy as they share play experiences with others. For example, they make a cake with play dough, sing the birthday song and pretend to blow candles.

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The provision is good

Staff manage children's behaviour positively and consistently. They explain clearly what they expect of older children's behaviour, such as 'good listening' as they read a book to them. Young children learn to wait for their turn as they roll a ball to each other.

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The provision is good

Staff use a range of strategies to support children to build on their communication and language development. For example, while reading to the children, they pause at the end of a sentence allowing them to complete it. They use picture cards to support young children's understanding of the meaning of words. All children, including those who speak English as an additional language, make good progress from their starting points.

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The provision is good

The management team plans a curriculum that aims to address gaps in individual children's learning. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities benefit from effective partnerships between staff, parents and professionals.

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need to do better?

n Self-evaluation is effective. Leaders, managers and staff have worked well together to raise the quality of the provision and to achieve good standards in children's learning and care. n The management team supervises the staff effectively and works closely with them to identify and support their training needs. Training in behaviour management has enabled staff to strengthen practice in this regard. Staff comment positively about the support from leaders and managers. n Leaders and managers support staff effectively to plan and implement a curriculum that meets the needs of individual children. Key persons know the children well. They assess children regularly and plan learning experiences that support individual children's progress from their starting points. n The management team works closely with schools to support a smooth transfer for children. The staff team plans well to support children's transition from one

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need to do better?

room to another within the setting. This helps to support children's emotional well-being and continuity in their experiences. n The management team has improved the curriculum for children's outdoor play and learning. Children are motivated to be physically active. Staff show toddlers

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need to do better?

30 January 2024 how to shake a sieve to allow sand to pass through. Children observe staff and they give it a go. They build on their hand-eye coordination. Staff teach children to keep themselves safe. Older children know to manage space effectively, for example as they steer their trikes to avoid obstructions in their path. n Staff challenge older children's thinking skills. This helps to stimulate their learning. For example, they set up ingredients to make play dough, and they encouraged children to guess which ingredient was missing. Children observed and identified that 'water' was missing. Children engaged enthusiastically in the activity and were keen to contribute their ideas. n Staff provide healthy meals and snacks to promote children's well-being. Parents provide positive views that leaders and managers have taken into account their requests to improve meal plans. Staff work closely with parents to meet the

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need to do better?

dietary needs of individual children. n Staff promote children's independence and encourage them to make choices. However, on some occasions, staff do not fully support young children to express their preferences, particularly with regard to when they are ready to finish one activity and move on to the next. n Staff promote children's interests in books. They provide opportunities for children to borrow books to take home and share with their parents/carers. Older children learn that print carries meaning. n Staff provide opportunities for children to learn about living beings such as farm animals. They introduce children to celebrations around the world. However, staff in the baby room do not plan fully effectively to promote young children's understanding of what makes them and their families unique.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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should:

n enhance opportunities for babies to learn about similarities and differences between themselves and others and what makes them and their families unique n consider ways to fully support young children to express their preferences, particularly with regards to exploring activities to their satisfaction before moving on to another.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY297574 Local authority Croydon Inspection number 10284060 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 90 Number of children on roll 74 Name of registered person First Step Day Nursery Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 0208 771 7727 Date of previous inspection 27 February 2023

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Information about this early years setting

First Step Day Nursery registered in 2004 and operates from a converted house in Upper Norwood, in the London Borough of Croydon. The nursery is open each weekday from 8am to 6pm, for 51 weeks of the year. The nursery is funded to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The nursery employs 23 staff. Of these, two staff hold childcare qualifications at level 6, one staff at level 5 and 11 staff at levels 2 and 3.

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Inspection activities

n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector spoke with the nominated individual about the leadership and management of the setting. n The inspector took account of the views of staff, parents and children. n The inspector carried out a joint observation a of group activities with the manager. 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 inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery. n The inspector discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider.

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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

30 January 2024 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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