Stepping Stones Preschool

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD Telephone: 0300 123 1231 Fax: 0300 123 3159 Minicom: 0161 618 8524 Email: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk Web: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.1

Stepping Stones Preschool Avonway Community Centre 36 Shaftesbury Street FORDINGBRIDGE Hampshire SP6 1JF Our Reference 511673

p.1

Outcome of monitoring visit for provision judged as inadequate

An Ofsted inspector, Nikki Whinton, carried out a monitoring visit of your provision on 01/10/2013. This visit follows on from your inspection where the provision was judged to be inadequate.

p.1

Outcome of the visit

As a result of our inspection on 16/05/2013, we sent you a welfare requirements notice.

p.1

Outcome of the visit

The provider was also sent three notices to improve. The welfare requirements notice due for completion by 5 July 2013 required you to; ensure risk assessments are reviewed, particularly with the introduction of new equipment, and safety arrangements implemented so that play areas are organised effectively to minimise potential hazards. The notice to improve due for completion by 17 May 2013 required you to; ensure staff understand and implement the policy and procedures for administering medicines and maintaining a written record of any given. The notice to improve due for completion by 17 June 2013 required you to; ensure staff have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities and all staff receive induction training, with particular regard to safeguarding children. The notice to improve due for completion by 17 July 2013, required you to; ensure children who speak English as an additional language have opportunities to learn and reach a

p.1

Outcome of the visit

good standard of English language during the Early Years Foundation Stage.

p.1

Outcome of the visit

An inspector visited on 9 July 2013 to monitor your progress. The inspector discussed with you the steps you had taken to address the action raised in the welfare requirements notice. After examining documentation and speaking to staff, the inspector found that you had completed a review of your risk assessments since the inspection on 16 May 2013 and had strategies in place to regularly review and update your risk assessments, including when new equipment is purchased. Staffing arrangements and equipment usage had also been reviewed and revised in order to promote children's safety when playing outdoors and minimise potential hazards. You had altered your planning in order that the slide and wheeled vehicles are no longer available for children to use at the same time. In addition, when the slide is in use, a member of staff is now always deployed by the slide in order to supervise its usage. The inspector found you had met the action raised in the welfare requirements

p.1

Outcome of the visit

The notice to improve, ensure staff understand and implement the policy and procedures for administering medicines and maintaining a written record of any given, due for completion on 17 May 2013, had been completed. The inspector found that the procedures for administering medication had been reviewed and revised. The revised procedure requires the staff member who witnesses the administration of medication to sign and record the time the dosage is given in the medication book. Staff had been made aware of this change to the policy and procedures for administering medicines.

p.2

Outcome of the visit

The inspector found you had made some progress with the notice of action to improve, ensure staff have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities and all staff receive induction training, with particular regard to safeguarding children, due for completion 17 June 2013. A new staff induction programme had been revised and was being trialled on a new member of staff. Staff had been given copies of their roles and responsibilities and had been reminded since the inspection on 16 May 2013 to read the setting's polices and procedures. However, not all staff had a secure understanding of the setting's policies and procedures, or their own roles and responsibilities, particular with regard to safeguarding children.

p.2

Outcome of the visit

The inspector found you had also made some progress with the notice of action to improve, ensure children who speak English as an additional language have opportunities to learn and reach a good standard of English language during the Early Years Foundation Stage, due for completion 17 July 2013. You had sought advice and support from targeted external agencies, displayed a pictorial time line of the settings daily routine and obtained some additional resources such as relevant dual language books and compact discs. However, your strategies had not yet been embedded in your practice to effectively promote the acquisition of English by children who speak English as an additional language.

p.2

Outcome of the visit

As a result of the monitoring visit on 9 July 2013, you were issued with two notices to improve; ensure children who speak English as an additional language have opportunities to learn and reach a good standard of English language during the Early Years Foundation Stage, due for completion by 17 July 2013 and ensure there are robust staff induction and staff supervision procedures in place, in order that all staff have a secure understanding of the settings policies and procedures, as well as their own roles and responsibilities, with particular regard to safeguarding children due, for completion by 30 September 2013.

p.2

Outcome of the visit

Through observation, discussion and scrutiny of documentation used at the setting, the inspector was of the opinion that at that time you were making satisfactory improvement overall in addressing the points for improvement. It was decided that the next visit would be a further monitoring visit to check for compliance following the issuing of the two notices to improve and assess sustained improvement.

p.3

Outcome of the visit

Having considered all the evidence, the inspector is of the opinion that at this time the setting is making good improvement overall.

p.3

Overall effectiveness of the improvement and outcomes for children

A monitoring visit was carried out on 1 October 2013 and you were making good progress. The inspector discussed with you the steps you had taken to address the actions raised in the notice to improve. After examining documentation, it was found that you now have comprehensive staff induction systems in place and regular, documented staff supervision meetings have now been introduced. Roles and responsibilities, with a particular emphasis on safeguarding, has been revisited with all staff. This has been achieved through discussion at a staff meeting and by all staff completing a safeguarding focused questionnaire. Policies and procedures are now routinely reviewed as part of staff meetings. Staff articulated a secure understanding of their role and responsibilities in safeguarding children.

p.3

Overall effectiveness of the improvement and outcomes for children

The inspector found that you now have suitable strategies in place to support children attending who speak English as an additional language. You are aware of the need for the provision's practice, planning and environment to positively reflect diversity. You have developed both the quality and quantity of print and signage within the setting, to enable children to gain an awareness that print carries meaning. In addition, age appropriate books, audio cassettes and posters have been obtained to support children in learning and reaching a good standard of English language.

p.3

Overall effectiveness of the improvement and outcomes for children

Having considered all the evidence, the inspector is of the opinion that at this time you have made good improvement overall in addressing the points for improvement. The next visit will be a full inspection.

p.3

Next steps

Having considered all the evidence the inspector is of the opinion that at this time:

p.3

Next steps

 The setting has made good improvement. The next visit will be a full inspection. I hope that you have found the visit helpful in promoting improvement in your setting. If you have any further queries please contact us on the number at the top of this letter.

p.3

Next steps

Susan Gregory HMI National Director, Inspection Delivery

p.4