First Steps Day Nursery

Inspection of First Steps Day Nursery 49 Broughton Road, SKIPTON, North Yorkshire BD23 1TE

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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

The experienced and longstanding staff team create a warm and nurturing environment, where children feel safe and confident. Staff are responsive and sensitive to children's emotional needs, offering children cuddles when needed for comfort and reassurance. New children settle quickly and form strong bonds with staff. Staff know children well and tailor the curriculum to their individual needs. They work effectively as a team, planning purposeful next steps that build on each child's starting points. Staff collaborate with professionals, such as speech and language therapists, to implement support plans. They share children's next steps in learning with parents and carers via an online app, which also allows parents to share the milestones their children achieve at home. This collaborative approach helps all children make good progress.

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The provision is good

Children explore their environment with enthusiasm and curiosity. Babies immerse themselves in sensory play. They crawl through the floor-level sand tray, using their whole bodies to experience its texture. Children are absorbed as they stretch and jump to pop bubbles cascading from the bubble machine. Children show kindness and celebrate each other's achievements. They beam with pride when staff cheer and clap them and their friends, such as when they complete trickier tasks like jigsaw puzzles. This creates an inclusive atmosphere, where everyone feels valued.

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need to do better?

n Leaders demonstrate an effective oversight of children's learning. They review staff's assessments of children's development to identify and address any gaps in their learning. Leaders make improvements through ongoing professional development for staff. They use additional funding effectively to support children's learning at home, such as providing activity packs for families. As a result, children make good progress across all areas of development. n The setting's curriculum aims to support children's independence. Babies drink from lidded beakers, and toddlers feed themselves with cutlery. However, staff sometimes complete tasks for older children, such as peeling their yoghurt pot lids or putting on their aprons. This limits the opportunities for children to practise the self-care skills needed for their future stages. n Staff introduce fun experiences for children, such as cornflour and water in a

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need to do better?

large tray. They play alongside children and initiate conversations that promote children's learning. For example, staff talk about how the consistency of cornflour changes from 'solid' to 'liquid', when it is exposed to warm temperatures. Through these meaningful interactions, staff extend children's knowledge and understanding of scientific concepts. n Staff model communication and language through their interactions with children. They introduce new vocabulary, such as the names of sea creatures,

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need to do better?

24 July 2025 during water play. They sensitively support children's pronunciation by repeating their spoken attempts. Leaders arrange for external professionals to visit monthly to lead interactive singing and signing sessions. However, staff overlook the impact of continuous background music on children's developing listening and speaking skills. n Staff foster a love of books. There is a mini library available, which staff use to encourage children to borrow books and enjoy them with their families. Staff read to children in an engaging manner throughout the day. This promotes a growing enthusiasm for stories. n Generally, the setting promotes healthy lifestyles. Staff offer a nutritious and healthy menu, and children have opportunities for daily physical exercise. Additionally, the setting takes part in initiatives, such as an oral health programme, which includes older children brushing their teeth after lunch.

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need to do better?

However, staff do not consistently encourage babies to wash their hands before eating snacks. Therefore, all children do not receive consistent messages about how to keep themselves healthy. n Staff show a strong commitment to inclusion by adapting activities to ensure that all children can participate. Staff respond swiftly and sensitively to children needing additional adult support to be able to join in. This promotes a sense of belonging and enables all children access to all the learning opportunities on offer. n Children show consistently positive behaviour. They follow routines, respond to expectations and display politeness and patience as they wait for their turn to join in with activities. Staff reinforce these qualities with lots of praise. As a result, the setting has a calm atmosphere that supports children's learning.

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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 support children to understand the importance of good hygiene procedures more consistently across the setting n aid children's communication and language development further, such as by reducing background noise n provide more opportunities for children to develop their independence and self- care skills.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY372710 Local authority North Yorkshire Inspection number 10392877 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 68 Number of children on roll 79 Name of registered person KRM Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01756 700956 Date of previous inspection 2 October 2019

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Information about this early years setting

First Steps Day Nursery registered in 2008 and is located in Skipton, North Yorkshire. The setting employs 20 members of childcare staff. Of these, 15 staff hold early years qualifications at level 3. The setting opens from Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am to 6pm. The setting provides government funded childcare.

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Inspection activities

n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the setting and discussed the early years curriculum. n Children spoke to and communicated with 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 interactions between staff and children. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of a communication and language activity with the manager. n Staff spoke to the inspector about how they support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. n Parents shared their views on the setting with the inspector. n The manager showed the inspector documentation to demonstrate the suitability of staff.

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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

24 July 2025 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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