Stepping Stones Day Nursery

Little Acorns 99 Church Road, Urmston, Manchester, Lancashire, M41 9FJ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 28 March 2018 16 September 2013

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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

 Staff make accurate observations and assessments of individual children's progress. They build on children's learning successfully and prepare them very well for the next stages in their learning. Children make good progress from their starting points. All children are busy and engaged well in their play and are eager to try new experiences.  Children are happy and well behaved in this welcoming, homely nursery. They form close bonds with staff, who are very caring and meet all children's needs. Staff work closely with parents to provide consistency of care for children. The children gain good levels of confidence and self-esteem and staff praise them frequently.  The strong partnerships with parents promote a shared approach to children's learning. Staff guide parents in sharing valuable information about their children's achievements. They involve parents in their children's learning at home and keep them well informed

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This provision is good

about their progress and activities.  Managers have a great passion to provide high-quality provision for children. They monitor staff practice and all aspects of the provision very thoroughly and successfully. Effective self-evaluation includes the views of staff, parents and children. Staff work closely with other professionals to support the needs of all children and parents.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 At times, staff do not make the best use of opportunities for children to enhance their learning experiences and exploration of the local environment even further.

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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

 further enhance children's exploration and learning about the different aspects of the local environment, to extend the range of learning experiences available to them.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector spoke with children and staff during the inspection.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the nursery manager.  The inspector held a meeting with the nursery manager and the head of human resources and operations. She looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.  The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and considered their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The management team monitors staff practice well and supports their ongoing professional development effectively. For example, the manager has recently learnt more about how to guide children's risky play to help them to learn ways to keep themselves safe and to encourage independence. She passes this knowledge on to staff and parents. Safeguarding is effective. The management team ensures all staff have a secure understanding of what would constitute a safeguarding concern. Managers and staff know how to report any concerns and are confident in implementing rigorous procedures to help keep children safe.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff support children's play and learning very effectively. They promote gender equality successfully through children's play, and help them to understand that toys and people's roles in the community are not gender specific. Staff plan effectively to help children develop their language skills and confidence when speaking in front of a group. They increase children's confidence in smaller groups to begin with and help them extend their sentences and vocabulary. For example, staff use children's favourite stories to encourage them to say what is happening and what will happen next. Staff teach children the sounds and shapes of letters and provide many opportunities for them to make marks and draw to help develop their early literacy skills.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children enjoy being with their friends at nursery and develop good social skills, such as when they hold conversations at mealtimes. Staff help younger children to learn each other's names and to gain a sense of belonging. For example, when children identify their photographs and respond to their names at group times. Staff help children to understand why they need to share the toys, take turns and to say sorry when they hurt another child. Children respond well to this and their behaviour is very good. Children enjoy daily outdoor play in the exciting and enriching outdoor area. Staff take all children's dietary needs into account and the nursery provides healthy and nutritious meals.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children are enthusiastic learners. For example, older children show great excitement as they hunt for mini-beasts outdoors. They share their ideas on what the creatures may like to eat, and compare their features and ways of moving about. Younger children thoroughly enjoy listening to stories with rapt attention and excitement. They laugh as they join in with the familiar, repeating phrases and sound effects for the stories. Children explore the textures of soil, sand and play dough and make independent choices from a stimulating range of toys and resources.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY318335 Local authority Trafford Inspection number 1064814 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 - 4 Total number of places 65 Number of children on roll 73 Name of registered person Little Acorns Nurseries Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 16 September 2013 Telephone number 0161 748 0963

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reference number

Little Acorns registered in 2006 and employs 19 members of childcare staff. Of these, 17 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 to 4. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am 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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