Little Stepping Stones Day Nurseries

Little Stepping Stones Day Nurseries Argento Tower, Mapleton Road, London, SW18 4GA

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 23 June 2015 29 July 2014

p.1

This inspection: Good 2

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

p.1

This inspection: Good 2

The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children Good 2

p.1

This inspection: Good 2

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

p.1

This inspection: Good 2

The setting meets legal requirements for early years settings

p.1

This provision is good

 The provider and managers have successfully tackled the areas for development identified at the last inspection.  The nursery and parents share high expectations for children’s achievements. The provider makes sure that the nursery offers a wide range of play experiences so that children make good progress in their learning and development.  Staff and parents communicate effectively on a daily basis. There is good continuity in children’s care and learning between home and nursery.  Staff are caring and attentive. They maintain high standards of safety indoors and outside when children play in the park.  Older children are highly independent in caring for themselves and confident in their own learning. They gain a wide range of knowledge and skills and are well prepared for moving on to school.

p.1

It is not yet outstanding because:

 Children’s literacy skills, particularly for writing, are not developing as quickly as they could. Children do not always get the opportunity to extend their learning, as drawing and writing materials are not always on hand for children to practise their skills during their imaginative games or when outdoors.  The nursery does not fully use the equipment it has available to encourage children to take on more difficult physical challenges indoors.

p.1

What the setting needs to do to improve further

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

p.2

What the setting needs to do to improve further

 give children every opportunity to develop their skills for writing in all aspects of their play, for example by increasing the availability of drawing and writing materials for children to incorporate into their imaginative games and during daily outings to the park  plan more opportunities to use the equipment available in the nursery so children have the opportunity to explore physical challenges such as climbing and balancing.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities both indoors and on a trip to the park and spoke with staff and children at suitable times throughout the day.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager and a learning walk with the provider.  The inspector looked at a sample of policies, procedures and documents relating to the management of the nursery, including those for checking the suitability of staff.  The inspector held discussions with the provider, manager and deputy manager.  The inspector spoke with parents and took into account their written comments to the nursery.

p.2

who attend. This is good

Staff plan activities in detail to match children’s interests in the well-organised playrooms. Staff and parents communicate effectively through daily handovers and interactive online ‘learning journals’. Parents greatly value these regular updates and enjoy being fully involved in their children’s learning. Staff make accurate assessments of children’s progress which includes their learning at home. Staff join in playfully with children’s games with tracks, garages and cars to help them stay motivated in their learning. Singing and rhymes are introduced to babies to encourage their communication skills. Children, including those at an early stage of learning English, become confident talkers as staff encourage questions and model whole sentences clearly. In role play, children remind each other to put their seat belts on as they set off in an imaginary car. Many older children are keen to try out their ‘writing’ skills at the literacy table. However, they do not

p.3

who attend. This is good

always get the opportunity to practise writing throughout the day, for example in their imaginative games and during play outdoors.

p.3

good

Staff make good use of routines so children know what is expected of them and as a result, their behaviour is consistently good. Daily trips to the park enable children to run and practise throwing and catching skills. However, the nursery does not make regular use of well-designed indoor equipment to encourage more challenging physical activity or extend physical play when the weather is really bad. Staff talk knowledgeably with the children about exercise and encourage understanding of healthy eating. Children demonstrate their learning when they organise a picnic during role play using real fruit and vegetables. The key person system is effective throughout the nursery. Staff work closely with parents to settle babies well. Staff know what to do if they are concerned about a child and get the right additional help if the need arises.

p.3

provision is good

Since the last inspection the provider has put a special educational needs coordinator in place to meet statutory requirements. The whole staff and management team have received behaviour management training to ensure that all children are included and their needs met. Safeguarding arrangements are good. Staff complete checks to ensure the nursery is safe and secure and activities indoors and on outings are appropriately risk assessed. Effective staff vetting and supervision arrangements are in place. The views of parents and children influence improvements. In line with their wishes, the provider has given children more opportunities to care for pets and learn about the natural world. The provider has made the washrooms more accessible to younger children to promote their independence. The provider uses tracking information well to plan for further improvement.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number EY467575 Local authority Wandsworth Inspection number 1014341 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 32 Number of children on roll 45 Name of provider Little Stepping Stones Ltd Date of previous inspection 29 July 2014 Telephone number 02088706824

p.4

Setting details

Little Stepping Stones Day Nursery opened in 2013. It is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. Children have access to two group rooms. The local park adjacent to the nursery is available for outdoor play. The nursery is open from 8am to 6pm, with extended hours available on request. It is open 50 weeks of the year. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early education to children aged two, three and four years of age. The nursery supports children speaking English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. There are currently 45 children on roll, all of whom are in the early years age range. There are 13 members of staff working directly with the children, all of whom hold appropriate childcare qualifications.

p.4

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.

p.4

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.

p.4

Setting details

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

p.5

Setting details

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

p.5