Stepping Stones Nursery

Stepping Stones Nursery

Unique reference number (URN): 2776358 Address: 6-8 Braithwaite Road, Birmingham, West Midlands, B11 1LB Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 26/01/2024 Registers: EYR, VCR Registered person: Stepping Stones Community Organisation Committee

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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

Parents are very complimentary about the care their children receive. They particularly praise the efforts staff make in getting to know their children as individuals and helping them to feel emotionally secure. Parents say that they have seen progress in a very short period of time. They say that children are more confident and that they are learning new words and communicating more at home.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop the key skills they need to prepare them for the next stage of their learning, including school. Children are developing independence. They hang their coats and bags up on their named pegs and choose what they want to play with. Children copy and repeat the words staff model, which helps to develop their vocabulary. Physical skills develop as children balance on stepping stones and ride wheeled toys outside.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Most staff understand how to support children to learn what is expected of them. They remind children what they want them to do and refrain from telling them what they do not want them to do. For example, if children run indoors, they remind them to use 'walking feet'. Leaders have identified that some newer staff are still working on adapting their response to behaviour in line with the nursery's approach. These staff are benefiting from ongoing training and further support from leaders. The provider is confident that this will help establish a more consistent staff approach when supporting children to understand what is expected of them.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Staff treat children with warmth and respect. They are beginning to understand their individual needs and circumstances. Children have a positive approach to learning. They are beginning to understand the routines in place. Children arrive punctually and attendance is good. There are times when children demonstrate that they know what is expected of them, for example they put aprons on before playing with water. Children maintain their focus and attention when they are enjoying activities. They clearly like playing with their friends. They have so much fun they are reluctant to leave at the end of the session.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders understand that children need to feel happy and secure to gain the most from their time at nursery. They ensure that children benefit from gradual settling-in sessions to help them and their families become familiar with the staff and the new environment. Parents stay with their child and staff work with them to agree when children are ready to spend time at nursery alone. Staff ensure that they adapt their approach to consider individual children's needs and levels of confidence.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Staff create a warm, welcoming atmosphere where children show that they feel safe. Children are happy to respond to staff and join them at activities. Children form close bonds with staff and are beginning to develop friendships with their peers. Staff are attentive to children's needs. They support children with toileting and handwashing when needed. Staff support children to develop healthy lifestyles. Children benefit from healthy snacks and have daily opportunities for fresh air and exercise.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The curriculum is in the early stages of implementation. Leaders have a clear vision about what they want children to know and when. Staff have sufficient understanding about how to structure learning to build on what children already know and can do. Staff adapt their teaching to consider the age of children attending. However, not all staff have the knowledge and skills to ensure the curriculum is sequenced well. At times, while staff provide many activities and experiences for children, they do not focus their planning precisely enough on what children need to learn next. In addition, not all staff are skilled at using high-quality interactions to extend children's learning to a higher level.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

There is a strong focus on helping children to feel emotionally secure and develop communication skills. Staff generally teach children well. They encourage children to join in activities to develop their small- and large-muscle skills. Children show high levels of engagement. Staff model words as children explore sand and water. Children learn about mathematical concepts such as capacity and size. Staff support children to develop physical skills. Children demonstrate pride as they successfully pedal tricycles.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The provider is passionate about providing an inclusive nursery where children can thrive. Staff carry out regular observations and assessments of children's learning to identify any gaps or delays in learning at the earliest opportunity. Targeted plans are implemented to focus on areas where children need the most support. Staff work closely with parents to agree plans and work together on strategies to help close any gaps or remove barriers to learning. Leaders understand how to use any additional funding to extend children's learning.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Staff provide extra support for children who speak English as an additional language. They learn key words, or introduce nursery rhymes, in home languages, to promote language and communication skills further. Partnerships are developing with other agencies and professionals who may be involved in children's care. Staff understand how to work closely with health visitors, speech and language therapists and any other health professionals involved in children's care. This helps to create a shared approach to improving outcomes for children.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

During the inspection, it was identified that the provider had breached safeguarding requirements in respect of recruitment and vetting. References for some staff had not been obtained from their most recent employer and the overall vetting and recording systems were not robust. However, the provider took immediate action to ensure that the appropriate checks were made to demonstrate that staff were deemed suitable.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The nursery has only recently opened. Leaders are beginning to evaluate any strengths and have already identified some areas for development, including supporting staff further with how to promote positive behaviour more effectively. They work closely with families. Parents have the opportunity to attend the wider services in the nursery building, including support for breastfeeding, behaviour management and help with accessing further education and exams. This holistic view to supporting families helps to develop a shared approach to improving outcomes for children.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff benefit from regular meetings and individual supervision sessions. This helps leaders to identify further training to enhance staff skills. Staff praise leaders for the support they get to promote their personal wellbeing and welfare.

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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

Children are happy at this nursery, which has just opened. They arrive with smiles and eagerness and leave their parents with ease. Children demonstrate a sense of belonging and security as soon as they enter. They are keen to find their photo on the self-registration board and move it next to the nursery picture to show they are present. When they leave at the end of the session, they know to move their photo to the picture of home.

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

Staff prioritise the emotional welfare of children. They focus on helping children to feel safe and secure. Children form close bonds with staff. There is a wealth of activities on offer to inspire children to engage in play and learning. Staff join children as they play, and make ongoing observations to establish what children already know. Children grow in confidence. They are proud to repeat new words they have learned and happily continue to play when any new adults are present.

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

Children play cooperatively together. They engage imaginatively in role play. Some children fill the back of a ride-on car with shopping as other children take turns to drive the car. Children demonstrate how they care for their babies, as they wash dolls and push them around in prams. Children thoroughly enjoy their time at nursery.

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Next steps

Leaders should strengthen staff practice and help them develop a clearer understanding of what children need to learn next, and how to support this through purposeful interactions and a well-sequenced curriculum.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with parents, leaders, practitioners and the special educational needs coordinator 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:

6-8 Braithwaite Road Birmingham West Midlands B11 1LB

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Address:

Registered person: Stepping Stones Community Organisation Committee

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Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 09:00 - 15:00

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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 standard 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 standard 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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