Stepping Stones Pre-School

Inspection of Stepping Stones Pre- School Parish Rooms, Falmouth Road, Chacewater, Truro, Cornwall TR4 8LP

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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 Good

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The provision is outstanding

Children are extremely happy and confident in this setting. Every child, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make excellent progress. This is because there is a very ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum in place. Adults use their excellent knowledge of child development and of the children to accurately assess and plan for each child. The routine and activities carefully match the interests and ability of each child. This means children are excited and motivated to learn. Children engage deeply in activities as they test their own ideas and persist with challenges. For example, children want to make aeroplanes from junk. They clearly explain their ideas and adults encourage them to work out a way to achieve these. Adults expertly offer suggestions and help children to recall where to find the tools and materials they need to create their model, such as scissors and tape.

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The provision is outstanding

All children behave extremely well. They work collaboratively and show lots of respect towards others and the environment. Children feel very safe and secure as they know that the adults care deeply about them. Children know the routine well and happily follow it. They enthusiastically take part in the well-planned adult-led activities, such as circle time. They also quickly settle to self-chosen activities when the routine allows.

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need to do better?

n Children learn about the world around them through a rich variety of experiences and activities. For example, they watch ducklings hatch in an incubator in the setting. They then follow the ducklings' journey through a video. Children talk about how the ducklings have recently learned to swim. Children learn about other countries and cultures through experiencing festivals from other countries. Parents visit to share their home language and foods. n The managers share the curriculum intent extremely well, so all adults are very effective at teaching and supporting all children. As it is a small team, they can differentiate their teaching for each child very effectively. The manager is incredibly passionate and dedicated about all children achieving the best outcomes they can. She inspires the team and has their full support. They all train and reflect on practice to help her achieve her aims for the children. They

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need to do better?

work very closely with the local authority and welcome ideas and support to improve children's outcomes. n Children develop excellent language and communication skills, as adults model language incredibly well. Adults always use sign language to reinforce what they are saying, so all children, including those with SEND, can learn. Adults repeat words for younger children and extend them with descriptive words, such as 'red car' and 'heavy block'. Older children learn letter sounds through circle time.

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need to do better?

9 June 2022 Adults read and share stories with children throughout the day. They keep children engaged by asking questions and looking in detail at the pictures and words in the book. Older children are beginning to write recognisable letters and words and adults expertly support these skills. n Children develop a deep understanding of mathematics. They explore time and numbers during group activities, such as finding numbers to represent the date and counting how many children are in. Children count blocks they need to create structures and talk about the shapes of blocks. They discuss fractions during snack time as they label halves and quarters of the fruits. n Children develop an excellent awareness of healthy lifestyles. They develop physical skills in the large adjacent park, where they learn to climb, run safely and balance. When playing in the role-play area, children tell each other they are cooking vegetables for tea as they are good for them. Adults help children

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need to do better?

learn the importance of looking after their teeth and how to brush their teeth. n Partnerships with parents are extremely effective. Parents are kept very up to date with their children's progress and know their next steps. Adults share this information daily and through progress meetings. There is an excellent collaboration between parents and adults in the setting, which ensures all children achieve the best outcomes and are ready for their next stage in life.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

All staff are extremely knowledgeable about how to safeguard children. They know all categories of abuse and how to identify potential concerns. They are very clear about how to report this to support keeping children safe. Leaders ensure staff train regularly on all safeguarding matters and discuss these at staff meetings to ensure there is a clear and deep understanding. All staff risk assess the setting and outside areas regularly throughout the day. Any areas or items of risk are removed or fixed without delay. Managers use very robust systems to ensure the suitability of staff to work with children.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 102874 Local authority Cornwall Inspection number 10230933 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

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inspection

Total number of places 18 Number of children on roll 28 Name of registered person Chancewater Playgroup Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01872 561 542 Date of previous inspection 10 May 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Stepping Stones Pre-School registered in 1993 and is situated in Chacewater, near Truro. It is open Monday to Friday from 9am until 3pm, term time only. The pre- school receives early education funding for children aged two-, three- and four- years-old. There are four members of staff. Of these, two have a qualification at level 5, one at level 4 and one at level 3.

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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 provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n Children spoke to the inspector about what they enjoy doing while in the setting. n The inspector spoke to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The special educational needs coordinator spoke to the inspector about how they support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this was having on children's learning. n The manager and inspector carried out a joint observation of the outside play

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Inspection activities

area. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working 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

9 June 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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