Stepping Stones Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thoroughly enjoy their time at the warm and welcoming pre-school. They are happy, confident and positively engage with staff who know them well. Staff provide a calm and relaxed atmosphere that helps children to feel safe and secure. Children are eager to explore exciting and purposeful activities. For example, children explore the 'potion station'. They investigate a colourful array of flowers and water. Staff extend children's vocabulary as they introduce words, such as 'petal' and 'stem'.

Children confidently move around, both inside and outside. They have good opportunities to develop physical skills. Children share and take turns as they pedal tricycles and balance on ride-on toys. They show great excitement as they take supervised risks. For instance, children push ride-on vehicles to the top of the grassed hill and race down.

Children's behaviour is good. They follow the good examples set by staff who are positive role models. Children work collaboratively with their peers. For instance, children collect water from a tap, using a bucket, and work together to carry it back to the car wash. Children concentrate as they investigate how sponges absorb water. They observe carefully as they squeeze the sponges to create soapsuds.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

• Parents comment positively about the pre-school. They highly praise staff's excellent communication methods. Parents praise the staff about the pre-school's rigorous settling-in sessions. They compliment how staff support their children's learning and development. For example, staff share ideas, resources and give suggestions, which enables parents to guide their children's learning at home.
• The highly committed manager creates a positive culture. All staff work well together as an effective team. They meet regularly to discuss children's learning and development. Together staff plan exciting activities that follow children's interests. The manager researches training ideas and ensures that staff have good opportunities for professional development.
• Children love to explore the outdoors, and they develop good physical skills. They use a variety of equipment at the well-resourced mud kitchen. For example, children show enjoyment as they use their hands to explore the large mud area. They use their imagination as they pretend to make a 'chocolate vinegar cake'.
• Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities extremely well. They consult with parents and other professionals very well. Together they create detailed education health and care plans. This helps staff meet the individual needs of children from the beginning.
• Partnership working is effective. The manager and staff work closely with local primary schools. They confidently share information about children's learning and development. Staff invite teachers to take part in a variety of activities. For example, they read stories, play games and share lunch with the children. This helps to support children's transitions for when they move to Reception.
• Children's independence is promoted to the highest level. They wash their own hands and learn the importance of good hygiene. Children pour their own drinks and help tidy away. Staff develop children's understanding of healthy and unhealthy foods. Children participate in meaningful learning experiences. In particular, they learn how to reuse water and discover alternative ways to recycle.
• Staff encourage children to explore the natural world. For instance, children harvest home-grown foods. They help prepare the foods and enjoy tasting them. Children love to explore the world around them. They investigate sycamore seeds and giggle as they watch them move through the air. Staff encourage children to learn and care for animals. Children learn about the local community. For example, staff organise visits to the local church, shop, duck pond and woodland.
• Staff provide many opportunities to develop children's communication and language skills. Children enjoy sharing stories and books, and they take part in rhymes and songs. Staff provide an outdoor library for parents to share stories with children at home. Children are confident and happily engage in conversation with staff. However, sometimes staff do not always extend children's language skills to the highest level.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• help staff to enhance their teaching skills to consistently support children's communication and language skills.