Stepping Stones Children's Nursery School Ltd

Stepping Stones Children's Nursery School Ltd Woodton Cp School, Norwich Road, Woodton, Bungay, Suffolk, NR35 2LL

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 11 May 2017 30 January 2014

p.1

This inspection: Outstanding 1

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Outstanding 1

p.1

This inspection: Outstanding 1

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding 1

p.1

This inspection: Outstanding 1

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding 1

p.1

This provision is outstanding

 The manager demonstrates a strong commitment towards maintaining excellence in all areas. The staff team continually reflects on their practice to ensure that all children receive the highest quality care and learning experiences.  Staff have an expert knowledge of how children learn best. Teaching is consistently of a very high quality. Staff are very responsive to children's changing interests and needs. Their support is highly effective in enabling children to make rapid progress in their learning and development in readiness for school.  Highly effective systems of performance management are used well to ensure that all staff continually improve their knowledge and skills to benefit the children. Staff are fully supported to attend targeted training and obtain higher levels of qualifications.  Staff are committed to maintaining a very effective flow of information with parents and family members. They keep them fully informed of their children's learning and

p.1

This provision is outstanding

progress. Staff provide activity ideas and plan specific events, such as a literacy evening, to support parents and carers to extend their children's learning at home.  Staff have an in-depth understanding of all children. Knowledge gained is used exceedingly well to provide targeted strategies to rapidly close any identified gaps in children's learning. Staff skilfully plan activities that ignite children's curiosity and imagination and promote their enthusiasm for learning.

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

 review the impact that the recent improvements to the systems for monitoring children's progress have on maintaining children's already excellent learning.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector spoke with staff and children during the inspection.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the nursery manager.  The inspector held a meeting with the nursery manager. She looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.  The inspector spoke to a small number of parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

p.2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management is outstanding

Safeguarding is effective. All staff have a very secure knowledge of child protection procedures. They fully understand their role in protecting children and keeping them safe. The management team undertakes robust recruitment procedures to help to ensure that all staff are suitable for their role. Highly effective systems are in place to monitor, supervise and mentor staff. Evaluation of teaching skills helps staff to complement each other's abilities, to the benefit of the children. Management effectively evaluate how to spend additional funding to directly benefit children. A new system to monitor children's progress has recently been introduced. Management have identified that they have not yet evaluated the effect that the new system has on the outcomes for children.

p.3

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

Staff carefully organise the indoor and outdoor space to create an inspiring learning environment for children. The thoughtfully planned areas effectively promote children's independence as they engage in purposeful play. Children are active, motivated and inquisitive as they experience an exciting mix of adult-led activities and free play. Staff skilfully follow children's ideas as they play and use spontaneous opportunities to build on their learning. Staff foster children's curiosity as they use probing questions to encourage children's conversation and exploration.

p.3

Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Staff provide an outstanding child-friendly environment. They display children's artwork creatively. This adds to the ambiance and shows that children's ideas are valued. Children thoroughly enjoy their time at nursery. They settle quickly and rapidly become familiar with the daily routines. Staff provide an exceptionally safe learning environment for all children. Children behave exceptionally well. They share, take turns and value each other's differences. Staff praise children's achievements as they develop their self-care skills. Children develop superb physical skills as they explore the well-equipped outdoor areas.

p.3

Outcomes for children are outstanding

Children are extremely well prepared for their future learning and eventual move on to school. They have many opportunities to count and use mathematical language, such as more and less, during their play. Children freely access books, both indoors and outside. Their early writing skills are developing extremely well. Children enthusiastically join in with whole-group activities. The wonderful interaction and complete involvement clearly displays how much children are learning through the highly skilled interactions with the staff. Children's move on to school is significantly enhanced by the very close links staff have with the host primary school.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number EY397045 Local authority Norfolk Inspection number 1088090 Type of provision Sessional provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Age range of children 2 - 10 Total number of places 20 Number of children on roll 47 Name of registered person Stepping Stones Children's Nursery School Ltd

p.4

reference number

Date of previous inspection 30 January 2014 Telephone number 01508482756

p.4

reference number

Stepping Stones Children's Nursery School Ltd registered in 2009. The nursery employs six members of childcare staff. Of these, five hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above, including one with early years professional status. The nursery opens Monday to Friday during term time. Sessions are from 9am to 3pm Monday to Thursday and from 9am to 12 noon on Fridays. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The nursery also offers out-of-school provision. During term time these sessions are from 3.15pm to 5.30pm. Occasional sessions are offered in the school holidays for children aged three to eight years.

p.4

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.

p.4

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.

p.4

reference number

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 reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/, write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.5

reference number

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our website for news, information and updates at www.ofsted.gov.uk/user.

p.5

reference number

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

p.5