First Little Steps Day Nursery Ltd

First Little Steps Day Nursery Ltd

Unique reference number (URN): 2661540 Address: 379 London Road, Mitcham, CR4 4BF Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 20/12/2021 Registers: EYR Registered person: First Little Steps Day Nursery 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 Exceptional

Leaders have a consistent exemplary attitude to providing innovative education and care for children who face barriers to their learning. The nursery supports a very high proportion of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face other barriers to their learning. Their approach to sustaining an inclusive culture that celebrates every child's uniqueness is inspirational. Leaders and staff quickly identify when children require additional support to progress their development and improve wellbeing. Leaders' meticulous oversight of children's progress and individual circumstances ensures that children in their care benefit from a transformational impact. Support plans outline the specific targets, provision and resources that enable children to access the full curriculum. This ensures that children make sustained progress across the different areas of learning.

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Inclusion Exceptional

Leaders work tirelessly as advocates for children. For example, they guide parents and carers through the school transition process, ensuring that children receive the bespoke care they are entitled to. They offer nursery times that are flexible and adaptable to ensure that all children have the opportunity to attend. Leaders share their good practice with parents and professionals within the local community, which has a wide-reaching and sustained impact. Parents are involved at every step of the way, which ensures continuity for children. Leaders take time to get to know children and their families incredibly well. Parents are wholeheartedly positive about the setting.

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Inclusion Exceptional

Children who face barriers to their learning receive prompt targeted support that helps them to progress in communication and language. All staff completed British sign language training, which ensures that all children's voices can be heard. The use of additional funding that children receive is used insightfully to support children's precise needs. This includes providing children with weekly sensory and physical support delivered by purposely trained staff. As a result, these timely interventions help children make rapid progress to catch up to their peers and prepare them for their next stages of learning. Leaders have extensive knowledge of the community's needs and the barriers children face when they start at the setting. As a result, they ensure that children have access to a wide range of experiences to enrich their daily lives.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Staff teach children the importance of staying safe. For example, they remind children to take care when walking down the stairs and explain the importance of cutting food into smaller pieces to reduce the risk of choking. This supports children to learn personal safety. Staff are extremely respectful and sensitive to children's personal needs during care routines. They ask children if they may change their nappy, and staff ensure children's privacy and dignity at this time. Leaders have recently joined the supervised tooth brushing program to support children to build long-term healthy teeth habits. Staff understand the

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Expected standard

importance of teaching children how to keep physically healthy. A nutritious diet is provided, and children benefit from daily outdoor play, with lots of opportunity to balance, run and climb.

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Expected standard

Leaders and staff have a comprehensive understanding of the families they support. They are highly responsive to the varying needs and changing circumstances of individual children and families. The guidance and support they offer has a positive impact on children's wellbeing and welfare. Staff talk to children about how they are feeling and why. Staff use the sensory room to support effectively children who may need extra support to learn to regulate their emotions. Mealtimes are calm and well organised. They promote social skills and manners. Sleep routines are adjusted to meet the needs of individual children. Babies feel comfortable and cosy at sleep time, which supports their comfort, and they are well supervised throughout.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders and staff have developed meaningful and supportive relationships with parents and carers. Parents appreciate the personalised support and guidance they are offered. They say that leaders go above and beyond to support their children to thrive. Parents value the coffee mornings organised by leaders for parents, with local charities supporting parents of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders consistently take decisive action to support all children. Partnership working with a range of external professionals has helped children in their care receive invaluable and timely support.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Funding is used efficiently to ensure the best possible outcomes for children. Leaders have established a staffed sensory base to support children with SEND. This ensures that children's individual needs are consistently met effectively. The sustained commitment for providing all children an inclusive place to flourish in the early years is supported by knowledgeable and passionate staff.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders ensure that staff are extremely well trained. They provide coaching and mentoring to support staff to carry out specialist interventions. Leaders have a precise overview of their strengths and areas for development within the nursery. They set clear targets for improvement with timely action plans. Leaders are highly reflective and open to evolving their approach to supporting children and making continuous improvements. Supervisions and staff meetings enable staff to improve their practice and consider priorities for further training. Staff say they feel well supported by leaders. Staff are encouraged and supported to take on additional training to support their ongoing knowledge and skills. For example, staff taking on leadership roles are supported to complete further qualifications.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children generally achieve well. They settle quickly and are confident and secure in the setting. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who face other barriers to their learning are consistently included. This means they make exceptional progress from their starting points and receive the necessary support to reach individual milestones effectively.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop their thinking and problem-solving skills through chosen activities, where they explore ideas and collaborate with others. Older children demonstrate their creativity and develop self-esteem. They enjoy taking turns performing on an outdoor stage to staff and friends. All children develop independence. Children know the rules and routines, including expectations of the setting, very well. For example, children wash their hands, pour their own water and scrape their plates after mealtimes. Children are confident communicators. They proudly share their understanding of life cycles with visitors. Children with SEND and those who face other barriers to their learning are supported with sign language to express their wants and needs. Babies join in with movement from well-known songs and nursery rhymes. They use the small muscles in their fingers to pick up cornflakes to feed dinosaurs and smile up at staff to receive praise as they succeed. This means all

