Stepping Stones

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.