Footsteps Nursery Cannock

Inspection of Footsteps Nursery Cannock Bridge Court, Orbital Plaza, Watling Street, Cannock, Staffordshire WS11 0DQ

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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

Leaders have made significant improvements since the last inspection. They have strengthened processes across the nursery, and focus more precisely on supporting and monitoring staff practice. The curriculum for children is well sequenced and successfully builds on what they already know and can do. Leaders and staff are knowledgeable about what skills children need at each stage of their learning journey and plan exciting activities that motivate children to learn. As a result, all children make good progress.

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The provision is good

Children at this nursery form strong bonds with staff. They are given reassurance and comfort when they become upset. Staff show affection towards children and give them cuddles to help them to feel safe and secure. Staff create a calm and relaxed environment that can be felt throughout the nursery. This helps children to feel happy and settled, particularly those who are new. Nursery rules are securely embedded from the moment children start, to the time they move on to their next stage of education. Staff role model appropriate behaviours and remind children to use 'kind hands', and walking feet. Children understand what is expected of them and learn to be respectful of one another. They play cooperatively and develop friendships with their peers.

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need to do better?

n Children are highly engaged in their learning. Staff are skilled at teaching children, providing high-quality interactions that help them to maintain concentration in what they are doing. However, staff do not always implement specific learning intentions effectively. For example, some planned activities do not focus precisely enough on what staff want children to learn. This means that children can sometimes become overwhelmed by trying to learn too much all at once. n Children follow well-established routines. For example, older children confidently wash their hands, fill their cups up from the water station and serve their own food at mealtimes. They demonstrate their familiarisation of this, as they patiently wait for their peers to complete each part of the routine. There are times, however, when some staff do not always encourage children to wash their hands after they have wiped their noses. Although, children have access to a

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need to do better?

tissue station so that they can complete this personal care task, all elements of the routine are not consistently embedded. n Children become confident communicators. Staff describe what children are doing and help them to learn new language. Staff ask open-ended questions to encourage children to think, and express their own ideas. This helps children to be prepared for the next stage in their education. n All children at the nursery make good progress. Staff quickly identify where

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need to do better?

19 September 2025 there are delays in children's development and take immediate action to implement the support children need. They work closely with external agencies and parents to create plans, and implement strategies that help children to learn new skills. n Leaders and staff have a robust process for managing children's allergies in the nursery. The nursery cook separates children's food and clearly communicates this to staff. Children's food is served on colour coded plates, so those with allergies are easily identifiable to staff. Staff closely supervise children at mealtimes to ensure the risk of them being in contact with allergens is minimised. This helps to keep children safe. n Leaders are conscientious and reflective. They are highly present within the nursery environment and accurately identify where there are opportunities for practice to be strengthened across the nursery. They meet with staff regularly

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need to do better?

and identify training they would benefit from, to improve the quality of teaching and learning across the nursery. Staff comment that they feel well supported in their roles. Leaders monitor the impact of the training staff receive and encourage them to develop their confidence by taking on roles with extra responsibility. n Partnerships with parents are a strength within the nursery. Leaders and staff make good use of an online system, where parents can communicate changes to children's routines. Parents comment that staff pay attention to this, and that relationships with key workers are strong. They comment that children have 'come on leaps and bounds' since attending the nursery and that there is a strong focus on helping children to learn. Parents of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities compliment the dedication of staff, in providing the support they need to make referrals to external agencies, and

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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 staff to implement precise learning intentions for children to support their learning even further n support staff to fully embed personal care routines for children.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY484984 Local authority Staffordshire Inspection number 10381456 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 117 Number of children on roll 168 Name of registered person Footsteps Day Nurseries Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01543 509089 Date of previous inspection 10 December 2024

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Information about this early years setting

Footsteps Nursery Cannock registered in 2014. It is located in Cannock, Staffordshire. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6.30pm. There are 36 members of staff employed. Of these, two hold a qualification at level 6, twenty hold a qualification at level 3 and seven hold a qualification at level 2. The nursery is eligible to receive government funded childcare.

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Inspection activities

n The manager joined the inspectors on a learning walk and talked to the inspectors about their curriculum and what they want the children to learn. n The inspectors talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n Staff spoke to the inspectors about how they support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. n The inspectors 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 and the inspectors carried out a joint observation during lunchtime. n The inspectors spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The manager showed the inspectors 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

19 September 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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