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Achievement Expected standard

children are typically prepared for their next stage in learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are polite and friendly and behave well throughout the nursery. Staff adapt their practice to enable all children to engage in meaningful play experiences. They are role models for children and remind them of manners throughout the day. Staff teach children about respect and how to care for others. They know all children very well. Children enjoy learning activities, as they are closely matched to their personal interests. Key persons have developed nurturing relationships with the children in their care. Staff give genuine praise to children. They lean in to listen and get down to children's level.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

In pre-school, during some large-group activities such as tidy-up and circle time, staff do not consistently reinforce their expectations. Some children are disengaged and choose not to take part. As a result, some children are not included in the purposeful learning. This does not support children consistently to sustain attention during group times. In contrast, children with additional needs are supported extremely well through effective strategies. This includes the use of visual cues and signs to help them understand expectations and routines throughout the day.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have designed an exciting and ambitious curriculum with a wide range of learning experiences. This broadens children's understanding of the world. For example, children enthusiastically count the visiting duck eggs and eagerly await the hatching of ducklings. Staff assess what children know regularly and use this in partnership with parents and carers to plan next steps. They carefully consider children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and successfully engage them in the curriculum. For example, they consistently implement teaching strategies suggested by external professionals.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff do not consistently recognise opportunities to extend children's learning. While activities are well planned to support children's development, staff are not always confident in adapting and building on these experiences to deepen children's knowledge and skills. Leaders have an accurate understanding of the quality of the curriculum and teaching across the setting. They have identified this area for development and have implemented a clear action plan to strengthen staff practice, ensuring that children benefit from consistently high-quality learning experiences. Staff support communication and language understanding well. For example, staff use sign language to support understanding and promote inclusion. Children show a delightful interest in books and are developing a love of reading. Children enjoy singing along with songs, supporting their listening and attention skills. Social and emotional development is prioritised, so children feel comfortable to engage in learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff role model mathematical language throughout the day.

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

Children thrive at this entirely inclusive setting. Leaders are passionate about providing the best possible outcomes for all children, particularly for those children who face barriers to their learning, such as those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Children with SEND make rapid progress in their development. They swiftly become confident in expressing themselves and demonstrate growing confidence and independence. Staff use sign language to engage children with barriers to learning in communication to ensure that their voice is heard.

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

Children are well supported by staff, who know them well. Staff are highly responsive to children's individual needs and family circumstances and provide exceptional support and guidance to families. Leaders and staff plan a range of opportunities to support children's learning across the whole curriculum. For example, they arrange visiting pony days and trips into the local community and host a children's fashion show to celebrate children's individuality. As a result, children are happy and ready to learn. Children concentrate during tasks. Staff praise their efforts accordingly, supporting a sense of pride and achievement. Staff are caring and responsive. For instance, they recognise when children need reassurance and are quick to offer a cuddle. Leaders strengthened their settling-in procedures to ensure that children quickly form secure relationships and have a clear sense of belonging. They talk to parents and carers to encourage consistent attendance. Leaders

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

take effective action to understand any barriers to attendance. They work with families so that children benefit from the stability the setting provides.

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

Staff closely observe babies in their play to identify patterns and learning preferences. They use this information to provide a wide range of educational activities that engage and excite them. This contributes to babies' positive wellbeing and involvement. Older children are encouraged to be independent. They have lots of opportunity to choose their play and to take responsibilities. This helps to promote positive attitudes to learning and encourages independence. For example, children explore sensory experiences. They engage in

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Address:

Registered person: First Little Steps Day Nursery Ltd

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Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 18:00 imaginative role play with friends with confidence and wait their turn patiently in board games.

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Next steps

Leaders should support staff to review the organisation of group activities in the pre- school room to engage all children more consistently. Leaders should support staff confidence to use all opportunities to engage children in conversation to deepen children's knowledge and skills.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with staff, leaders, parents and children.

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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. Local authority: Merton

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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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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. 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

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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