Stepping Stones Playgroup (Wells)

Stepping Stones Playgroup (Wells) Stoberry Park School, North Road, Wells, Somerset, BA5 2TJ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 2 October 2015 10 November 2010

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This inspection: Good 2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good 2

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This provision is good

 Staff help children to settle quickly by getting to know them and their families, so children feel secure and soon develop a strong sense of belonging.  Staff provide good role models so that children learn to respect each other and gain a positive attitude to people's differences.  Children become confident communicators; they listen and respond well to adults and each other. Staff use signs and gestures to support children's communication skills well.  Staff ensure children make good progress in their key areas of development. This prepares them well for school.  Children gain good independence, choosing whether they prefer to learn indoors or outdoors and selecting from the wide range of good quality resources. For example, children took jugs indoors to fill with water to use in the outdoor kitchen.  The manager and chair of committee monitor staff development and ensure staff have good opportunities to go on training to further their knowledge and understanding.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff do not gain specific, extensive information from parents prior to children starting at the setting to have a very thorough knowledge of how to plan immediately for children's progress.  The management team does not have a formal system to actively gain parents' feedback in order to be highly successful in driving improvement through self- evaluation.

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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

 increase the information sought from parents on children's starting points to have a more thorough understanding of how to plan for their progress as soon as they start at the setting  review the systems for seeking parents' feedback to contribute to self-evaluation so that it is highly successful in driving improvement.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities and the quality of teaching indoors and outdoors.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager and carried out a joint observation.  The inspector spoke to parents, staff, the chair of committee and children present on the day of the inspection and took account of the group's self-evaluation.  The inspector checked safeguarding information and the premises.  The inspector sampled documentation, including policies and procedures, children's development records and planning.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The management team has a good understanding of their responsibility in meeting the statutory requirements. Safeguarding is effective. All staff undertake safeguarding training and the designated person has a good understanding of the procedures to protect children from risk. There are good procedures to check the suitability of staff and ensure they understand their responsibilities. The manager has a good system to monitor children's development; however, she intends to develop this further to address gaps in children's learning even quicker. The manager works directly with the staff and children, providing supervision and feedback on the quality of teaching. Staff attend training, for example, to improve the way they tell stories. They now use props that engage even the youngest children fully and help them take an active role.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff spend time gaining some information from parents and observing children when they first start to determine what motivates the children to learn. Staff plan according to children's interests, for example, children used the sand to look for buried treasure, which led to making treasure maps. Parents comment on how well staff work with outside agencies to support children's special educational needs. Staff help children to make predictions and test their ideas, such as whether there is enough glue to make all the sequins stick, and they demonstrate how to use equipment to support children well in developing skills for themselves. Staff plan for children to learn independently and take part in adult-led activities, which ensures they all make good progress.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children arrive happy, and confidently separate from their parents. An effective key- person system ensures staff get to know children and their families well. Staff support children well to get to know each other and gain in confidence. They adapt routines according to children's needs, such as listening and observing when children want lunch. Staff talk to each other constantly about children's individual needs, and work effectively in partnership with parents to promote children's physical and emotional well-being. Children develop a good awareness of safe and healthy practices through the daily routines and discussions with staff. They understand staff's expectations, behave well, and eagerly put things away at tidy up time. Children have good opportunities to use the school facilities, and this helps them to move on happily to school.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children make good progress in their learning and development. They have many opportunities to develop their writing skills, and independence, in preparation for their future learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 143013 Local authority Somerset Inspection number 825815 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 5 Total number of places 18 Number of children on roll 24 Name of provider Stepping Stones Playgroup (Wells) Committee Date of previous inspection 10 November 2010 Telephone number 01749 677011

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Setting details

Stepping Stones Playgroup is run by a committee of parents. It is situated in the grounds of Stoberry School in Wells, Somerset. The group is open term time only Monday to Friday from 9am to 3pm. They receive funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years. There are five members of staff. Of these, one holds an early years qualification at level 5 and two members of staff hold a qualification at level 3. One member of staff is working towards an early years qualification at level 3.

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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

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Setting details

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Setting details

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Setting details

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