Stepping Stones Nettleham

Stepping Stones Nettleham Village Hall, Brookfield Avenue, Nettleham, LINCOLN LN2 2SS

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Inspection date 2 May 2019 Previous inspection date 17 May 2016

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This inspection: Good 2

Previous inspection: Good 2 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 The management team and staff work well in partnership with schools that children will attend. Staff help prepare children for their move on to school. For example, they invite teachers to visit children in the pre-school, show children pictures of the school environment and talk to them about the school routine. n Staff encourage children to develop their physical skills. For example, they show children how to open and close their hands to use scissors safely. Children manage risks in their play and learn new skills. n Children who speak English as an additional language make good progress in their understanding and use of English words. Staff help children to feel welcome and encourage them to have a sense of belonging. Children share words from their home language with staff and other children. n Staff are skilled at promoting positive behaviour. They give children suggestions and ideas about how they can solve problems. For example, when children want to use

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This provision is good

musical instruments that others are playing with, staff remind them to ask politely and to use manners. Children behave well. n Children show positive relationships with staff and enjoy spending time with them. They are confident and demonstrate that they feel safe and are emotionally secure. n The management team monitors closely how well children are achieving in their learning. This helps to identify any concerns in children's learning and ensure effective planning is implemented to close any gaps. n Staff do not consistently seek information from all parents about children's prior learning when they first start. n The management team and staff reflect on the provision they offer children and families. However, they do not consistently gather feedback from parents and children to help identify further improvements.

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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 gather more information about children's prior learning from all parents, to help staff to plan more precisely for children when they first start attending n consistently gather the views of parents and children to help make further improvements to raise outcomes for children even higher.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

n The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector spoke with staff and children during the inspection. n The inspector completed a joint observation with the pre-school manager. n The inspector held a meeting with the pre-school management team. She looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the pre- school. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. The management team makes sure that staff have an up-to- date knowledge of child protection procedures. Staff have a good understanding of the signs of abuse and where to report concerns about children's safety and welfare. The management team and staff are well qualified and work closely as a team to support children in their development. Staff attend meetings with the manager to reflect on their practice. They attend training that helps them to improve their teaching skills. For example, staff have attended training to deepen their understanding of how to support children's communication and language development. This has a positive impact on the progress children make in their speaking skills. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well in their development. Staff work with other professionals and put targeted plans in place to support the individual needs of children.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff use observations and assessments well to identify children's abilities and to plan for what they need to learn next. They provide opportunities for older children to develop their mathematical skills. For example, staff ask them to count the number of children present during group times. Children develop their understanding of numbers and count to 11. Staff provide opportunities for younger children to develop their creative skills. For example, they provide children with musical instruments to play. Children bang, scrape and shake instruments and listen to the sounds they make. They develop an understanding of how sounds can be made in different ways. Staff share information about children's learning with parents. This helps parents to know how their children are developing.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff provide opportunities for children to learn about healthy food options and how food is grown. For example, children help to water vegetables and herbs in the garden. Staff offer children healthy snacks. Children thoroughly enjoy spending time in the garden. They develop their physical abilities, for example when they climb up and down ramps and balance on wooden logs. Staff encourage children to learn new skills that help to promote their independence. For example, younger children wash their hands on their own. Staff ask children to carry out small tasks, such as encouraging them to help staff to tidy away toys. This helps children to gain a sense of responsibility.

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Outcomes for children are good

All children, including those in receipt of funding, make good progress in their development. Children are creative and demonstrate good imaginative skills. They put boxes on different parts of their body and say, 'I am a robot'. Children reach typical levels of development in literacy for their age. For example, older children begin to write the letters in their name. They recognise sounds that are represented by letters of the alphabet. Children are well prepared for their move on to school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY435063 Local authority Lincolnshire Inspection number 10074939 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 2 - 11 Total number of places 40 Number of children on roll 78 Name of registered person Stepping Stones Nettleham Partnership

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 17 May 2016 Telephone number 07599 546426

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reference number

Stepping Stones Nettleham registered in 2011 and is situated in Nettleham. The pre- school employs five members of childcare staff. Of these, two hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 4, one holds level 5 and the manager holds early years professional status. The pre-school opens from Monday to Friday all year round, except for one week between Christmas and New Year. Sessions are from 7.30am until 5.30pm. The pre-school 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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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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