The Croft Nursery Oakdale

Inspection of First Steps Day Nursery First Steps Day Nursery, 75 Oakdale Road, POOLE, Dorset BH15 3LD

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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 arrive happy and keen to attend. They build warm and loving relationships with staff and friendships with other children. Babies benefit from a nurturing environment in which they explore freely and safely, and staff meet their care routines consistently. Children make their own activity choices which staff support to encourage their interests and curiosity. They behave well and understand what is expected of them. Staff are good role models who listen respectfully to children and guide them on how to treat others with kindness.

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The provision is good

Staff deliver a well-planned curriculum to support children's individual goals. This includes helping them to become developmentally ready for their transition through the nursery rooms and to school. Children benefit from additional experiences, such as music and movement sessions and trips to the local shops to buy ingredients for cookery activities. Children engage well in their play. Babies join in singing action songs with delight and laugh when they splash in water play. Older children create models with construction and creative materials and play imaginatively.

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need to do better?

n Staff know the children well. They monitor and assess their learning from the start to plan and support their on-going development. Staff provide challenges to build further on what children know and can do. For example, children in pre- school enjoy games to develop their understanding of numbers and quantity. They learn to solve problems, such as experimenting how to make sandcastles stand up. n Staff help children to develop confidence to manage tasks independently. Babies learn to feed themselves and older children learn to wash their hands and put on their coats. Staff celebrate children's achievements on the 'Proud Cloud' display to build their self-esteem. Staff respond well to children's spontaneous ideas to motivate them to learn more. For example, toddlers hunt for bugs in the garden and then create a spider activity indoors to build on this interest and to learn more about the creatures.

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need to do better?

n Staff support children's health and physical development effectively. For example, older children enjoy energetic team games and making obstacle courses in the garden. Babies climb and roll on soft-play blocks and join in action songs. Toddlers ride wheeled toys and play ball games. Children enjoy healthy meals and snacks together. However, on occasions, staff do not all help children learn to hold and use their cutlery safely to develop their understanding of how to keep themselves and others safe. n Children develop a love of books. Babies enjoy interactive stories and freely choose books for staff to read. Older children engage well in group story times

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need to do better?

9 April 2024 and read books with their friends in the cozy den. Staff ask children questions to encourage them to think, and use books and activities to develop their vocabulary. However, at times the pre-school playrooms become very noisy, and the voices of some quieter children are missed when they talk to staff. n Partnerships with parents are good. Staff keep them informed of their children's well-being and progress. Parents share very positive views of the nursery. For example, they like the safe and secure environment and how staff work with them to meet their children's individual goals and needs. Staff liaise with external agencies to address any gaps in children's progress, and use additional funding responsibly. n Leaders have good oversight of the provision, and work with staff to make on- going improvements to the quality of care. They follow effective vetting procedures and staff development to help ensure all staff are suitable to care for

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need to do better?

children. Staff have a clear understanding of their safeguarding roles and responsibilities. They know about the risks to children and the correct procedures to follow in the event of any concerns about a child or adult to safeguard their welfare.

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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 provide more consistent guidance to help children to learn how to use cutlery appropriately and safely at mealtimes n develop the organisation of activities in the pre-school rooms to ensure the voices of all quieter children are included fully.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY405332 Local authority Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole Inspection number 10338580 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 92 Number of children on roll 112 Name of registered person First Steps Childcare Services Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01202675009 Date of previous inspection 27 August 2021

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Information about this early years setting

First Steps Day Nursery registered in 2010. The group operates from Poole, Dorset. It opens each weekday, from 7.30am to 6pm, all year round. The group receives funding to provide free early years education for children aged two, three and four years. The group employs 20 staff to work with children, 16 of whom hold appropriate qualifications at levels 3 to 6, as well as 4 apprentices and an administrative assistant.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provision. n The manager and deputy joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about the curriculum and what they intend children to learn. n The inspector observed activities and the quality of staff's interactions with the children. She discussed the effectiveness of an activity with the manager. n The inspector sampled the documentation and explored the manager's knowledge of the requirements of the early years foundation stage. n The inspector spoke to children and took account of parents' views.

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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

9 April 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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