Stepping Stones Pre School Willerby

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The staff team demonstrate much commitment in prioritising children's happiness and well-being. They are all excellent role models who want the best outcomes for children. They make sure every child receives a warm and friendly greeting at the start of each session. This sets the tone for the day. Children demonstrate a strong sense of belonging in the pre-school, which strongly supports their confidence and self-esteem. They develop strong bonds with the staff, especially with their key person. Children are very familiar and comfortable with the daily routines and demonstrate a good understanding of the pre-school rules. For example, children politely remind each other of the importance of sharing resources and walking when inside.

Leaders plan a curriculum that is well designed, covering all seven areas of learning. They ensure the curriculum is dynamic and continues to be relevant in supporting children's progress over time. Staff know the children extremely well and plan for individual children's learning and developmental needs. They ensure every child, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are able to access appropriate learning experiences. Consequently, all children make good progress over time and they are well prepared for their future learning.

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

• Staff are well supported in their work. Leaders plan regular supervision meetings with staff to support them in their roles. They organise specific training events for staff, to further enhance their good teaching skills. Staff report that leaders are proactive in supporting their well-being.
• Children really enjoy the learning opportunities that are planned for the outdoor area. They display much enthusiasm and curiosity as they play with the different resources. Children collaborate and share their ideas as they build structures using large cardboard tubes. They show much satisfaction with the results of their efforts and successful teamwork.
• Staff are highly effective at responding to the different ways children communicate. They are skilled at teaching children new words in different contexts. For example, children learn the names of mythical animals, such as 'unicorns', as they listen to a Christmas story. Children's language development is consistently well supported. Children learn to confidently express their feelings and ideas to others.
• Children learn about the people and places that make up their own community. For example, staff plan visits to the local library and a neighbouring farm. Staff organise special events throughout the year to help children gain an understanding of the diversity of the modern world. Children learn that their own pre-school community is made up of families with different home cultures and customs.
• Staff generally promote children's independence well throughout the day. For example, they teach children to put on their coats and wellingtons and pour their drinks at snack times. Staff sensitively support children who need some additional help in managing their own self-care needs. However, staff provide limited resources indoors that provide opportunities for children to solve problems, to further develop their critical thinking skills.
• Staff build strong, trusting relationships with parents. They work closely together to promote the best outcomes for children. Parents comment that the pre-school is an important part of the local community. They highly commend the dedicated staff team, who do so much for their children. Parents say that their children love going to the pre-school and are keen to tell them about their day. Parents value the informative newsletters that are sent to them each term.
• There are excellent partnerships with other settings that children also attend. They share information that provides a consistent approach to children's care and learning needs across both settings. Staff support children who are moving on to school really well. They work closely with parents and the feeder schools to plan a smooth transition process. Children understand what is going to happen when they move on and are ready for the new, exciting challenges of school.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review the planning for indoor resources, to provide more opportunities for children to independently explore ways to enhance their problem-solving and critical thinking skills.