Stepping Stones Co- operative Nursery Ltd

Stepping Stones Co- operative Nursery Ltd Unit 26, Werdohl Business Park, No 1 Industrial Estate, Consett, Co Durham, DH8 6TJ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 31 March 2017 24 April 2014

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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 follow children's lead as they play and learn. Their teaching is flexible and tailored to challenge children appropriately. They adapt and extend activities to match children's individual learning needs and preferences.  Staff observe children as they play, which helps them to identify their abilities and interests. They plan a range of fun and exciting activities that appeal to children and encourage them to develop new skills and build on what they already know and can do.  Staff offer children plenty of praise and encouragement. This helps to promote their emotional well-being and contributes to their high confidence and self-esteem.  Children are confident learners who explore their environment with enthusiasm. They engage well in activities, pay attention to staff and follow instructions. Children have a positive attitude to learning that helps to prepare them for school.  Parents are very happy with the care and learning provided. They comment on the

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This provision is good

friendly atmosphere and commend staff for their very good communication.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 The manager and staff do not use their self-evaluation to its fullest effect to focus on improving the standards of teaching and learning to the highest levels.  The manager has yet to more precisely analyse information gained from assessments of children's progress to further monitor the attainment of different groups of children.

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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

 strengthen the arrangements for self-evaluation to focus even more closely on enhancing the already good quality of teaching and learning  use the information gathered from assessments of children's progress to help monitor the development of different groups of children even more precisely.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector had a tour of the premises.  The inspector observed the quality of teaching and assessed the impact on children's learning and development.  The inspector completed a joint evaluation of an activity with the manager.  The inspector held a meeting with the managers. She looked at relevant documentation, including the suitability checks carried out on staff.  The inspector spoke to staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection. She also spoke to a number of parents and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

There are effective arrangements to supervise staff. Managers encourage staff to develop and extend their skills, for example, by attending training courses. Staff feel supported and valued, which contributes to their enthusiasm in their roles. Safeguarding is effective. Staff understand their responsibility to keep children safe and know what to do if they have a concern about a child's welfare. Staff develop effective partnerships with other professionals involved in children's care and development. For example, they share information and discuss teaching strategies, which helps to provide a consistent approach to supporting children's progress. Where staff identify any gaps in children's learning, the managers ensure they receive swift support that helps them to catch up quickly.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff are mindful of the different ways that young children learn. For example, they have begun to develop the garden areas to support those children who prefer to learn outdoors more effectively. This contributes to the improved engagement of some boys who prefer to be active in their play and learning. Staff encourage pre-school children to solve their own problems they encounter during their play. For example, they persevere as they try different ways to get water from inside the rim of a tyre. Babies benefit from activities that promote their developing physical skills. They practise pulling themselves up and negotiate steps as they play on indoor climbing equipment. Parents are very much involved in their children's learning, which contributes to children's good progress. Parents contribute to assessments and welcome ideas to support their children at home.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff model good manners and are polite and respectful to children and each other. They work closely with parents to manage children's behaviour, which helps to set consistent expectations and boundaries. Children respond positively and behave well. Children benefit from plenty of fresh air and nutritious meals and snacks. This helps to promote their physical well-being. Staff support children to meet their own personal-care needs. Children learn to manage their own coats and shoes, and enjoy helping staff with small tasks in the nursery. This promotes their independence effectively. Children are very well supported at times of change. Staff help them to become familiar with new people and routines when they move to new rooms in the nursery and eventually on to school.

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Outcomes for children are good

All children make good progress in their learning from their starting points. Most are working within the range of development expected for their age and some exceed this. Pre-school children develop skills in literacy and mathematics that help to prepare them for later learning. For example, they learn about numbers as they play in the pretend shop. They identify letters and sounds as they practise writing their names. Children develop friendships, begin to cooperate and help each other during activities.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY334496 Local authority Durham Inspection number 1087997 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 0 - 4 Total number of places 48 Number of children on roll 76 Name of registered person Stepping Stones Co-operative Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 24 April 2014 Telephone number 01207 580006

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reference number

Stepping Stones Co-operative Nursery Ltd registered in 2006. The nursery employs 21 members of childcare staff. Of these, 15 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6.15pm. The nursery provides funded early education for children aged two, three and four years.

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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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