Stepping Stones Pre-School

Stepping Stones Pre- School Parish Rooms, Falmouth Road, Chacewater, Truro, Cornwall, TR4 8LP

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 19 May 2015 3 February 2011

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This inspection: Good 2

Previous inspection: Good 2 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children Outstanding 1

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This inspection: Good 2

The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

The setting meets legal requirements for early years settings

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This provision is good

 Children form exceptionally secure relationships with staff and very positive friendships with other children. This helps them to feel emotionally and physically safe and secure, and successfully promotes their well-being.  Children express themselves well as they engage in purposeful discussion with others and use signing as an additional form of communication.  Assessment records show that children make good progress in relation to their starting points and staff identify appropriate areas for their future development. Staff link these successfully to future planning.  Children share, take turns and cooperate exceptionally well to maintain harmonious play. They quickly develop the key skills needed for future learning.  Very good daily opportunities for outdoor play help to increase children's physical skills and promote their good health.  Staff attend regular training events, such as paediatric first aid, safeguarding and a

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This provision is good

refresher course in signing, which impacts positively on children's health, safety and communication skills.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff do not always introduce additional challenge to some children's play to extend their learning opportunities, through providing a wider range of resources and promoting children's critical thinking and creativity at all times.  Staff miss some opportunities to help children develop a positive awareness of difference and diversity through everyday play.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

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

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

 introduce additional challenge to extend all learning opportunities through providing a wider range of resources and promoting children's critical thinking and creativity skills at all times  increase learning opportunities during everyday play, to help children develop a positive awareness of difference and diversity.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector engaged in discussion with parents, children and staff.  The inspector viewed the premises, toys and equipment.  The inspector observed interactions between adults and children.  The inspector sampled documentation and children's records.

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who attend. This is good

Staff have a good understanding of how children learn and develop. They establish children's starting points and interests prior to them attending. This helps them to plan a balanced range of enjoyable learning experiences. Children investigate growth and change as they observe the life cycles of frogs and butterflies. They grow plants, use a role play garden centre and create paintings of flower filled gardens. Parents attend regular open days during which they share these activities with their children. This in turn promotes home learning. Children are curious, inquisitive and keen to learn. They sing familiar songs which engage them fully in daily activities, such as registration time. A selection of interesting resources helps to enhance story time further. However, staff's expectations of older and younger children are sometimes the same and there are not always sufficient resources to help children learn about difference and diversity through self-initiated play.

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outstanding

Children are extremely well behaved, kind, considerate and helpful. They relish opportunities to take responsibility for everyday tasks, such as preparing and serving snack. The premises are extremely welcoming, comfortable and organised exceptionally well to encourage children's independence. Staff deployment is very effective and their interactions with children are extremely good. Children learn to identify and manage everyday risks through effective ongoing discussion about how to keep themselves and others safe. Staff encourage healthy eating habits very well and teach children how to manage their own personal care needs. Excellent partnerships with other early years providers help children to move effortlessly between settings and into school.

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provision is good

Staff have a good understanding of the learning and development and safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are confident to follow the local safeguarding procedures if required. Robust recruitment, induction, vetting and supervision procedures help to monitor staff suitability and performance. Children participate in regular fire drills to develop their confidence and familiarity. Since the last inspection, staff now assess risk effectively to promote children's safety outdoors. They successfully meet the needs of children who learn English as an additional language. Effective teaching methods and regular tracking of children's learning and development help all children to make good progress. Staff monitor the effectiveness of the pre-school provision to identify appropriate areas for future improvement. This currently includes enhancing the outdoor learning area further. Positive partnerships with parents and other

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provision is good

agencies contribute well to meeting children's needs.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 102874 Local authority Cornwall Inspection number 839211 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 8 Total number of places 20 Number of children on roll 44 Name of provider Stepping Stones Pre-School Committee Date of previous inspection 3 February 2011 Telephone number 01872 561 542

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Setting details

Stepping Stones Pre-School is managed by a voluntary committee made up of parents of children attending the setting. It registered in 1993. They operate from The Parish Rooms in the village of Chacewater, near Truro, in Cornwall. The pre-school is open each weekday, from 8.45am until 3.30pm, during term time only. They provide funded education for children aged two, three and four years. There are five members of staff. Of these, two are qualified to level 5, one to level 4 and three to level 3. In addition to teaching staff, the pre-school also employs an administrator.

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Setting details

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

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

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Setting details

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Setting details

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

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