Stepping Stones

Stepping Stones

Unique reference number (URN): EY221441 Address: Blossomgate, Ripon, North Yorkshire, HG4 2AJ Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 24/09/2002 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Blakey, Jayne Nadine

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The setting has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not met: The setting has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Achievement Expected standard

Generally children benefit from a curriculum that is varied and planned activities that link to their interests and next steps in learning. This helps motivate them and progress their development. Leaders call in other professionals to enable children to receive good care, support and development opportunities. Parents of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities say they deeply value the support the staff give every day, during the referral process and beyond.

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Achievement Expected standard

Staff follow children's interests and ideas with enthusiasm, such as, providing a good narrative when children pretend to be chefs and order different-flavoured pizzas made of dough. Children enthusiastically count, compare and sing a wide range of action songs. They identify their own name-card and older children confidently attempt to write letters. Children learn the skills they need for school.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Leaders and staff have a clear knowledge about promoting positive behaviour with children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They know how to support children to develop an understanding of expected behaviour, including respecting diversity and the abilities of others. This starts with detailed information gathered from families and close relationships with the whole family.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

All children are well behaved. The caring staff use lots of opportunities in children's play to help them learn and develop the social skills they need for successful relationships. They talk to children about their feelings, so they can recognise them in themselves and other people. The staff's warm interactions and loving care show children and babies how to behave kindly. This helps children to develop responsible, caring behaviour and learn to think of others as they play.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Parents are very complimentary about leaders and staff and say they fully appreciate the positive improvements in their children's social skills since attending the setting. Leaders work closely with parents to help support their child's personal, social and emotional development through regular discussions. This includes promoting children's regular attendance to ensure each child has the best opportunities and support for learning.

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Children's welfare and well-being Expected standard

An improved key-person system supports the development of close relationships at all levels. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive good levels of care. Staff are respectful to children, for instance, they ask if they can change their nappy and wait for a response. Children with SEND demonstrate they enjoy the routines of the day, putting their coats away and pouring their own milk.

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Children's welfare and well-being Expected standard

Young children's health and growing independence are supported by key persons who understand how to care for babies and toddlers. They treat children gently. They sing and talk to them during activities and cuddles to help them relax. Toddlers have plenty of safe, obstacle free space for crawling, walking and exploring, so their coordination and strength develop well.

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Children's welfare and well-being Expected standard

Leaders and staff support children to develop an understanding of the importance of physical exercise and a healthy diet. Children receive home-made nutritious food and learn to understand why it is good for them. After a lively game of 'What's the time Mr Wolf?' children felt their heart rates and staff talked about the benefits of fresh air. Staff ensure all potential hazards are minimised, while supporting children to understand risks as they play alone and with others.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have worked with an external consultant to review and improve all aspects of the curriculum. Staff are confident to deliver the setting's educational programmes so that all children make good progress from their starting points. Staff conduct detailed observations and assessments on their key children and clearly identify children's next steps. This includes the mandatory two-year-check they share with parents.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff have a clear focus on communication and language, personal, social and emotional development and physical development for all children. This helps stimulate children's speech, curiosity and self-help skills. Staff have high expectations for all children, including those in receipt of funding. Staff ensure children learn to respect each other's individuality and embrace diversity.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Overall, staff interactions with children are typically good. They ask children questions as they play and know when to sit back and let children make their own discoveries. Staff engage children and babies in lots of discussions throughout the day. Staff in the baby room are particularly effective at using books and stories to support children's language and a love of books. Babies choose a book and actively seek out their key person to cuddle in and be read to. However, older children do not have such easy access to the books available to them. This limits their opportunities to explore these independently and develop their literacy skills.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have worked hard to strengthen all staff's understanding and knowledge to support children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) or have other barriers to learning. This includes children known (or previously known) to children's social services. Some staff are attending advanced training for children with SEND to help increase the team's awareness and confidence in supporting the learning and wellbeing of all children in the setting. Overall, leaders monitor individual children's progress well. They support key persons and parents to put effective support in place to help children catch up quickly with any identified gaps in their learning and development.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Additional funding, such as early years pupil premium is used to benefit children effectively. For example, the setting has put a 'mystery bag' together to use to help calm children when overwhelmed. Staff follow children's interests and find resources and turn-taking games to encourage children's communication and language and social skills. This has had a positive impact on children's ability to speak and play with others. However, leaders recognise there is more to learn about the range of additional funding available and are actively seeking training and support to build their expertise for complex cases, when required.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders and staff have made many positive changes since the last inspection to improve outcomes for children, including those who are disadvantaged, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, or those known (or previously known) to children's social care and/or those who face barriers to learning and/or wellbeing.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have a clear vision for the future and what needs to be done next and share this with staff. Staff are receptive to the changes made and can identify where these have improved children's learning experiences. For example, a focus on improving maths skills, and more use of hand signs has improved children's concentration and social skills. Staff say face-to-face safeguarding training has contributed significantly to a rise in confidence. Leaders carry out spot safeguarding questions and ask what they would do in different child protection scenarios. This helps test their knowledge and understanding.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff welcome the new systems in place to ensure staff performance. Leaders carry out regular staff supervision through observing their teaching and care of children. They identify training needs together. This means staff feel included in the evaluation of the setting. Staff say they feel listened to and that leaders are constantly thinking about their wellbeing.

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Compulsory Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register.

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Register

When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

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Voluntary Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the voluntary part of Childcare Register.

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Register

When we check if settings meet the Voluntary Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Leaders and staff have met all actions from the last inspection. They understand their role and responsibilities in keeping children safe and what actions to take if they have a concern about a child's safety, attendance or wellbeing. They meet the learning and development requirements and have put systems in place to ensure all children benefit from a high-quality curriculum.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children are happy and settled in this welcoming provision. The setting supports all children's emotional needs well, including disadvantaged children and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Children form warm and positive bonds with

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Inspector:

Jan Harvey their designated key person and other staff members. This creates an enjoyable family style atmosphere.

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Inspector:

Staff are lovely role models. They encourage all children to be kind to each other and help them learn to share. Recent training means staff are very consistent in their behaviour management throughout the setting, in particular for those children with SEND. Children's behaviour is consistently good.

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Inspector:

Overall, children are keen to learn. They persevere with activities and receive lots of praise for trying hard and having a go at new things, such as moving pompoms with tweezers to help develop finger strength for early writing. This helps build children's confidence, helping them to believe they can succeed in their achievements. All children communicate with confidence and enthusiasm about their activities. They show curiosity and routinely approach staff to join in with their role play and games. Children readily make marks, choosing to draw independently on drawing boards and together on a large roll of wallpaper. They continually chat with staff while drawing their favourite dinosaurs and attempting to write their names. Staff typically ask useful, open-ended questions and demonstrate a genuine interest in what children talk about or show an interest in.

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Next steps

Leaders should continue to strengthen their knowledge and understanding of additional funding available to help all children make the best possible progress. Leaders should support staff working with the older children to extend opportunities for them to access a wider range of books and materials to support early literacy skills and a love of reading.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with leaders, staff, the special educational needs coordinator, parents and children during the inspection.

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About this inspection

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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Address:

Blossomgate Ripon North Yorkshire HG4 2AJ

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:00

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standards expected of them.

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Expected standard

The setting is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standards set out in statutory and non-statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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