Stepping Stones Pre- School Buxted

Stepping Stones Pre- School Buxted Buxted Church Hall, Church Road, Buxted, UCKFIELD, East Sussex TN22 4LP

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Inspection date 15 November 2018 Previous inspection date Not applicable

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This inspection: Good 2

Previous inspection: Not applicable Effectiveness of leadership and management Good 2 Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2 Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good 2 Outcomes for children Good 2

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The provision is good

n The enthusiastic manager and staff spend plenty of time playing with children in a positive way. They are calm and caring, and build strong bonds with all children, who are happy, settled and secure. n Staff plan an engaging and varied environment, and they support children's learning well. Children enthusiastically play, explore and discover, inside and outdoors. They are inquisitive and curious about the world around them. n The manager and staff build strong links with local inclusion services. They work closely together to share expertise and ideas, and create a very inclusive environment, where children's individual needs are met well. All children make good progress from their starting points, regardless of their circumstances. n Partnerships with parents are successful. Staff use effective ways to involve parents in their children's learning. They regularly invite them into the pre-school to discuss

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The provision is good

children's development and offer helpful suggestions to support learning from home.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

n Support for less experienced staff is not fully embedded to raise the good level of their practice further and help children to make rapid progress in their learning. n Some staff do not fully support children's understanding of how their actions can affect others.

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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

n develop and fully embed support for the less experienced staff, to help raise the good quality of their practice further n give children more consistent support to extend their understanding of how their actions can affect others.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

Inspection activities n The inspector observed teaching practices and the impact these have on children's learning. n The inspector held discussions with the manager, staff, children and parents. n The inspector read some of the pre-school's documentation, including the safeguarding policy and procedures. n The inspector sampled children's development information and records. n The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager and discussed children's play, learning and progress.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

The highly qualified manager is supported well by her staff team and a dedicated parent committee. Together, they monitor closely the progress children make and reflect on their experiences to help make continual improvements. For example, they have recently introduced exciting new outdoor experiences, where children explore, build and investigate in local nature areas. Overall, the manager supports the continued professional development of her staff well. She provides good coaching, guidance and helpful training opportunities. After recent training, staff have enhanced their support for children's healthy lifestyles. For example, they have introduced new physical sessions using balance bicycles and focused on children's understanding of oral health during play. Safeguarding is effective. The manager and staff attend regular training on all aspects of safeguarding. They are clear on the action to take if they have a concern and

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

take effective steps to ensure children's safety.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff observe children regularly and assess their stages of development closely. They use children's interests and developmental next steps to help provide enjoyable and challenging learning opportunities that motivate and engage them. For example, children enjoy exploring flour, paint and dough, and excitedly discuss how they feel, saying they are 'sticky' and' cold'. They show good curiosity as they mix paint to create new colours and proudly celebrate when they manage to make pink. Staff support children's communication skills successfully. They encourage plenty of conversation, ask thought- provoking questions and show a genuine interest in the children's lives and experiences.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff are very sensitive towards children's needs and value them highly as individuals. They are positive role models and, overall, children behave well. They happily include others in their play, making sure everyone has a turn, such as when using the slide outside. Children are physically active and enjoy plenty of opportunities for exercise and outdoor play, such as continuous access to the very well-resourced garden. They show good balance, strength and coordination as they use challenging physical equipment and take positive risks safely, for example, when climbing trees.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children eagerly learn the skills that prepare them for future learning and starting school. They use their imaginations well, such as when looking after toy animals and pretending to take them to the vets, saying they need to 'be made better'. Children confidently share their ideas and views, and express themselves well. They have good control over pencils and creative equipment, and pay good attention to detail as they draw. Children confidently count and compare shapes, such as 'circle cucumber' during snack.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY539049 Local authority East Sussex Inspection number 10077243 Type of provision Full day care

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Childcare on non-domestic premises Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 25

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Name of registered person

Stepping Stones Pre School (Fairwarp and Maresfield) Committee

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reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 01825 765241

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reference number

Stepping Stones Pre-School Buxted registered in 2016. It is open each weekday from 9am to 4pm, during term time. There are six members of staff, three of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications ranging from level 2 to early years professional status. The pre-school 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.ofsted.gov.uk . 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 and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, 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

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

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