Stepping Stones Pre-School

Model aeroplanes made from discarded materials, ducklings hatching in an incubator and fruit used to explore fractions give Stepping Stones Pre-School a recognisable character. These were concrete experiences in June 2022: children worked through ideas, watched living things develop and encountered mathematics during snack time.

At its June 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated the setting Outstanding and found excellent progress for children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). That is a dated judgement, with practical examples behind it.

The pre-school serves children aged two to five, with 18 places in total, at the Parish Rooms in Chacewater.

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care: play, conversation and everyday experiences contribute to learning rather than sitting apart from it.

In June 2022, children making model aeroplanes explained their plans and worked out how to realise them, with adults helping them locate materials and consider solutions. The emphasis was on developing an idea, rather than simply completing an adult's design.

In June 2022, the duckling activity continued beyond hatching: children followed their development on video and talked about them learning to swim. The incubator gave them something concrete to observe, while the follow-up kept the discussion going as the animals developed. It connected an immediate experience with change over time.

The June 2022 routine included adult-led circle time and opportunities for children to choose their own activities. Children knew the daily pattern and moved between these forms of play. For a parent weighing how structured a preschool day should be, this is a useful example of guided group activity sitting alongside children's own choices.

Language threaded through the day. In June 2022, adults paired speech with signs, expanded younger children's vocabulary and explored books through questions about their pictures and words. Older children encountered letter sounds during group time and practised writing.

Outdoor learning had a physical setting. In June 2022, the large park beside the pre-school gave children opportunities to practise balancing, climbing and safe running. Indoors, counting construction blocks and discussing pieces of fruit connected mathematical language with things children could handle.

In June 2022, group activities also brought numbers into the daily routine: children found numerals for the date and counted those attending. Construction then gave counting a purpose, as children considered the blocks needed for their structures. Mathematics appeared in several contexts, rather than being confined to a single group activity.

At the June 2022 inspection, Ofsted judged safeguarding effective, with staff able to recognise concerns and understand how to report them. This finding belongs to that inspection date.

Communication with families was practical in June 2022: daily exchanges and progress meetings covered children's development and the next steps in their learning. Parents could connect what happened at the setting with what their child was working towards.

Family contributions also enriched the day in June 2022. Parents shared food and their home languages, while children explored celebrations from other countries. These experiences made learning about other cultures tangible.

Health was part of everyday learning in June 2022. During pretend cooking, children talked about vegetables being good for them; adults also helped them understand tooth care and brushing. Alongside movement in the adjacent park, these were concrete ways to connect healthy habits with familiar activities.

In June 2022, staff checked indoor and outdoor areas for hazards throughout the day and dealt promptly with unsafe items or areas. That adds practical detail to the dated safeguarding judgement: attention extended to the physical spaces children used, as well as recognising and reporting concerns.

The address is Parish Rooms, Falmouth Road, Chacewater, Truro, TR4 8LP. Opening hours are 9am to 3pm, Monday to Friday, during term time; the setting closes for school holidays. That calendar matters as much as the daily opening window when planning childcare around work.

In June 2022, the pre-school received early education funding for two-, three- and four-year-olds. This describes its participation at that date.

• Term-time calendar. School holidays fall outside the opening calendar. Families needing care throughout the year should weigh that gap against their working pattern.
• Learning in practice. The June 2022 examples include child-designed models and speech supported by signs. On a visit, how are those approaches used with children today?

Stepping Stones suits families seeking daytime, term-time provision for children aged two to five. In June 2022, purposeful activities, communication with families and outdoor movement were woven into the day. The holiday calendar is the clearest practical constraint.