Stepping Stones Pre School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children mostly come into the pre-school readily and are welcomed by friendly and caring staff. Those children who are upset are sensitively supported by familiar and consistent staff. Children demonstrate that they feel safe and secure. They readily go off and choose what they want to do. Staff provide an interesting and varied range of activities in order to inspire children's natural curiosity to discover and explore. Children behave well. For example, when they want a resource that another child is using, they know to ask politely if they may have a turn with it. Children show kindness to each other when they are upset.

Children are becoming confident communicators. Overall, staff promote children's speech and language skills effectively, including those who speak English as an additional language. They engage children in conversation, challenge their thinking and give them time to consider questions before answering. Children have a positive attitude to learning and develop the key skills needed to be ready for school. Children enjoy staff's interactions with them and actively seek them out to share their play and learning experiences. Staff help children to learn about the importance of good health and hygiene. Children are developing independence in managing their own self-care needs. They have daily opportunities to play outdoors.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to develop consistency when modelling language, to help young children to hear and use the correct pronunciation of words
• focus more closely on supporting the early literacy and mathematical skills of children who prefer to learn in the outdoor environment.