Stepping Stones Day Nursery

Stepping Stones Day Nursery Stepping Stones, Halfpenny Lane, Pontefract, WF8 4DA

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 17 May 2017 Not applicable

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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 quality of teaching is good and contributes towards children making good progress in their learning and development, overall. Staff make good use of questioning and encourage children to be active learners who think critically.  Robust recruitment procedures to check the suitability of all staff are in place. This helps to ensure that staff are suitable for their roles. Staff are well qualified.  A range of comprehensive policies and procedures are implemented to help provide a clear focus on children's welfare.  The management team offers regular staff supervision meetings and staff are well supported to attend training. This helps them to gain additional knowledge and skills to further support children's learning.  Staff act as positive role models. They effectively manage children's behaviour and children are provided with meaningful praise and encouragement. This helps to enhance their self-esteem and emotional well-being.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Arrangements are not fully in place to liaise with other settings that children attend, in order to fully support and complement their care and learning experiences.  There are times when staff do not use the information from their observations and assessments of children effectively to plan precisely for their next steps in their learning.

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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

 extend the information shared with other early years settings to fully support and complement children's care and learning experiences  strengthen planning systems to focus more closely on what children need to learn next and promote even greater progress.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with staff, children and parents during the inspection and took account of their views. She completed a joint observation with the nursery manager.  The inspector viewed all areas of the premises used by the children. She observed the quality of teaching during activities and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector held a meeting with the provider, nursery manager and deputy manager. She looked at relevant documentation and evidence of qualifications and of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.  The inspector looked at children's records, observation and assessment files, planning documentation and a selection of policies. She discussed the nursery’s method for self- evaluation and the impact this has on the setting.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff know the procedures to follow if they have any concerns about children's welfare in their care. Staff assess risks to help ensure the environment, resources and equipment are safe. For example, having noticed further risks associated with safety gates and doors, the provider has taken further action to help keep children safe. The provider has added additional locks and has displayed signs to remind adults to close all doors and gates securely. Staff are deployed appropriately within the nursery and ratios are consistently met to help ensure that children are supervised appropriately in all areas. Effective self-evaluation helps staff to continually improve the good service for children and their families. Staff have established good relationships with parents to help them meet children's needs. Parents spoken to during the inspection are happy with the care their children receive.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

The staff provide a good range of activities to promote children's learning and development. For example, staff support older children's mathematical development as they develop their awareness of shapes, numbers and size during daily activities. Children have daily opportunities to develop their physical skills. They play in the outdoor area and take part in activities to help their hand-to-eye coordination. For example, older children carefully use scissors. The management team regularly reviews the progress that all children make. Children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are particularly well supported and staff seek appropriate intervention and support.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children are very settled and motivated to learn. They arrive eager and immediately immerse themselves in play. Children's own work and photographs are displayed around the nursery to help ensure they have a sense of belonging and feel self-assured. Children's good health is supported. For example, they are offered healthy and nutritious meals and snacks. Staff use mealtimes to help teach children about healthy eating and the importance of good personal hygiene. The environment is clean and well presented. Children are encouraged to lead their own play, which helps to build their confidence and enhance their learning opportunities.

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Outcomes for children are good

All children develop positive attitudes towards taking part in learning experiences. This includes those children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language. Children develop their early literacy skills and enjoy using different coloured pens to create colourful pictures. Children are gaining a good range of skills in preparation for school when the time comes.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY496475 Local authority Wakefield Inspection number 1098289 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Age range of children 0 - 15 Total number of places 80 Number of children on roll 122 Name of registered person Fairburn Childcare Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 07827231611

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reference number

Stepping Stones Day Nursery re-registered in 2016. The nursery employs 18 members of childcare staff. Of these, 15 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above, including two with early years professional status. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round except for one week in August and one week at Christmas. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. It supports children who speak English as an additional language and children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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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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