Stepping Stones Nursery

Stepping Stones Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

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Stepping Stones Nursery

Unique Reference Number EY309661 Inspection date 25 May 2006 Inspector Jane Muriel Laraman

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Stepping Stones Nursery

Setting Address Methodist Church, Watling Street South, Church Stretton, Shropshire, SY6 7BH

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E-mail

Registered person Stepping Stones Type of inspection Childcare Type of care Sessional care

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E-mail

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

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ABOUT THIS INSPECTION

The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public of the quality of childcare and, if applicable, of nursery education. The inspection was carried out under Part XA Children Act 1989 as introduced by the Care Standards Act 2000 and, where nursery education is provided, under Schedule 26 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcomes for children set out in the Children Act 2004; the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding; and, where nursery education is provided, the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage. The report includes information on any complaints about the childcare provision which Ofsted has received since the last inspection or registration or 1 April 2004 whichever is the later.

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough For more information about early years inspections, please see the booklet Are you ready for your inspection? which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

The quality and standards of the care are good. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Stepping Stones Nursery opened in 1995 as a privately owned venture and was re-registered as a committee run provision in 2005. It operates from one room in the Methodist Church Hall in Church Stretton, Shropshire. The nursery serves the local area. A maximum of 20 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 09:00 until 12:30 each week during school term times.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 There are currently 21 children aged from two to under five years on roll. Of these, 17 children receive funding for early education. The nursery supports children with learning difficulties or disabilities. All children currently attending speak English as their first language. The nursery employs four members of staff. Of these, three hold appropriate early years qualifications. The nursery receives support from the local authority and is a member of the Pre-School Learning Alliance.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children benefit from being cared for in an environment where good hygiene practices are encouraged. Children learn to maintain good hygiene routines through washing their hands appropriately, such as after using the toilet and before eating. Staff consistently apply agreed health procedures and have developed a good awareness of appropriate food handling practices. This ensures that the risk of cross-contamination is minimised and children's health is maintained. In the event of accidents, children are treated by staff who have first aid qualifications and access to a suitably stocked first aid box. The accident book is completed accurately, but the format could be improved to ensure confidentiality. Staff maintain written records for each child to ensure their individual health needs are met. Children's awareness of the benefits of healthy eating is actively promoted at snack

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Helping children to be healthy

and lunch times. Children enjoy a wide variety of healthy snacks, such as fresh fruit, and learn why some foods are better for our bodies than others through topic work. They are able to choose a drink of water, milk or fruit squash at snack and lunch times, but do not have independent access to further drinks throughout the session. Children's cultural and dietary requirements are respected through using information provided by their parents. The children have some opportunities for outside play, but the outdoor space is very limited. Children are given the opportunity for physical exercise indoors through activities such as dancing and musical movement.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are cared for in a warm, safe and well-maintained environment. Regular risk assessments are undertaken, thus ensuring potential hazards are identified and minimised and children's safety is maintained. Children benefit from having sufficient space to engage in play activities, with areas for active and quiet play as staff organise space, furniture and equipment effectively to enable children to move freely and independently between different activities and play areas. Consequently, children are confident and feel safe and secure.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 All toys and play equipment are in good condition and are appropriate for the ages of the children. Children are able to reach toys safely as they are stored at child height. Children learn about safety by being encouraged to handle play equipment with care and helping to tidy away toys to prevent accidents from occurring. All children are developing a good awareness of fire safety as they have regular opportunities to practise emergency evacuation procedures. Access to the building is carefully monitored and clear procedures are in place for the collection of children by named adults. Consequently, children are well protected. All members of staff have a sound awareness of child protection policies and procedures. Staff are aware of possible signs and symptoms of abuse and neglect

