Stepping Stones Day Nursery Ltd

Stepping Stones Day Nursery Ltd Arboretum Street, Nottingham, NG1 4JA

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 26 October 2017 10 July 2017

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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

 Leaders and staff have effectively addressed the weaknesses identified at the last inspection. Staff now receive regular supervisory sessions and training, to further enhance their knowledge to improve outcomes for children.  Strong key-person relationships are evident. Younger children seek out staff for a cuddle or a story. Older children enjoy lots of friendly conversations with staff who know them and their family circumstances very well.  Children behave well. Staff are caring and are positive role models. Children learn how to take turns, share, and be kind and respectful to others. Babies and young children develop close relationships with staff and feel secure.  Well-qualified staff are skilled at including older children of different ages and abilities in group activities. They offer just enough support to help children master physically challenging tasks.  Partnerships with parents are good. Leaders and staff use various strategies to keep

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This provision is good

parents informed about their children's learning and of how to extend learning at home.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff in the Red room do not use their assessment systems as well as possible, to precisely monitor children's progress to ensure any gaps in learning are closing rapidly.  Staff in the Red room do not consistently focus on providing children with the highest level of challenge and engagement during activities to build as much as possible on what they can already do.

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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

 help staff in the Red room to be more precise in identifying children's next steps in learning to narrow any emerging gaps  support staff in the Red room to provide children with greater levels of challenge and engagement to enable them to make the best possible progress.

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Inspection activities

 The inspectors observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspectors spoke with children, parents and staff during the inspection and took account of their views.  The inspectors completed a joint observation with the development officer.  The inspectors held meetings with the manager, the provider and the development officer. They looked at relevant documentation including staff qualifications and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the setting.  The inspectors looked at a selection of children's records and discussed safeguarding procedures and the self-evaluation process.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. Staff understand how to report any concerns about children's safety or welfare. They know how to recognise children who may be at risk, such as from extreme behaviours and views. Staff use risk assessments successfully to provide a safe and secure environment. They record and inform parents about any accidents or incidents that occur as children play. The manager carefully reviews these to further minimise risks to children's welfare. There are good systems in place for recruitment and induction. The management team uses regular meetings effectively to share good staff practice and improve teaching skills. The manager uses a wide variety of sources to inform the nursery's self-evaluation, including children, parents and the staff. Areas for improvement are accurately identified and relevant changes are implemented. The manager and staff form good partnerships with other professionals and other settings children attend, and

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

they share regular information. Parents are complimentary about the friendliness of the staff and they are happy with the progress that their children are making.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

The environment indoors and outdoors is welcoming and children are able to choose which activity they wish to take part in. The outdoor areas have a variety of resources to help children develop in all areas of their learning. Children respond well to music, expressing themselves freely and moving in different ways. They use their imaginative skills and have fun pretending to ride their broomsticks around the room. Children experience a good range of sensory and creative experiences. For example, they enjoy collecting different resources to make pretend magic potions. Staff make good use of a range of teaching techniques, such as using pictures to help children with speech and language difficulties and those who speak English as an additional language, to understand routines.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff caring for babies are very attentive to their individual needs. They ensure that babies receive lots of one-to-one attention throughout the day and offer them regular cuddles. Staff use photographs to reflect the diverse families in the setting. Younger children are encouraged to be independent and make their own choices. This enables them to develop skills to make further progress. Older children develop their independence as they carry out simple tasks for themselves, including managing their personal care and tidying up after themselves.

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Outcomes for children are good

All children, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language make good progress. Additional funding is used effectively to support individual children's progress. Children are highly motivated to learn. They have good opportunities to learn about healthy lifestyles. Children develop a range of skills to support the next stages in their development, including their move on to school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 254643 Local authority Nottingham City Inspection number 1109605 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Age range of children 0 - 6 Total number of places 217 Number of children on roll 201 Name of registered person Stepping Stones Day Nursery LTD

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 10 July 2017 Telephone number 0115 9101162

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reference number

Stepping Stones Day Nursery Ltd registered in 2000. The nursery employs 39 members of childcare staff. Of these, one holds qualified teacher status, three hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 6, one at level 5, one at level 4, twenty nine at level 3 and two at level 2. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday all year round, except for one week at Christmas. Sessions are from 7.45am 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

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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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