Stockton Stepping Stones

Stockton Stepping Stones Stockton Primary School, School Street, Stockton, Warwickshire, CV47 8JE

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 8 March 2018 17 November 2014

p.1

This inspection: Good 2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Good 2

p.1

This inspection: Good 2

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2

p.1

This inspection: Good 2

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good 2

p.1

This provision is good

 Staff observe and assess children's progress effectively. They use their good knowledge of children's different stages of development to plan for future learning and challenge children successfully. Children make good progress.  Partnerships with parents are strong. Communication is good to ensure that staff and parents work together well to meet children's care and learning needs.  The manager ensures that staff keep their knowledge about early years issues up to date through proactive research and training.  Staff promote children's personal, social and emotional development well. Relationships between the staff and the children are strong and children are confident learners.  Children readily engage in conversation with staff. Staff support children in developing their vocabulary and thinking skills. For example, staff give children time to put their thoughts into words when they ask them questions.

p.1

This provision is good

 Children practise their good handling skills in a variety of ways. Older children develop good pencil control.

p.1

It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff do not fully support children's learning with regard to different traditions and families and communities, beyond their own experience.  Staff do not consistently promote children's independent exploration and experimentation with different textures and materials.

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

 extend opportunities for children to gain a greater awareness of similarities and differences in society and a broader understanding of different people in the wider world  increase support for children to explore and investigate a wider range of textures and materials and develop their own ideas.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector completed joint observations with the manager and discussed teaching methods with her.  The inspector held meetings with the manager and a member of the committee. She looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability and qualifications of staff working in the nursery.  The inspector took account of parents' views.

p.2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Recruitment, selection, induction and staff supervision procedures are good. Staff are aware of the signs that children may be at risk of abuse and neglect. They know the referral procedures to follow if they are concerned about a child. Designated safeguarding lead staff attend training courses presented by representatives of the local safeguarding children board and all staff complete child protection training online. They are aware of the duty to prevent children from being drawn into situations that may put them at risk. The pre-school premises are safe and secure. The manager uses her early years knowledge successfully to monitor the effectiveness of teaching and learning. Staff complete training that enhances their knowledge of how to meet the needs of children. For example, they have recently attended training on how to support children's early language development.

p.3

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff support children well to acquire skills and a capacity to learn so that they reach the next steps in their learning. Children interact confidently with staff and their friends. Staff offer good support as young children progress from putting two words together to begin to form simple sentences. Some children choose to make marks with their fingers in shaving foam that covers the top of a table. Staff encourage them to see the marks they can make when they use different tools, such as forks. They challenge children to use their good handling skills to pick up balls of cotton wool with tweezers. Children count the number that they successfully deposit into beakers. Children select and use technology. For example, older children use their good skills to operate a camera and they giggle when they look at the photographs that they take.

p.3

Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children enjoy their learning in a safe and welcoming environment. Relationships between staff and children are strong. Children understand behaviour expectations, such as sharing and taking turns. They behave well. Staff boost children's self-confidence, for example, through praise for their efforts, achievements and positive behaviour. Staff promote children's good health effectively. They provide a healthy snack and ensure that children are physically active each day. Children learn good personal hygiene practices. Children gain an awareness of the natural world in the outdoor play area. They grow herbs in their sensory garden and they plant, grow and harvest vegetables.

p.3

Outcomes for children are good

Children's learning builds well on what they already know and can do. They make good progress in readiness for the move on to school. Children learn to manage their self-care needs independently and carry out simple tasks for themselves, such as putting on their coats before playing outside. They count and use mathematical language while they play. Older children understand that print carries meaning. They write for different purposes, for example, they pretend that they are marking names on an attendance register.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number 200782 Local authority Warwickshire Inspection number 1103057 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 - 4 Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 21 Name of registered person Stockton Stepping Stones Committee

p.4

reference number

Date of previous inspection 17 November 2014 Telephone number 01926 813789

p.4

reference number

Stockton Stepping Stones opened in the 1970's. The pre-school employs four members of childcare staff. Of these, the manager holds an early years qualification at level 6, one staff member is qualified in early years at level 5 and two are qualified at level 3. The pre- school opens from Monday to Friday during term time. Sessions are from 9am until 3pm. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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