Stepping Stones At Elberton

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children happily arrive at pre-school.

Together with their parents, they develop good relationships with the staff. This helps children to feel settled and secure. Staff know the children well.

They use their knowledge of what children like and can do to plan activities that are interesting and challenge them to learn. Children make good progress in developing their language and communication skills. Staff engage children in conversations and they model language to introduce new words.

Children are keen and eager to learn because staff target teaching well to meet their individual needs. Staff have high expect...ations of what children can achieve and this ensures that children make good progress in their learning. All children behave well.

They follow rules, such as tidying up the toys, and listen and respond well to staff's instructions. Children benefit from lots of outdoor learning and eagerly talk about their 'forest sessions'. Staff invest a large amount of time in adapting and organising the outside space to meet the needs of children who prefer to learn outdoors.

Children enjoy using the large garden equipment to climb and taking part in digging the vegetable patch and growing vegetables.

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

Staff support children to develop a love of literacy. Children enjoy looking at books, and they spend time in the book area reading to themselves and others.

Staff provide opportunities for children to retell and act out their favourite stories. Children demonstrate a good understanding of storytelling. They use both books and story props to confidently retell stories.

Leaders and staff work closely with parents to engage them in supporting children's learning at home. Staff regularly provide feedback to parents about their children's progress and how they can help their children to develop further.Leaders and staff use good methods to monitor, assess and plan for children, to help them to make the best possible progress.

All staff know the children well. They identify gaps in learning and create plans to support children's individual needs. All children, including those in receipt of additional funding, receive the support they need to make good progress in their learning.

Leaders and staff regularly review their practice and evaluate their performance. For example, staff observe each other and reflect on the activities provided and the quality of teaching. Leaders seek parents' feedback to ensure that parents have a say and are happy with the service being provided.

Recent parental feedback has encouraged staff to provide more detailed information on what children have been doing during the day.The key-person system works well. Staff work closely with families to get to know children and their backgrounds.

Parents are encouraged to share information about their children's emotional and learning needs when children first attend the setting.Staff set clear rules and boundaries to help children to learn to keep themselves safe. For instance, children learn which areas of the woodland they must stay in, and there are clear rules about the use of the large equipment in the garden.

Children develop a good understanding of numbers and early mathematical concepts. They enjoy playing number games with staff where they confidently recognise numerals and count out objects to match. Staff use all opportunities to support mathematical awareness.

For instance, as children build their own models, staff talk with them about size, and children excitedly compare how tall they are.Staff regularly take part in training and research to develop their skills and knowledge. They share their learning with parents and children to support and promote safety.

Staff have recently developed internet safety leaflets for under fives that have been shared with parents. Children understand how to keep themselves safe and they follow clear pictorial rules that are displayed.Staff do not make the best use of opportunities that arise to support the younger or quieter children to develop friendships with other children in the pre-school.

The younger and newer children could do with more support to learn to follow the routines so that they know what is coming next.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Leaders implement good procedures to keep children safe.

Staff take part in regular training to keep their knowledge and understanding of safeguarding and child protection up to date. Staff are aware of the signs that may alert them to concerns about a child's welfare. They know the procedures that they should follow if they have concerns about the welfare of a child.

Staff carry out daily risk assessments to ensure that the pre-school and surrounding areas are safe and secure. The manager follows good procedures to check and monitor the suitability of staff who work with children.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: noffer children the support that is needed to make friendships with the other children in the setting develop methods to support the younger or new children in the setting to understand the routines and to help them to know what is coming next.