St Stephen’s Pre-School And Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement Overall, children play contentedly and enjoy their time at nursery. Staff gather information from parents before children join about children's likes, dislikes and needs. Children benefit from gradual settling-in sessions to help them to adjust to the new environment.

This helps to support children during the time of transition. As a result, new children settle well. Staff are kind and responsive to children.

They join children as they play and encourage them to access activities around the room. Staff support children to take turns. For example, during outdoor play, children line up to climb the steps to the slide.
<...br/>Staff use some suitable teaching strategies to promote children's language and communication skills. They encourage children to join in with singing and moving their bodies to action songs and rhymes. Staff ask children questions and engage them in conversation.

However, the overall quality of teaching is too variable. At times, prolonged group activities mean that children lose focus and wander around the room. Staff do not always provide sufficiently planned activities to fully engage children or consistently motivate them to play and learn.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

The nursery is going through a period of a change in management. This has led to the temporary manager not holding the required qualifications or experience to undertake the role effectively. Nevertheless, a qualified deputy manager ensures that this does not have a significant impact on the overall running of the provision.

Leaders do not have sufficient oversight of the provision to identify when weaknesses in teaching emerge. Staff get to know children well. They understand what they like and base some activities on children's interests.

Staff benefit from some mandatory training, such as safeguarding courses. However, leaders do not ensure that staff receive sufficient support and training to undertake their roles effectively. As a result, teaching and planning are not focused enough on what children need to learn next.

Staff provide some activities for children to help them to gain the basic skills they need. However, staff do not implement an ambitious enough curriculum. They do not offer a sufficient range of activities to excite and motivate children to play and learn.

Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, do not make the progress of which they are capable.Children take part in activities to enhance their small-muscle skills. They join staff to fix train tracks together and build towers with blocks.

Children make marks with crayons and pens. They proudly show off the picture they have drawn of 'Mummy'. This helps to develop the skills they need for writing when they go to school.

Overall, children behave well and are aware of the simple rules of the setting. However, staff are not always consistent in their approach to managing behaviour. Sometimes, staff say 'no thank you' without explaining why some behaviour is not acceptable.

Children do not always understand what is expected of them.Staff are aware of the importance of promoting children's health. For example, they provide children with healthy snacks.

Staff encourage children to play with toy teeth and toothbrushes. They talk to them about the importance of brushing teeth. Children benefit from regular outdoor play for fresh air and exercise.

Staff support children to develop independence. Children help to tidy away toys and resources at the end of the session. They go to the toilet, wash their hands and get their own coats and hats on independently.

Parent partnerships are sound. Staff share regular information about children's achievements through daily conversations and electronic applications. This helps to establish some continuity of care for children.

Parents speak positively about the care their children receive. They comment on how quickly their children adapt to their first nursery experience.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage, the provider must: Due date increase leadership oversight to ensure that the manager has the appropriate experience and qualifications and that all staff benefit from effective support and supervision to fulfil their roles and responsibilities 29/02/2024 devise and implement a sequenced and exciting curriculum to engage and motivate children to play and learn 29/02/2024 raise the overall quality of teaching to a consistently good level.29/02/2024 To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: provide consistent behavioural support for children to help them to understand what is expected of them.