First Steps First Marlow

First Steps First Marlow

Unique reference number (URN): 2754781 Address: Hall 2 Marlow Air Scouts, Mill Road, MARLOW, Buckinghamshire, SL7 1PX Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 26/10/2023 Registers: EYR Registered person: First Steps First Ltd

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The setting has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not met: The setting has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders have a strong focus on inclusion. Staff complete effective observations and assessments on children. This supports them to identify gaps in children's learning and development precisely. Staff support children's starting points effectively, recognising and supporting children to progress with their next steps in learning. This ensures that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those with other barriers to their learning receive tailored support. Staff work closely with parents and carers to discuss and plan actions they will implement to support children's individual progress. They value parents' input, ensuring that effective communication provides children with the consistency they need to achieve. Children and their families receive swift and ongoing support that enables them to make the progress they are capable of. This includes staff speaking to and working closely with other agencies for advice and additional support.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Staff have created an inclusive environment and consistently adapt their interactions with children to meet their individual needs. They recognise when children need additional support with activities. Staff make effective adaptations and provide the resources children need so they are included in all learning. For example, during carpet time, staff use props to keep children engaged with storytelling. This reduces barriers to children's learning and promotes their wellbeing. Leaders recognise and understand which children are entitled to additional funding. They know how this can be used to provide resources and equipment to support children's wellbeing and learning further.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children are highly engaged in activities of their choosing. They are confident and independent learners who show pride in their achievements. Children develop the communication needed to express their needs. Older children show an awareness of different emotions and communicate clearly with each other as they play. Younger children are introduced to new words and respond to questions that make them think and recall previous learning. However, children do not consistently receive the time needed to process this information and respond.

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Achievement Expected standard

Adaptations to activities mean all children, including those with barriers to their learning, can participate and benefit from the learning intent. Children build lovely friendships with each other. They show kindness as they help their friends plan games. Overall, children have opportunities to be independent. Older children self-serve their food and manage their self- care needs well. However, younger children do not consistently have the same opportunities, even when showing they are keen, as staff are quick to complete tasks for them. This means that children are not always able to problem-solve and find solutions independently.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Managers and staff have created a welcoming environment in which children feel safe and secure. Staff interactions with children are positive and caring. Children show clear attachments to staff and seek them out if they need support or reassurance. Regular communication with parents and carers ensures that staff can meet children's changing needs and adapt their approach as needed. This further supports children's emotional wellbeing. Overall, children behave well and show that they understand the expectations of the setting. When children's behaviour does deteriorate, staff are quick to support children. However, they do not consistently explain to children why they should not be doing something. This does not give children a clear understanding of how their actions may impact themselves or others.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children play well alongside and with each other. Older children build lovely friendships and play well together. As they play, they discuss what role each will have. With support from staff, children share well and understand that they need to take turns using equipment. Managers follow up any non-attendance. They provide parents with information on the importance of children's regular attendance and establishing regular routines. Leaders explain to parents the impact this has on children's wellbeing and development.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The key-person system is effective in building secure relationships between children and staff. Children show they feel safe and secure and seek out staff when they need comfort or reassurance. Regular communication with parents and carers ensures that staff can meet children's changing needs, for example, during potty training. As a result, staff have a secure knowledge of children, including their likes and interests.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Staff plan activities to support children to understand about leading a healthy lifestyle. Staff provide children with opportunities to be outdoors in the fresh air and be physically active. Children help to grow vegetables in the garden, and potatoes they have grown have recently been used for children's lunches. Staff plan activities to support children to understand about oral hygiene. For example, as children use toothbrushes during an activity, staff talk to them about why and when they should brush their teeth. Children are highly engaged as they clean pretend teeth.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

