Stepping Stones Pre-School

Inspection of Stepping Stones Pre- School Leverington Cp School, 104 Church Road, Leverington, WISBECH, Cambridgeshire PE13 5DE

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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The provision is outstanding

All children at this pre-school significantly benefit from a wonderfully fulfilling early years' education. During every step of this journey, staff enable children to achieve their full potential. Children are eager learners and staff have high expectations of them. Children excitedly accept challenges from staff to solve problems and develop their ideas. Staff have designed the learning environments, both indoors and outdoors, to provoke children's awe and wonder about the world around them. For example, they participate in numerous scientific experiments to encourage their curiosity. Children have extremely high levels of respect for staff and each other. For example, they independently ask other children if they could move to the side so that they can reach a resource they would like.

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The provision is outstanding

The pre-school is a wholeheartedly inclusive setting. All children have a voice that is continuously listened to by staff. For example, when children comment they feel sad today, a staff member checks in with them throughout the session. Children are extremely accepting of each other's differences. Staff provide excellent role models in this respect as the uniqueness of each child is truly celebrated with genuine warmth and care. Staff constantly and positively adapt activities and care practices to meet the individual needs of each child. It is this expert approach from each member of staff that enables children to achieve as they do, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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need to do better?

n Staff demonstrate an exceptional understanding of what they intend children to learn in every aspect of the provision. As a result, children receive a rich and broad range of learning experiences. These enable children to build a deep knowledge and wide range of skills to substantially support their future learning in school. For example, children are encouraged to have deeper insight into familiar and unfamiliar stories by looking at the individual characters and changing or predicting the endings. They enjoy regular sessions in their outdoor woodland 'Wild space' to learn about assessing risks, nature and exploration. n Staff work tirelessly to support the children's families, including during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. Parents overwhelmingly appreciate this. Staff have swiftly identified where children need the most support. Intervention groups during each session give staff specific opportunities to tailor children's

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need to do better?

learning to their individual needs and abilities. It is the exceptional knowledge of children and their families that staff have that leads to the fully inclusive and successful early years provision. n Support for children with SEND is worthy of dissemination to other practitioners. Staff show genuine joy and pride when children make the smallest achievement, and share this with the other children too. Children with SEND make significant

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need to do better?

10 June 2021 progress from their starting points. This is due to the staffs' diligent support and robust partnerships with parents and other professionals. Additional funding received for some children is extremely well targeted to further enhance their development. n Staff are excellent role models as they engage in rich and appropriately challenging dialogue with children. Staff expertly watch, listen and respond to children as they build on their existing knowledge and skills. Staff give children so much confidence in their abilities and children are always keen to have a go. Children show very high levels of emotional security and well-being, and tend to their personal needs with much independence. n Children's communication and language skills are ever increasing as they become very articulate and fluent speakers. Staff constantly introduce new vocabulary and concepts, such as 'alternating' and 'repeated pattern', for

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need to do better?

example as children learn about sequencing coloured objects. This helps secure a strong foundation for children's future learning when they move on to school. n The manager rightly has full confidence in each of her staff's ability to deliver consistently outstanding teaching that is unique to each individual child's needs. The manager leads the team of staff expertly and ensures that recruitment, staff supervision, performance management, and continuing professional development is highly effective. n Feedback from parents is overwhelmingly positive about the excellent progress they feel their children have made in the care of the pre-school staff. Parents say they are extremely happy with all aspects of the pre-school and could not be more pleased that their children are able to attend.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Safeguarding is at the forefront of everything staff do at this pre-school. Stringent safeguarding policies and procedures ensure that staff work closely and swiftly with each other, parents, carers and professionals to keep all children safe from harm. Staff have an excellent knowledge of wider safeguarding issues, such as preventing children being drawn into radicalisation or terrorism. Staff work relentlessly to educate children about keeping themselves safe, for example while using electronic devices at home.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 509754 Local authority Cambridgeshire Inspection number 10133253 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 16 Number of children on roll 24 Name of registered person Leverington Pre-School Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01945 467576 Date of previous inspection 28 November 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Stepping Stones Pre-School registered in 1996. The pre-school is located in Leverington, Wisbech. The pre-school employs six members of childcare staff. Of these, five members of staff hold an appropriate early years qualification at level 3 and one holds an appropriate qualification at level 2. The pre-school opens term time only. Sessions are from 8.30am to 12.45pm on Monday, and from 9am to 3.15pm on Tuesday to Friday. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the provider received since the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the manager and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the setting. n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk together and discussed how the curriculum is organised. 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 at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n Children spoke to the inspector about the activities they were doing. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager. n The inspector held a meeting with the manager. She looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the pre-school. n A significant number of parents provided the inspector with written feedback.

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Inspection activities

The inspector took account of their views.

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Inspection activities

We carried out this inspection 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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Inspection activities

10 June 2021 regulates and inspects to 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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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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