Stepping Stones Day Nursery

Stepping Stones Day Nursery Market Lane, Swalwell, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, NE16 3ED

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 31 August 2017 31 October 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

 The management team successfully supports the performance and professional development of staff. For example, supervision meetings, appraisals and peer observations enable staff to improve their teaching skills.  Staff work closely with external agencies and other professionals to ensure children's individual needs are fully met. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language, make good progress.  Children's speech development is fostered well. Younger children babble and use single words and older children use descriptive language and easily answer questions.  A key-person system is established and staff are caring and sensitive. This helps children to form strong bonds and emotional attachments from the outset.  Children are comfortable in making their own choices and decisions. They confidently move around their environment and freely access their own resources and equipment.

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This provision is good

 Staff have completed first-aid training and fully understand how to respond to children following an accident or injury.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff do not make the best use of adult-led activities to enable all children to participate and be actively involved.  Occasionally, staff do not fully support younger children's awareness of good health and hygiene during daily routines.

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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

 maximise opportunities for all children that help them to participate and become engaged during adult-led activities  extend ways that help younger children to develop their understanding of the importance of good health and hygiene.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector viewed all areas accessed by children, including the outdoor environment and observed play and learning opportunities.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager and spoke to staff members in the setting.  The inspector carried out an interview with the management team and also looked at and discussed a range of policies and procedures.  The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of staff working with children, the provider's self-evaluation form and improvement plan.  The inspector took account of the views of children, parents and carers spoken to on the day of inspection.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff have a secure knowledge of what procedures to follow if they have any child protection concerns. The management team are fully aware of what changes must be notified to Ofsted and ratios are consistently maintained. Staff are deployed efficiently and children are supervised well. Health and safety checks are carried out to ensure potential risk is minimised and the indoor and outdoor environments are safe. Staff implement a wide range of policies to help to protect children's welfare, including how to appropriately deal with a parental complaint. The management team have a clear vision for continuous improvement. They work alongside staff to devise precise action plans to enhance future outcomes for children.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff are well qualified and successfully extend children's experiences. Overall, staff have a good understanding of children's individual interests and what they need to learn next. Monitoring systems for tracking children's ongoing progress are effective. These enable staff to narrow any potential gaps in children's learning and development. Staff have established positive relationships with parents and keep them informed about their children's day at nursery. Furthermore, parents are encouraged to share information from home to create a consistent approach. Staff promote children's expressive art and design skills well. For instance, children thoroughly enjoy exploring different textures and are curious and creative as they participate in craft activities and imaginative play.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children behave well. Staff ensure children follow appropriate boundaries and understand the expectations. The environment is warm, friendly and homely, which makes a good contribution to children's well-being. Children are happy, relaxed and feel secure in their surroundings. Staff are fully aware of how to prepare children for their future moves. They have developed close links with the local nursery and primary schools to support this process. Children have vast opportunities to develop their physical skills, build their coordination and take suitable risks.

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Outcomes for children are good

All children acquire key skills in readiness for the next stage in their learning, including school. Children are independent learners and develop their thinking and problem-solving skills as they play. They gain their own understanding of simple mathematical concepts. For example, children explore size, shape and measure as they build structures during construction activities. Children develop good literacy skills. Younger children show an interest in stories, songs and rhymes. Older children practise their early writing and give meanings to the marks they make.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 311839 Local authority Gateshead Inspection number 1103605 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 94 Number of children on roll 121 Name of registered person Stepping Stones Day Nursery Partnership

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 31 October 2014 Telephone number 0191 488 9000

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reference number

Stepping Stones Day Nursery registered in 1997. The nursery employs 24 members of childcare staff. Of these, 21 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above, including one staff member who holds qualified teacher status. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, from 7.30am until 6pm, for 51 weeks of the year. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The nursery supports children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language.

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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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