Stepping Stones Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children's emotional well-being is supported well by staff in this nursery. Settling-in sessions are tailored to meet the needs of children and families.

Children are settled and show that they feel safe and secure with staff. They go to staff for cuddles and reassurance. Children are confident and generally behave well.

Staff provide children with reminders of the nursery rules and expectations during activities and group time. Children recall the main rules, which include good sitting, good listening and walking inside. At times, children struggle to share and take turns.

However, staff are close by to suppo...rt children and help them resolve conflicts. Consequently, children learn how to play well with each other. Children make good progress in their learning.

This is due to leaders having a clear curriculum intent in place. Leaders have an overview of what they want children to learn, ready for their next stage in learning. This is understood and implemented effectively by all staff.

Therefore, children are engaged and involved in a variety of meaningful learning experiences. For example, a group of children become immersed in imaginative play outdoors as they 'bake a cake' in the mud kitchen. Children use oven gloves to remove the cake from the oven because it is 'hot'.

Children think of different ways to cool down the cake and work together as a team.

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

Staff know children well. They gather a wealth of information from parents about their children before they start.

Staff plan exciting learning experiences for children based on their interests. The quality of teaching is particularly strong in the pre-school room. Staff in this room have clear intentions for what they want children to learn.

They then skilfully follow the children's lead while incorporating the intended learning. Staff in other rooms plan activities for children that they enjoy. However, they do not always enhance children's learning to the highest level during their play.

Most staff support children's communication and language well. They ask children questions that encourage them to think critically and test out new ideas. During adult-led activities, staff comment on what children are doing.

Staff support children's speech development using songs. They read regularly with children. Staff read in clear and expressive voices.

This captures children's attention. There are systems in place to support children who speak English as an additional language (EAL) and children who have speech and language needs. However, staff do not always do enough to enhance children's emerging language to the highest level.

Children learn different ways to keep themselves healthy. They have regular access to an outdoor area, where they enjoy developing their balance and coordination skills using the bicycles and tricycles. Children learn about the difference between healthy and unhealthy foods and how these can affect the health of their teeth.

Children enjoy home-cooked meals. They sit at the table with their friends and engage in conversations about the food they are eating.Children learn to make marks and write with purpose.

Older children enjoy the opportunity to take their friends' food orders during a group activity. Younger children explore dough flavoured with ginger. They manipulate the dough between their fingers.

This supports the development of their small muscles, preparing them for early writing activities.Generally, staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities well. They work closely with parents and other professionals to ensure that children's individual needs are met.

Children have targeted plans in place that are understood by staff. Staff provide tailored support when needed. Children make good progress in their learning and development.

Partnerships with parents are a focus in this nursery. Leaders have different systems in place to support parents, such as guidance on toilet training. Parents speak highly of the nursery.

They comment that the nursery provides an inclusive service and that staff meet the individual needs of their children.Leaders identify training needs and support staff to access courses to help them to develop their wider knowledge and understanding. Staff have access to online training.

They complete training in the care of babies to support them in their roles. Staff complete all their mandatory training courses, such as safeguarding. Leaders put staff well-being at the centre of the nursery.

They carry out regular observations of staff practice. Leaders provide staff with feedback to support them to continually improve their practice.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff have a secure knowledge and understanding of the nursery safeguarding policy and procedures. They are aware of how to correctly report concerns about the welfare of children in the nursery. Most staff are aware of the role and responsibilities of other professionals involved in the welfare of children.

All staff know where to access information on how to report safeguarding concerns outside the nursery. This helps ensure that children are kept safe.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: support all staff to plan clear learning intentions for children and incorporate these into children's play and through planned activities provide children with EAL and those with speech and language needs with more support to enhance their learning and emerging vocabulary to the highest level.