Stepping Stones Day Nursery and Nursery School

Stepping Stones Day Nursery and Nursery School 5 Edington Square, Witney, Oxfordshire, OX28 5YT

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 05/03/2013 30/03/2010

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 Previous inspection: 3 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children 3 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 3

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This provision is satisfactory

 Children are happy, content and confident in their surroundings and have developed a suitable bond with their key person.  Children are well behaved and understand the rules of the setting.  Most safeguarding requirements are met and as a result, the well-being of children is met adequately.  Links with other settings that children attend are developing well with regular information shared between them.

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It is not yet good because

 Staff have not fully considered the safety of children who use the terrapin building in the event of an emergency and the danger of cracked glass in a playroom door.  Children are put at risk because toys and equipment outside are not routinely cleaned before children use them.  Staff are not developing fully young children's language and communication skills and understanding that words have meaning because they do talk to children about what they are doing as they play.  Although, staff use resources effectively to help children learn and develop a significant amount of resources are on high shelves and children are not able to access these easily.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections of registered early years provision are:  scheduled at least once in every inspection cycle – the current cycle ends on 31 July

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Information about this inspection

 scheduled more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged inadequate  brought forward in the inspection cycle where Ofsted has received information that suggests the provision may not be meeting the legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage or where assessment of the provision identifies a need for early inspection  prioritised where we have received information that the provision is not meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and which suggests children may not be safe  scheduled at the completion of an investigation into failure to comply with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Information about this inspection

The provision is also registered on the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. This report includes a judgment about compliance with the requirements of that register.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in all areas of the nursery.  The inspector had discussions with staff, children and some parents.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled a range of documentation including children's records, safeguarding procedures, risk assessments, accident, medication records and fire procedures.

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Information about the setting

Stepping Stones Day Nursery and Nursery School has operated under the current owner since 2003. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It operates from purpose-built premises over two floors situated in a residential area of Deer park in Witney. The nursery has two large base rooms on the ground floor with a kitchen and toilet and nappy changing facilities. There are two base rooms upstairs with a sleep room, nappy changing room, milk kitchen and staff room. A separate terrapin building with two small rooms is used for children in the later years age group who attend after school and during school holidays. All children share access to an enclosed garden with hard standing, grass and bark surfaces and a planting and growing area. There are currently 93 children on roll in the early years age group. The nursery provides out of school care and there are currently

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Information about the setting

nine children aged from five to eight years of age and four children aged over eight years on roll. The nursery accepts funding for early education for children aged two, three-and- four years of age. The nursery is open each week day from 7.30am to 6pm all year round, excluding bank holidays. Sessions are from 9am to 1pm, from 1pm to 5pm and from 1.30pm to 5.30pm. The nursery currently supports children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language. Children attend from Witney and surrounding areas.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs 13 staff to work directly with the children, these staff are supported by the owner/manager, an office manager and cook. All staff, hold appropriate childcare qualifications to level 2, 3 and 4. The owner/manager holds qualified teacher status and the deputy has completed an Early Years Professional Status qualification.

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must:

 take reasonable steps to ensure the safety of the children, staff and others by having effective risk assessments and evacuation procedures when they are in the terrapin building, and ensure children's safety in the main building with regard to the cracked glass door.

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must:

 ensure that outdoor equipment is clean, safe and fit for purpose, and that staff are aware of, and comply with, requirements of health and safety legislations (including hygiene requirements).

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To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

 develop young children's communication and language skills further through using and repeating single words, so they are able to gradually link the word to it's meaning

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To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

 consider ways to make toys easily accessible for all children to reach, fetch and explore.

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who attend

Children are happy, comfortable and settle quickly into their play when their parents' leave. Children take part in a range of activities that covers all areas of learning and development. Staff use the available resources adequately to support children's learning. For example, children enjoy playing with musical instruments and singing along with songs. However, most resources for all children are on high shelves in the play rooms. This means that the children are not able to easily reach, choose and explore resources for themselves. Children interact with each other as they play and work together to problem solve, staff ask open questions to help children learn and think. Children enjoy exploring different textures. For example, children enjoy playing in the soil tray and hiding their animals. Other children enjoy sweeping up the soil from the floor using dustpan and brushes confidently.

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who attend

Children enjoy looking at books alone and together with staff. They sit during story times and recall stories well. Children are able to freely access books during the sessions. Staff ensure books are taken outside. For example, during outside play, children explore and try and find bugs, with magnifying glasses and the member of staff then sits the children down to read a story about bugs. Children enjoy developing their imagination through role play and enjoy playing with dolls and in the home corner. Children are beginning to learn about the world around them through well planned activities such as polish day. Staff promote equality and diversity adequately.

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who attend

Young children's communication skills are developing satisfactorily, but at times staff do not talk to the younger children as they get them ready for their lunch or pick them up to change their nappies. This means that the younger children are not developing an understanding about linking words to actions.

