Stepping Stones Preschool (Brackley)

Stepping Stones Pre- School (Brackley) Springfield Way, Brackley, Northants, NN13 6JJ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 15 October 2015 11 March 2009

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Outstanding 1

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding 1

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding 1

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This provision is outstanding

 Leadership is inspirational, successfully driving improvement over a sustained period of time. Managers and staff demonstrate an uncompromising commitment towards achieving excellence in all areas.  All children are highly supported to reach their potential, including those who require particularly perceptive intervention and additional support. The conscientious staff team closely monitor children's learning and development. They take account of children's starting points, make precise assessments and include all those involved in children's learning.  Children are extremely happy and content, and their personal and emotional development are promoted very well. Staff have an exceptionally caring ethos that puts children at the centre of everything they do. They help children to successfully form secure emotional attachments and feel very secure in the setting.  Managers and staff create excellent partnership opportunities with parents and other

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This provision is outstanding

professionals. This contributes to excellent outcomes for children in all aspects of their care and learning.  Children relish exploring the exceptionally inspiring and well-resourced outdoor area. They are well supported to initiate their own play and develop their skills across all areas of learning.  The exemplary staff team has the utmost aspirations for each and every child. Their encouragement and guidance support children in becoming self-assured and confident in their own abilities so that they are very well prepared for school.

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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

 refine the systems for assessing children's learning, to provide more detailed information about groups of children, in order to develop practice even further.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in both of the main playrooms, the outside learning environment, and conducted a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager and business manager of the provision. She spoke to staff and children throughout the inspection, when appropriate.  The inspector looked at children's assessment and planning documentation, the setting's risk assessment and safety records.  The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of staff working within the setting, the provider's evidence of self-evaluation and a range of other documentation.  The inspector took account the views of parents spoken to on the day, and by reading a number of comments on messages and letters given to the manager.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is outstanding

The management team has an excellent understanding of their responsibilities in relation to all legal requirements. The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff are vigilant about children's welfare and safety. Many additional arrangements ensure safeguarding practice is of the highest level. Strong recruitment, thorough induction, regular, in-depth supervision and monitoring of practice results in the high-quality teaching children receive. Rigorous, ongoing training ensures required knowledge is up to date and individual professional development is valued. Systems for self-evaluation are highly reflective and continuous. Management and staff are constantly reviewing all areas of practice to identify better and more successful ways of working. Managers have correctly recognised the need to strengthen how they monitor the progress of groups of children, in order to develop practice even further.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

The quality of teaching is outstanding. Adults offer children individualised learning. They differentiate and extend activities to suit children's specific needs. Staff never tire of joining in, or leading activities to enhance children's enjoyment and support their development to the highest possible level. They support children's creativity and imagination excellently as they role play hospitals. Children are sensitively encouraged to share their knowledge and understanding and make links in their experiences. They play and explore, develop curiosity, solve problems and question each other and adults to extend their learning. Excellent use of real-life props enrich children's play as they use dressings, tape and bandages to care for their patients. Staff act as very effective role models; they become children's patients and encourage them to discuss the equipment and tools they are using. New skills and achievements are valued exceptionally well which

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

support children's confidence and self-esteem. Children show their intense pleasure as their growing language is responsively recognised by their key person. They choose a coloured paper brick to proudly share their new words on the word wall display.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

The learning environment is extremely well set out. It stimulates children's interest and inspires them to use their skills, senses and imagination. Children relish the freedom to move around independently between the indoor and outdoor areas. The attentive staff team is deployed very thoughtfully so staff are readily available to sensitively support children's exploration and extend their learning. Children thoroughly enjoy their time in this dynamic provision. They are happy and are becoming active, confident and independent learners.

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Outcomes for children are outstanding

Children are making exceptional progress and their future move on to school is very effectively managed. The pre-school has a close and reciprocal relationship with the local school. They adapt arrangements to mirror those of the school to minimise the change to children's routines and new environment.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY366925 Local authority Northamptonshire Inspection number 857816 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 11 Total number of places 48 Number of children on roll 145 Name of provider Stepping Stones Pre-School (Brackley) Date of previous inspection 11 March 2009 Telephone number 07518 041892

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Setting details

Stepping Stones Pre-School (Brackley) was first established in 1969 and re-registered in 2008 to offer a full-time provision. The pre-school employs 14 members of childcare staff. Of these, 11 hold appropriate early years qualifications ranging from level 2 to level 5. The pre-school opens from Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 7.45am until 6pm. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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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

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Setting details

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