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

and know the relevant agencies to contact if they have concerns. As a result, children's welfare is safeguarded.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children arrive at the nursery happy and eager to enjoy their time in the setting. They are greeted by friendly staff who are sensitive towards their individual needs. Staff have developed warm and effective relationships with the children, thus enabling them to feel secure and valued. This leads children to develop confidence and a strong sense of their own self-worth. Staff understand the children well and use appropriate strategies to inspire and motivate them. Language and communication skills are developed as a result of the staff engaging children in lively conversation. Children's thoughts and suggestions are listened to and they are encouraged to contribute their ideas when planning topics and associated activities. Many activities are spontaneously chosen or initiated by the children themselves, thus they make their own independent choices about play and learning. They are able to fulfil their differing needs and preferences to be

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

energetic, relaxed, creative or reflective. Children work co-operatively together and enjoy participating in a very good range of activities. As a result they are able to practise their skills and develop good social relationships with their peers and the staff. They join in enthusiastically with stories, such as ‘Handa’s Surprise’. They learn about the exotic fruits grown in Handa’s homeland. They talk about going to buy fruit from the shops and begin to realise that some of the fruit they see is grown in a country far away and has to be transported by a ship or aeroplane to this country. They look at a variety of fruits and make fruit kebabs, which they then enjoy eating. The children have regular opportunities to go on outings to a ‘Forest School’, where they enjoy climbing and balancing on logs, making nature trails and observing insects and small creatures in their natural woodland habitats. This enhances the children’s

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

knowledge and understanding of the world about them.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 The provision is good. All children are warmly welcomed into the setting which helps them to feel happy and relaxed. Children benefit from having access to a range of resources which promote positive images of diversity and they also benefit from participating in activities which promote their awareness of different festivals and cultures, such as Diwali, Eid and Chinese New Year. Children have very good opportunities to learn about themselves, other people and the world around them through planned activities, visitors to the setting and outings to local places of interest. Children are very well behaved and respond to the good role models being offered by the staff. They are encouraged to share resources and take turns and are learning to take responsibility for their own actions. Children benefit from having consistent

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Helping children make a positive contribution

boundaries and their self-esteem is well promoted through praise and encouragement. Their understanding of right and wrong is increased through gentle reminders to care for their environment, the resources and each other. Effective systems are in place to ensure children with special needs are well supported and their individual needs are met. Parents receive useful information about the setting through regular newsletters, notice boards and verbal exchanges of information and this contributes to children’s well-being. Children benefit from their parents having good opportunities to be involved in their learning, for example by bringing in artefacts from home to contribute to topics. Parents are well informed about how their child is progressing through regular communication and children's personal assessment records are readily available to their parents.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children benefit because the staff are very well qualified and use their knowledge to plan and organise an excellent variety of quality activities and opportunities. Staff make good use of indoor space to maximise play and learning opportunities for all children. The play space is well laid out to ensure children can easily access toys and resources independently. The children also benefit from the high levels of individual attention received. Records required for the efficient and safe management of the provision and promotion of children's individual welfare, care and learning needs are appropriately kept, but policies and procedures need to be regularly reviewed and some extended to accurately reflect the childcare practice of the setting. Staff are encouraged to undertake further training to enhance their knowledge and understanding of relevant issues. For example, they are due to attend training to

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Organisation

increase their awareness of the ‘Birth to three matters’ framework in order to improve planning and assessment systems for younger children. This positive attitude to training allows staff to recognise areas for improvement in their practice and helps to further improve the standards of care received by the children.

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Organisation

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There have been no complaints made to Ofsted since registration. The provider is required to keep a record of complaints made by parents, which they can see on request. The complaints record may contain complaints other than those made to Ofsted.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

The quality and standards of the care are good. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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The quality and standards of the care

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • review and improve accident recording procedures to ensure confidentiality • devise and implement a system for regularly updating policies and procedures in order to ensure they reflect the practice in the nursery.

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The quality and standards of the care

procedures set out in the leaflet Building better childcare: Compliments and concerns about inspectors' judgements which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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The quality and standards of the care

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

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