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who attend

Children are well behaved and understand the rules of the setting. Staff explain to children the consequence of their actions carefully, which helps children understand about keeping themselves safe. For example, children are reminded to tidy up and pick things off the floor in case they trip over.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Children demonstrate they are happy, and comfortable in their surroundings. The key person system is working effectively. Staff care for children's individual needs when they first arrive at the setting, which helps children settle quickly. As a result, young children form secure attachments with their key person. Children sleep according to their individual needs. Staff show affection towards the children in their care and offer reassurance and cuddles to those children who require it.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Staff promote children's understanding of suitable personal hygiene procedures. They actively encourage children to wash their hands before eating and after using the toilet. Most children's independence is encouraged during meal times as they are able to serve themselves their food and drinks. However, at snack times children are not always encouraged to pour their drinks. Staff supervise children closely at meal and snack times. Staff sit with the children as they eat. Staff wear aprons and wash their hands when preparing and serving meals. Appropriate cleaning procedures are in place for the resources inside the building, however this does not include the outside equipment. Children enjoy regular outside play. They enjoy being able to explore the outside play space where they can climb, run, and balance and ride bikes. This helps to support children's understanding about healthy lifestyles and helps them learn about the world

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provision

The inspection was brought forward following a concern about the cleanliness, sufficiency and condition of the equipment and resources, concerns about children choking, and concerns about children's safety when in the terrapin building. It was found at inspection that staff supervise children adequately during mealtimes to prevent incidents of choking. Fire evacuation procedures are in place and carried out with children, but these have not been regularly carried out with children who use the terrapin building. The terrapin building has only one door and the windows are not able to fully open due to having wire mesh on them. As a result, children could be at risk during an emergency evacuation if the only door is blocked. Staff have not carried out a detailed risk assessments to address the emergency evacuation of this building. Staff have not considered carrying out a risk assessment on cracked glass in a door in the playroom. Although cleaning procedures are

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provision

in place for resources in the nursery the outside equipment is not adequately cleaned before children use these resources. Therefore, children's health may be put at risk.

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provision

The staff and management understand their responsibilities to meet the learning and development requirements. Staff carry out observations and assessments on children and are beginning to identify children's starting points and next steps.

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provision

Suitable recruitment and induction procedures are in place which ensures all staff are suitable to work with children. Regular staff appraisals and staff meetings help staff share information and identify any training needs. Staff have been involved in the evaluation of practice, and this has identified some areas to improve and develop. However, in general this has not identified the lack of effective risk assessments and that children are unable to easily access the resources in the rooms.

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provision

Staff are developing positive relationships with parents' through daily sheets, verbal communication and detailed notice boards in the entrance hall and playrooms. Links with other early years settings that children attend are developing well. The key person shares information with the other setting and this ensures that all adults are contributing to children's learning and development. Parents spoken to are in general positive about the setting and the care provided.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are

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actions)

The requirements for the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are

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To meet the requirements of the Childcare Register the provider must:

 ensure that the premises and equipment used for the purposes of the childcare are safe and suitable for that childcare (Suitability and safety of premises and equipment).  undertake a risk assessment of the premises and equipment: immediately, where the need for an assessment arises, and ensure that all necessary measures are taken to minimise any identified risks (Suitability and safety of premises and equipment).  ensure that the premises and equipment used for the purposes of the childcare are safe and suitable for that childcare (Suitability and safety of premises and equipment).  undertake a risk assessment of the premises and equipment: immediately, where the need for an assessment arises, and ensure that all necessary measures are taken to minimise any identified risks (Suitability and safety of premises and equipment).

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding Outstanding provision is highly effective in meeting the needs of all children exceptionally well. This ensures that children are very well prepared for the next stage of their learning. Grade 2 Good Good provision is effective in delivering provision that meets the needs of all children well. This ensures children are ready for the next stage of their learning. Grade 3 Satisfactory Satisfactory provision is performing less well than expectations in one or more of the key areas. It requires improvement in order to be good. Grade 4 Inadequate Provision that is inadequate requires significant improvement and/or enforcement action. The provision is failing to give children an acceptable standard of early years education and/or is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be inspected again within 12 months of the date of this inspection.

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Grade Judgement Description

Met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider continues to meet the requirements for registration. Not met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider does not meet the requirements for registration.

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Inspection

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and care, known as the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY258333 Local authority Oxfordshire Inspection number 906895 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 75 Number of children on roll 105 Name of provider Jane Mary Kelly Date of previous inspection 30/03/2010 Telephone number 01993 708822

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Setting details

set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

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Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

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Type of provision

Full-time provision is that which operates for more than three hours. These are usually known as nurseries, nursery schools and pre-schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the higher fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Sessional provision operates for more than two hours but does not exceed three hours in any one day. These are usually known as pre-schools, kindergartens or nursery schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the lower fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Childminders care for one or more children where individual children attend for a period of more than two hours in any one day. They operate from domestic premises, which are usually the childminder’s own home. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Type of provision

Out of school provision may be sessional or full-time provision and is delivered before or after school and/or in the summer holidays. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. Where children receive their Early Years Foundation Stage in school these providers do not have to deliver the learning and development requirements in full but should complement the experiences children receive in school. achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children,

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Type of provision

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Type of provision

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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