Stepping Stones

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents

This provision is good The owner and her management team are highly qualified and experienced early years practitioners. They are passionate about providing the best quality education and care for all children.

The well-qualified staff team shares this vision and works well together to help children thrive and make good progress in their learning. Staff are excellent role models. They provide children with appropriate praise and encouragement, and treat them with kindness and respect.

Children feel valued, have exceptional manners, are courteous to adults and considerate to their peers. The learning environment is well organised with a range of high-quality tools, books,... toys and equipment. Children are encouraged to independently access resources and have many opportunities to extend and deepen their knowledge, inside and outdoors.

Strong partnerships between parents and staff help children to cope well as they move between home and the setting. Parents value the staff highly, appreciate the key-person system and feel well informed about children's achievements and needs. The progress of individual children is closely tracked.

Staff use this information to help plan for possible gaps in children's learning. It is not yet outstanding because: Occasionally, staff miss opportunities to extend children's vocabulary as they play. Although the manager gathers information about the progress of groups of children, this is not yet being used by all staff to help children make the most rapid progress possible.