Stepping Stones Pre-School

Inspection of Stepping Stones Pre- School Aldborough CP School, Alby Hill, Alby, Norwich, Norfolk NR11 7PH

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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 Good

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The provision is good

Children arrive at this community pre-school happy and excited for the day. Staff greet children and their parents with genuine warmth. Staff welcome parents into the pre-school with their children when children need extra reassurance. This ensures that children receive the support that they need to feel safe and quickly settle to their play. Children benefit from the well-considered environment and experience a range of activities that deeply engages them in their self-directed learning. For instance, children return to a previous activity of digging and filling a trench with water. They work with determination and persistence as they transport water carefully, cheering each other on as they invent stories to accompany their activity.

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The provision is good

Staff assess children's development regularly and involve parents in planning what children need to make progress. When children have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), the special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) works closely with staff, parents and other agencies to ensure that children receive bespoke support. Children learn kind and considerate behaviours as they copy the example set by nurturing staff. When children find this tricky, staff work closely with parents to provide sensitive and effective support. All children make sustained progress in their learning and development.

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need to do better?

n Staff foster a love of books, stories and rhymes. They teach children to see that, as well as being fun and exciting, books are a source of information that can aid their explorations. Staff demonstrate to children how technology can provide information to build their understanding and expand children's vocabulary. For instance, children name the different types of bugs they see on the computer and consider the similarities and differences. They use this knowledge as they independently look for bugs outdoors. n Staff use the intended curriculum to naturally introduce new words as they play alongside children. Children delight is using their new words and concepts in their later play. For example, staff teach children who are drawing circles about spirals. They demonstrate how a circle can become a spiral and encourage children to notice how these get bigger and bigger as the pattern develops. Children have the time to play with and practise their spirals in their independent

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need to do better?

play. They confidently approach visitors, eager to demonstrate their new understanding and confidence in this mathematical concept. n Staff skilfully help children to become friendly and cooperative. They know when to step back and let children resolve issues and when to offer gentle support. This is particularly apparent when children are still learning to manage their big feelings and behaviour. Children learn important skills that help them to resolve

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need to do better?

11 June 2024 the challenges that come with turn-taking and sharing resources. n Staff provide many opportunities for children to develop both their large and small muscles. Outdoors, children lift and carry heavy loads to support their construction play. They use the resources staff provide to create tricky obstacle and race courses, and then challenge themselves to complete these. Staff provide sensitive support for children's emerging physical skills that builds their confidence and encourages them to have a go. Indoors, children have free access to art and craft materials that they use to develop their hand muscles, ready for later writing. n Staff plan to provide children with consistent routines, such as communal mealtimes and regular tidy-up times. However, there is not an agreed and commonly understood strategy for managing these effectively. Consequently, these can become chaotic, and children do not benefit fully from the intended

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need to do better?

learning. n The new manager and her staff have worked hard to develop and deliver the agreed curriculum. The manager provides regular supervision for staff, who enjoy their work. However, methods for wider evaluation of the pre-school are less well developed. For example, the manager does not yet have strategies that fully identify areas for improvement, such as monitoring the impact of staff deployment. Consequently, teaching and learning do not reach the highest level.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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should:

n support staff to manage daily routines effectively so that children can fully benefit from these experiences n develop evaluation to precisely identify areas for improvement and provide coaching and support for staff to raise teaching to an even higher level.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 254293 Local authority Norfolk Inspection number 10335432 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 Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 22 Number of children on roll 18

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Name of registered person

Stepping Stones Pre-School (Aldborough) Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01263 768 766 Date of previous inspection 15 June 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Stepping Stones Pre-School registered in 1999. The pre-school employs five members of childcare staff. Of whom, three hold appropriate qualifications at level 6 and two at level 3. The pre-school opens on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, during term-time only. Sessions are from 8.45am to 4.30pm. 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 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 joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want their children to learn. n Children told the inspector about their friends and what they like to do when they are at pre-school. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The SENCo spoke to the inspector about how they support children with SEND. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning.

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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

11 June 2024 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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