During outings in the local area, children learn about keeping themselves safe. Staff support children further to recognise the behaviours expected when visiting places such as the library. However, staff do not consistently provide more detailed explanations to help children to deepen their understanding further. Staff provide well-planned opportunities that help children to recognise their emotions. They are attentive to children's individual needs and offer targeted support, including appropriate resources and unhurried time. This enables children to process and manage their feelings effectively.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders and managers have created a curriculum that is ambitious and covers all areas of learning and development. When planning, staff consider the needs and stages of learning of children. This ensures that activities support children to make continuous progress in their development. Children are independent learners and take on tasks with confidence, although, at times, staff are quick to solve problems for children. This does not support children to develop the thinking skills needed to solve problems for themselves and develop independence.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Overall, staff support children's communication and language well. Staff use age-appropriate language when speaking to children and ask them questions to support them to recall previous learning. However, at times, staff can speak too quickly to children. This does not give children the time they need to process the information and respond.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff embed early mathematics well during activities and children's play. For example, as younger children build towers, staff support them to count the bricks. As older children find 'worms' in the mud, staff ask them which are 'longer' or 'shorter'. Children then use this language as they compare the 'worms'.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff provide support for children's physical skills and support them outdoors and indoors. Babies practise climbing safely using soft-play equipment. Older children develop their coordination as they kick balls to one another. Staff adapt activities effectively to ensure all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children with other barriers to their learning, can participate successfully. They use additional resources purposefully to maintain children's engagement. For instance, during group carpet time, staff provide puppets to help children sustain their interest and become actively involved in storytelling.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders and managers regularly evaluate the care provided for children and have effective oversight in recognising areas for improvement. They provide support and training for staff to improve the quality of care and learning for children. For example, a recent focus on improving the delivery of mathematics has had a positive impact. As a result, staff embed mathematics effectively into activities and children's play. This evaluation is ongoing, and leaders and managers identify further areas for development effectively, such as extending opportunities for children to problem-solve and strengthening interactions with children. For example, they support staff to further their understanding of delivering effective support for children's communication and language. Leaders work closely with other agencies to make necessary changes that improve outcomes for children.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders follow safer recruitment processes and provide effective induction for new staff. Regular one-to-one meetings provide staff with support for their wellbeing and help to identify professional development opportunities. As a result, staff are happy and feel valued in their roles. Leaders provide staff with additional training so they can further support children's individual needs. This includes support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and for those with other barriers to their learning. Parents are provided with appropriate information about their child's daily routine and progress. Regular updates ensure that children's needs are met and parents can support children's development at home.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children arrive happy and excited for their day at this welcoming setting. They are greeted by friendly staff, who quickly support children to engage in activities. Staff gather information from parents and carers when children first start. They use this information to meet children's routines from home and support them to settle. In addition, staff plan activities based on children's interests and their stage of learning. Activities are adapted to meet the needs of all children, extending their learning appropriately. This means all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those with other barriers to their learning, make the progress they are capable of. Children are well prepared for their next stage of learning, including the move to school.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Staff have positive relationships with children, which supports children to feel safe, secure and confident to explore. Overall, staff support children's growing independence well. Children manage their self-care needs and complete tasks for themselves. Staff typically use age-appropriate language with children and introduce them to new words while they play. Staff generally support children's mathematical development well. From a young age, children are encouraged to count and to recognise different shapes. Older children show confidence as they use language such as 'tall' and 'short' as they play. Children develop essential physical skills as they confidently navigate equipment to enhance their fine and gross motor skills.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour and learning. They generally support children to understand the expectations of the setting and the impact of their actions. Leaders ensure that parents understand the importance of punctuality and attendance and the positive impact routines have on children's learning and development.

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Next steps

Leaders should further develop staff's skills and knowledge of how to help children solve problems in their play to enhance their learning experiences. Leaders should strengthen staff's interactions even further to enhance the quality and to consistently extend children's learning. Leaders should provide further guidance for children's behaviour to support them to understand the impact of their actions.

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Address:

Hall 2 Marlow Air Scouts Mill Road MARLOW Buckinghamshire SL7 1PX

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Address:

Registered person: First Steps First Ltd

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Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 18:00

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with leaders, staff, parents and the special educational needs and disabilities coordinator during the inspection.

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About this inspection

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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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The setting is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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