Stockton House School

Inspection of Stockton House School Stockton House School, Stockton Avenue, Fleet, Hampshire GU51 4NS

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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 Outstanding

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The provision is outstanding

Children thrive in the care of the inspiring staff team. They are extremely motivated to learn and immediately engage in the abundance of stimulating activities. For example, younger children show high levels of enthusiasm as they excitedly select and add different materials during messy play activities. They are extremely inspired and curious to explore, during the changing textures of shaving foam, red paint, glue and flour, and say that it looks like lava. Children looked for books about volcanos and used the pictures to create volcanos.

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The provision is outstanding

Older children in the kindergarten rooms are extremely imaginative. They find the tools they need to achieve their aims from an extensive range of outdoor resources, and excitedly tell the inspector they are digging up a road and making a runway. Children put on hard hats and discuss the importance of wearing safety equipment. They make predictions as they fill containers and tell others that they may be too heavy to lift. Children demonstrate outstanding problem-solving skills and decide it would be easier to use the wheelbarrow to transport and empty the soil. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language, make excellent progress.

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need to do better?

n The manager and staff team have high aspirations for all children. They meticulously assess and plan for children's learning and swiftly identify any gaps in their development. Staff work exceptionally well with the special educational needs coordinator and other agencies, to provide children with first-rate early intervention and support. They provide an exceptionally well-designed curriculum and use every opportunity to challenge and extend children's learning and development. n Staff promote children's understanding of behavioural expectations exceptionally well. They give children the time they need when there is a change of routine and are sensitive to those children that may need additional support during these times. Staff use a wealth of strategies, such as visual aids and sign language, to help children manage their feelings and emotions. They empower children and give them small tasks, such as helping to take the lunch numbers

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need to do better?

to the chefs in the kitchen. n Children benefit from fresh air and extensive physical exercise throughout each day. For example, older children are extremely motivated to master new skills. They demonstrate excellent control of their movements as they eagerly pull themselves up and over bars on climbing equipment. This builds on their core strength exceptionally well. Their younger peers negotiate their way over tyres and up slopes. They are heard to say, 'I did it', as they achieved their aims. n Staff pay excellent attention towards supporting children's healthy development.

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need to do better?

1 April 2022 For example, children enjoy nutritious snacks and a freshly cooked and extremely well-balanced lunch each day. They have wonderful opportunities to learn about the nutritional benefits of food and where it comes from. On the day of the inspection, children planted bean seeds. They used words, such as 'germinate,' and discussed how roots form under the soil and with water and sun light, the beans will grow above the ground. n Staff establish outstanding partnerships with parents. Parents discuss the exceptional progress their children have made since starting at the nursery. They comment that staff provide the essential support and guidance they need to help them continue with their children's learning at home. n Staff are highly skilled at supporting children's early language and communication development. They illustrate this as they seize the moment to introduce new vocabulary as the younger nursery children engage in sand play.

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need to do better?

For example, children use descriptive language as they discuss why wet sand will not flow through sieves. Staff have improved the opportunities for children to participate in story times, which further support children's wonderful love of books. n The manager has superb arrangements in place for reflecting on and making improvements. Staff have attended substantial amounts of training to enhance their skills and knowledge, which they disseminate to their colleagues. This leads to a skilful and highly organised staff team, who ensure that all children have every opportunity to reach their full developmental potential.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff have an exceptional knowledge of how to keep children safe. They have an excellent understanding of the signs that may indicate that a child is being abused. This includes wider safeguarding issues, such as internet safety. The manager continually tests the staff's knowledge of safeguarding through scenarios and questions. Staff note any patterns in children's absence and check to make sure there are no concerns about a family's well-being. Staff constantly supervise children to minimise accidents and keep them safe. There are first-class recruitment, induction and supervision procedures in place to ensure staff's suitability.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY299577 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 10128598 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 70 Number of children on roll 90 Name of registered person Stocktonia Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01252 616323 Date of previous inspection 13 April 2016

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Information about this early years setting

Stockton House School registered in 2005. It is located in Fleet, Hampshire. The nursery opens Monday to Thursday, from 9am to 3pm with an extended day of 8.30am to 3.30pm on request and on Friday, from 9am to 2pm, with an option of starting at 8.30am on request, during term time. There are 20 members of staff working with children. Of these staff, 13 hold appropriate childcare qualifications at level 3, one holds a level 5 qualification, one holds a level 4 qualification and one holds qualified teacher status. The manager has a degree in early Years with early years professional status and the deputy manager holds early years teacher status. The provider receives funding to provide free 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 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the manager and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The manager led the inspector on a learning walk and told her what they wanted the children to learn at the nursery. The manager and the inspector carried out an evaluation of an activity together. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector held discussions with the manager and staff throughout the inspection. She looked at relevant documentation, including qualifications and first-aid certificates, and viewed evidence of the suitability of those working with children. n The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day. She also spoke to children about their experiences in the nursery.

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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

1 April 2022 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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