Stepping Stones Pre School Play and Learn

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children thoroughly enjoy their time at this well-resourced, friendly and welcoming setting. They are confident, motivated and eager to learn. Children have formed strong, close emotional attachments with the staff and are happy and content.

The staff team plans a broad and exciting curriculum for the children centred around their interests, what they can do and what they need to learn. Staff are teaching children the importance of a healthy body and mind. Children excitedly join in their 'keep fit' class which is inclusive to all children and considers differences in abilities and stages in development.

Children are b...eginning to recognise colours and develop early mathematical skills. They use torches and magnifying glasses to hunt for minibeasts underneath, or on the top of, leaves and twigs. Children also find conkers hidden among the leaves and discuss which they believe is the biggest and which is the smallest.

They are learning about the world around them, going on trips to schools, churches and events in the village. Recently, children have been to church with local schools to watch Harvest Festival celebrations and have grown their own vegetables to eat. Staff take time to listen to the children and are skilful in introducing new language, for example 'horse chestnut tree'.

Children celebrate each other's success. They enjoy receiving praise for their achievements, which boosts their self-esteem.

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

The committee and manager have ensured that practice has improved since the last inspection.

They demonstrate a suitable understanding of what needs to be notified to Ofsted, and recruitment and suitability checks are robust.Staff and parent partnerships are strong. Staff use clear and concise information, gathered from parents at the start of their child's placement, to successfully meet children's learning and development and care needs.

They plan effectively for each child and provide challenging and exciting activities that support children to make best progress. Parents comment on how well their children have learnt letters and numbers. They talk positively about how friendly and welcoming staff are and how they are regularly kept up to date with their child's progress.

The experienced and well-qualified staff team provides a wide variety of activities to ignite children's thirst for learning. Children are highly motivated, inquisitive and enjoy exploring the environment, both inside and outdoors, promoting the use of different skills. They enjoy using tools such as scissors to cut and stick different-coloured tissue paper while making autumn leaves.

Children use their physical skills on balance beams inside or riding bikes and kicking balls outside. However, on occasions, staff deployment does not ensure children are consistently engaged in the opportunities available.Staff are excellent role models for children.

They have high expectations for children and, as a result, children behave well. Children use their manners and help clear away tables after their lunch and snacks. Children persevere with the task in hand.

For example, one child could not get a toy bird to make a sound and they kept turning it and trying until they succeeded. They were proud and happy they had achieved this. Outside, children show high levels of curiosity as they use toy rakes to rake the gravel and transport it using wheelbarrows.

They investigate what is underneath and what happens when they mix it with soil in a tray.Good health and care practices teach the children to develop an understanding of their own personal care needs. Children talk about washing hands to get rid of the germs before they eat.

Children are learning to be independent from an early age. They learn about the world around them and to be respectful to each other. Festivals such as Diwali and Chinese New Year are celebrated.

Parents have assisted in the learning opportunity, providing saris for dressing up and food tasting.The manager effectively supports staff to build their confidence and identify key areas of their own development. Staff use professional development opportunities successfully to enhance their knowledge and practice.

They review the quality of teaching and learning, and the planning of activities, to ensure children gain the most from them.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff's knowledge of safeguarding is excellent.

All the staff and committee have attended safeguarding training. They understand the signs that may indicate a child is at risk from harm and the procedures to follow to ensure children remain safe. The staff ensure that there are no risks to children in the premises, resources and outside.

Extra care is taken to ensure the premises are secure and no one can enter or leave unsupervised. Recruitment procedures and the ongoing monitoring of staff's performance are secure.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: review the deployment of staff during activities to ensure children's learning potential is maximised and they are consistently engaged in the high-quality learning opportunities.

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