Stepping Stones Nursery

Stepping Stones Nursery 168 Bramhall Moor Lane, Hazel Grove, Stockport, Cheshire, SK7 5BA

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 18 August 2017 10 April 2013

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Outcomes for children Requires improvement

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This provision requires improvement. It is not yet good because:

 Staff access a range of training, but not all of them benefit from effective supervision and guidance that helps to raise the quality of practice to a good level.  The manager does not ensure that staff are aware of the home languages of children who speak English as an additional language to support their play, learning and language development.  Staff working with younger children do not use assessment findings to plan to support children's next steps in learning, so that they are helped to make good progress.  Systems used to gather information from parents about children's ongoing development are not always successful and information gathered from parents on entry is not detailed enough to help staff to plan even more precisely from the start.  Occasionally, staff interrupt babies' spontaneous play.

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It has the following strengths

 The new manager is committed to improving the quality of the provision. She has a realistic awareness of areas to develop and is focused on driving forward with improvements. She has already begun to make positive changes.  The quality of teaching in the pre-school room is strong. The environment is well planned. Children choose from a range of high-quality toys. This helps to motivate them and contributes towards their independence and confidence.  Children's behaviour is excellent. Children are happy and emotionally secure. All children develop a special relationship with enthusiastic and caring staff.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage the provider must:

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Due Date

 ensure that effective supervision provides staff with opportunities to receive coaching to improve their personal effectiveness and enable them to offer quality learning and development experiences for children 30/09/2017

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Due Date

 provide opportunities for children who speak English as an additional language to develop and use their home language and support their play, learning and language development. 30/09/2017

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Due Date

To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

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Due Date

 make better use of assessments to plan more specific and precise next steps and increase the potential for younger children to make good progress in their learning  gather more-detailed information from parents about children's development and skills on entry and find further ways of gathering ongoing information from parents to provide more consistency in supporting children's learning and development  enhance opportunities for babies to engage in uninterrupted play.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector toured all areas of the nursery. She observed the quality of teaching indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector held ongoing discussions and carried out an evaluation of teaching with the nursery manager.  The inspector spoke to staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection. She took account of the views of parents through discussions and written feedback obtained prior to inspection.  The inspector looked at relevant documentation, such as policies and procedures and children's records, the nursery's self-evaluation and checked evidence of the suitability of staff.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

Staff access regular training, which generally helps to enhance their knowledge and skills. However, not all staff receive regular supervision, guidance and support to help them to improve practice and children's outcomes further. The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. All staff are trained in child protection policies and procedures. They know what to do if they have concerns about a child or a member of staff. This helps to keep children safe.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

Staff are well qualified and overall provide interesting learning opportunities. However, staff working with younger children do not always plan specific next steps to help them to make good progress. Staff update parents with regular observations and assessments. However, systems used to gather ongoing information from parents about children's skills and interests are not always successful. Furthermore, information gathered on entry is not detailed enough to help staff to plan even more precisely from the start. Nonetheless, as two-year-olds manipulate dough, staff encourage their awareness of colour, shape and number. Children enthusiastically talk about the shapes they make. This helps to support their mathematical skills. Staff immediately respond to babies as they babble. Pre-school children enjoy an enthusing small-group activity, following on from a recent interest. They have opportunities to milk Daisy the cow and shear Barbara the sheep. Staff capably

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

extend children's learning through purposeful questioning. They teach children where milk comes from and how wool is made. However, staff are not aware of the home languages of children who speak English as an additional language to support their play, learning and language development.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

Staff in the baby room occasionally interrupt babies' play to sit them in high chairs as they tend to other babies. During this time they have no opportunity to play and explore. This does not fully support their individual needs. However, overall, babies are secure in the care of nurturing staff who know them well. They are soothed to sleep, calmed by soft lighting. Children's physical health is promoted well. They benefit from extra-curricular physical activities and enjoy daily outdoor play. They delight in climbing through tunnels, balancing on tyres and tree stumps and take well-supervised risks. Older children receive awards for teeth brushing. All children enjoy a healthy range of meals and snacks and the nursery chef caters for any specific dietary requirements.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Overall, all children, including children in receipt of additional funding do not make good enough progress for future learning and school. Older children who attend other settings are confident and settled due to consistency and regular information sharing between staff. Children develop secure relationships with others and play cooperatively together. They display strong independence and self-care skills.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY314799 Local authority Stockport Inspection number 1064783 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 45 Number of children on roll 44 Name of registered person Domalo Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 10 April 2013 Telephone number 0161 483 5475

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reference number

Stepping Stones Nursery registered in 2005. The nursery employs nine members of childcare staff. Of these, six hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above, including two members of staff who hold early years professional status. The nursery opens Monday to Friday for 51 weeks of the year and is closed for one week at Christmas. Sessions are from 8am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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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

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

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