Stepping Stones Pre-School

Stepping Stones Pre- School Meadway School, Dunsfold Road, Tilehurst, Reading, Berkshire, RG30 4NP

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 10 March 2017 12 January 2015

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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

 The manager has a positive attitude to developing staff's practice and improving the environment for children. Colourful, high quality resources are accessible to the children.  Children are happy, confident and independent learners. They enjoy preparing fruit salad. They enthusiastically taste the fruits and discuss why they like them.  Staff effectively support children with additional needs to make good progress. They work well with parents and other agencies to help children enjoy their learning, share with their peers and develop a positive attitude to learning.  Partnerships with parents are good. Parents are very involved in their children's learning. They receive detailed weekly diary updates from staff about what their children have done and their achievements.  There are good links with local schools. Staff and teachers work closely together to help children develop the skills and confidence to prepare them for their next stage of

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff do not make the most of opportunities to build on children's interest and play to help extend their learning even further.  Some staff do not always maximise two-year-old children's learning during activities.

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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

 provide further opportunities for staff to continue to develop the skills to consistently improve children's learning and progress  improve the learning outcomes for two-year-olds by engaging them even more effectively in their play.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector had a tour of the setting.  The inspector observed children at play inside and outside the setting.  The inspector observed a learning session with the manager and discussed the progress the children were making.  The inspector looked at a range of documentation, including staff suitability checks, risk assessments, qualification certificates and children’s records.  The inspector held discussions with staff and parents and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The manager has a good understanding of how young children learn, this helps her to use additional funding well. For example, grants are used to provide extra staff to help the children benefit through play and learning opportunities. The manager has led improvements to increase the progress children make. For instance, changes to the system to record children's progress means staff now have good quality information that helps to inform the next steps children need in their learning. Staff have effective support when they start to work at the setting. They also benefit from further opportunities to reflect on their practice. Safeguarding is effective. Staff understand what to do if they have concerns about children's safety or welfare.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff engage well in opportunities to improve their teaching. This helps them to plan a wide range of activities that help children explore and develop their thinking. Children chat with each other and complete increasingly challenging puzzles. The staff help the children to look for clues to find missing pieces. They discuss shape, colour, and the size of pieces. Some children have individual reading sessions. Children select books for staff to read and the children listen attentively. Staff use a good range of open questions that help children to talk about their experiences that are similar to those portrayed in the stories.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children behave well and develop strong relationships with staff. Children enjoy dancing to well-known songs. They enjoy moving their bodies and follow the dance moves demonstrated by staff. This helps children to curl up small and gradually become bigger as the caterpillars in the song hatch and eat the leaves. Staff help children to understand the differences and similarities between themselves and others. For example, they have written their names using Chinese symbols, as part of their Chinese New Year celebrations. Children learn to respect and help each other. They are helped to take turns and to wait patiently for toys other children are playing with.

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Outcomes for children are good

All children, including those who have who have English as an additional language, and those with special educational needs and or disabilities, make good progress. Children develop good communication and mathematical skills. They confidently ask for the snack they would like to eat. Children are confident, play together well, listen, share and take turns. They enjoy mixing the powder paint in the outdoor play area. They learn that when they mix red and yellow paint they make orange. They paint circles, squares and triangles on the pavement and name the different shapes. They learn a good range of skills, which helps them to be ready for the next steps in their learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY275967 Local authority Reading Inspection number 1085807 Type of provision Sessional provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 32 Name of registered person Stepping Stones Pre-School Committee

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 12 January 2015 Telephone number 07561506002

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reference number

Stepping Stones Pre-School is run by a voluntary committee and first opened in 1972. It registered with Ofsted in 2001. It is located in Tilehurst, Reading It is open Mondays to Fridays from 9am until 12 noon for three-year-olds. The pre-school provides services for two-year-olds from 12 noon to 3:00 pm and offer some all-day spaces for three- and four- year-olds. There is a lunch club from Monday to Friday until 1pm. The pre-school is registered on the Early Years Register. The pre-school receives funding for two-, three- and four-year-olds.

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reference number

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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reference number

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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reference number

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reference number

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reference number

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

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