Stepping Stones Child Care & Education

Stepping Stones Child Care & Education Coupals Primary Academy, Chalkstone Way, Haverhill CB9 0LB

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Inspection date 21 January 2019 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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This provision is good

n Staff promote children's emotional security well. They help children to settle when they are new. Staff spend time with children and their parents, getting to know each family's background and their child's experiences. n A broad range of learning opportunities is provided for children, including for those who prefer to learn outdoors. This helps all children to engage and make good progress in their ongoing learning and development. n The registered providers obtain the views of parents, children and the staff team. This helps them identify new ways to promote continuous improvement of the service they provide. Parents are delighted with the progress their children are making. Effective arrangements keep parents updated and they are warmly encouraged to share information about their children's achievements at home. n The providers and staff work closely with other professionals as required. This enables

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This provision is good

them to support families in accessing external help to further support their child's development, for example with speech and language issues. n The providers do not rigorously monitor all staff's assessments of children's learning to ensure consistency in staff accurately recording each child's progress. n The providers do not consistently check that newer staff are fully aware of all children's next steps in learning in order to help children make rapid progress.

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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 enhance procedures for the evaluation of staff's practice with regard to tracking children's progress n enhance planning to ensure that staff working with different children understand their identified next steps for learning.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

Inspection activities n The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector discussed an evaluation of an activity with one of the registered providers. n The inspector held a number of discussions with both registered providers, staff and children. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation, including evidence of the suitability of persons working with children. The inspector discussed with the registered providers about how they reflect on practice. n The inspector took account of the views of parents through feedback provided during the inspection.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

The setting is an integral part of the early years unit in the host primary school. Children enjoy a safe, secure space, inside and outside, where they have fun taking part in a wide range of learning opportunities. Staff are provided with professional development opportunities and supervision meetings, enabling them to discuss and develop their practice. This helps them to improve aspects of their teaching. Safeguarding is effective. Staff have a good understanding of child protection issues. They know how to respond if they have any concerns about a child's welfare. Ongoing training helps to keep staff updated with the latest safeguarding guidance. For example, staff are confident about recognising if children have been exposed to extreme views. All required policies and procedures are in place and records are stored securely.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

The majority of staff are well qualified. They provide good levels of support for children. Well-organised activities help to build on children's interests and support their learning well. For example, through discussion, staff know that children enjoy exploring different types of messy play. As a result, they ensure that a range of sensory materials, such as rice and cornflakes with various containers, are provided. Children thoroughly enjoy pushing their hands through the flakes. They use their growing descriptive vocabulary to enthusiastically explain that it feels 'crunchy'. Staff use effective strategies, such as introducing discussion, to promote mathematical conversations. Children confidently count how many containers they have and enjoy filling these with the rice and cornflake mixture, anticipating how much they will need to fill the cup to the top.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff work consistently as a team and implement effective techniques to promote children's understanding about acceptable behaviour. Children are confident and behave well. For instance, they take turns to speak and listen during story time, showing consideration to others. Children learn to manage their personal needs well. This includes hygiene, clothing and eating meals. Children quickly become familiar with different environments. They enjoy taking meals and sharing other facilities within the main school. Children are provided with daily opportunities to play outside in the fresh air. They have fun running, jumping and using equipment that helps them to develop their balance and coordination. Older children begin to make their own assessments as they play, learning how to take measured risks.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children are well prepared with the skills they need for their eventual move on to school. They are confident communicators and use language well as they play and learn. Children demonstrate high levels of perseverance. For example, they persist at drawing from their imagination. Children learn how to hold pens appropriately to help them create pictures of cars and houses.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY541379 Local authority Suffolk Inspection number 10092088 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Full day care Age range of children 1 - 11 Total number of places 35 Number of children on roll 62 Name of registered person Stepping Stones Childcare & Education CIC

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reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 01440761018

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reference number

Stepping Stones Child Care & Education established in 1991 and re-registered in 2017 as a Community Interest Company. It is located in Haverhill, Suffolk. There are two providers and 10 members of childcare staff. Of these, seven hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above, including one of the providers who holds early years professional status. The setting opens from Monday to Friday for 51 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 7.15am until 6pm. The setting provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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

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