Stepping Stones Pre-School

Inspection of Stepping Stones Pre- School Clipston School, High Street,Clipston, Market Harborough, Leicestershire LE16 9RU

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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The provision is good

Children thoroughly enjoy their time at Stepping Stones Pre-School. They separate from their parents at the door and are welcomed in by cheery, friendly staff. Staff are very attentive to children and know their needs extremely well. This helps children to feel secure, form positive relationships with staff and develop a good sense of belonging. The environment is well resourced and children make independent choices about what they want to do while at pre-school. Children enjoy learning, both indoors and outdoors. Staff have high expectations for children's learning. They plan a curriculum to take into account children's interests and their learning needs. All children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are making good progress.

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The provision is good

Staff use planned and spontaneous activities to support children to extend their knowledge. For example, children count items in the shop and staff support them to name the things they choose to buy. Other children play with small-world figures on the floor and navigate their cars around the road map. Children learn to share and to take turns with their friends. Children share their ideas and knowledge when they talk to one another and encourage others to join their games. They are developing strong friendships with each other.

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need to do better?

n The manager has a clear vision for the future of the pre-school and a structured plan for developing the outdoor area. The staff and manager share very positive relationships. Staff have opportunities to attend training, which supports developments in the setting. For example, recent speech and language training has encouraged staff to give children more thinking time when they ask them questions. n Staff know the local community that the children live in exceptionally well. This helps them to plan to meet the needs of individual children, including those with SEND. Staff develop highly effective relationships with parents and other professionals who may be involved in children's care. This means they can plan and implement specific strategies to support children to make the best possible progress. n Parents speak very highly of the setting and comment that they would recommend it to other families. They particularly value the face-to-face and

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need to do better?

online feedback they receive about their children's progress. Parents are confident that their children are making progress and attribute children's communication and social skills to attending the pre-school. Parents share examples of when their children use new words in conversation with them, such as 'chrysalis' when talking about butterflies in the garden at home. n Staff plan effectively for all children. They understand what children know and

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need to do better?

27 June 2022 can do and encourage them to learn more. Outdoors, children explored compost and water in a large tray. Staff used replica animals and reptiles to remind children of the creatures they met during a recent visit from a company that introduces children to a range of creatures. Children talked about the 'slithery snake' and the 'slimy snail'. They remember that they were brave because they touched the snake, and staff challenged them to hold the snake's toy spider. n Children are generally encouraged to be independent. They manage their own dress, putting on aprons and coats, and use the toilet independently. However, sometimes, staff do things for children without thinking, for example wiping a child's nose and cutting their fruit at snack time. This means children do not always learn to do things for themselves. n Staff encourage children to broaden their knowledge about things that interest

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need to do better?

them. Children create their own artwork; they draw horses and colour in unicorns. They stick tissue paper on plates to make rainbows. They learn how to mix colours and are enthusiastic about creating new colours. They are proud of their creations, eagerly asking staff to 'come and look', before they store their painting on the drying rack. n Children are supported to develop mathematical knowledge. They explore the directional arrows on a robot before they programme it to move on the 'Snakes and Ladders' mat. They count confidently and recognise written numbers up to 20. Children are eager to join in and this means that, sometimes, group activities become overcrowded and staff struggle to manage them.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff have a clear awareness of the signs and symptoms of different types of abuse that children can be subjected to, including grooming online and female genital mutilation. They know who to report concerns to about staff or children, and the importance of doing this swiftly. Staff refresh their safeguarding knowledge on a regular basis by taking part in training sessions. This allows staff to protect children from potential harm. The manager follows safer recruitment procedures, carrying out relevant checks on staff to ensure their suitability to work with children. The pre-school is safe and secure.

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should:

n further develop children's independence skills by consistently allowing them to carry out tasks by themselves n strengthen the support for staff to focus on developing their teaching practice, specifically around the management of group activities, to an even higher level.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 219879 Local authority West Northamptonshire Inspection number 10138598 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 24 Number of children on roll 28

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Name of registered person

Stepping Stones Pre School Clipston Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01858 525113 Date of previous inspection 9 May 2016

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Information about this early years setting

Stepping Stones Pre-School is located in the village of Clipston, in Northamptonshire. It registered in 1993. The pre-school employs six members of childcare staff. Of these, four hold appropriate early years qualifications between level 3 and qualified teacher status. The pre-school opens from Monday to Friday, term time only. Morning sessions are from 8.40am until 11.40am, lunch club is 11.40am until 12.10pm, and afternoon sessions are 12.10pm until 3.10pm. 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 setting 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 setting. n The inspector observed the quality of education during activities, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector completed a joint observation with the pre-school manager. n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together. n The inspector held a meeting with the pre-school manager. They looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the pre-school. n The inspector spoke with staff and children during the inspection. n The inspector spoke to parents and read comments made by parents about the pre-school during the inspection, and 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

27 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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Inspection activities

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