Cheers of joy as 'welcoming' Sunderland nursery judged good in all areas by Ofsted inspectors
Cheers of joy could be heard reverberating around the staff-room of Stepping Stones DayNursery after Ofsted inspectors judged the “welcoming and friendly” Washington nursery to be good in all areas.
Inspectors highlighted the “homely” environment in which infants are “excited and motivated to learn, and praised the “nurturing” staff team and the excellent relationships established with the children, whose behaviour was also described as excellent.
Lead inspector Eileen Grimes was particularly fulsome in her praise of the learning opportunities afforded to children.
She said: “Children have many opportunities to freely explore the resources and the environment. They make the most of being outside and develop good gross motor skills.
"Children build resilience as they climb, negotiate space on bicycles and cars and balance on stepping stones.”
Ms Grimes also praised the development of children’s literacy.
She added: "Children's communication skills are encouraged throughout the nursery. Staff model conversation skills well. They introduce new words to children in context, such as fluoride, when children clean their teeth. Staff foster children's love of books and reading.
"Older children enjoy favourite stories, which they confidently retell, and they use a range of reading materials in all aspects of their play.”
Following the judgement, nursery manager Terri Fos said: “When I told staff the judgement, everyone was really happy and there were loud cheers. We’ve been waiting a long time since the pandemic for the inspection and so it was also a relief.
"To get a good judgement was amazing.”
Terri was most pleased the nursery’s provision for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) was recognised along with the “strong relationships” established between staff and parents.
The inspectors said: “The special educational needs coordinator is highly proactive in recognising concerns and supporting children. Staff work closely as a team to create individualised support plans for children. As a result, children make good progress across all areas of learning.”
Terri responded: “I’m pleased the amazing work we do with children with SEND was recognised as we base it on the individual needs of the child. It was also nice to get good feedback about the positive comments made by parents.”
The report also commended the nursery for the detailed observations and assessments of children's progress, which allow staff to “quickly identify any gaps in their learning”.