Stepping Stones Playgroup

Milk in cups and saucers, a vote on the next story and a ladder made from crates: in February 2022, everyday play at Stepping Stones Playgroup gave children opportunities to make choices and practise independence. Small moments carried real purpose.

Ofsted rated the playgroup Outstanding at its 17 February 2022 inspection. Based at The Scout Hut in Sheet, Petersfield, it has capacity for 26 children aged two to five. Its opening hours are 9am to 3pm, Monday to Friday during term time, with closure during school holidays.

The early years foundation stage sets the framework for children's learning and care, bringing language, social development and other learning into play and daily routines. In February 2022, staff helped children explore mathematical ideas by estimating the blanket size needed for a den. Dinosaur play introduced vocabulary about evolution and extinction. These examples connected new ideas to something children were already doing.

Outdoor learning also had substance in February 2022. Children returned to daffodils each week to notice changes, while a crate-built climbing activity prompted discussion about staying safe. Favourite stories extended into exploration of textures outdoors. Books were a starting point for practical discovery, rather than a separate part of the day.

Children also voted for a story in February 2022, listening to others and accepting that their choice might lose. That made shared decision-making something to practise, with an outcome they could understand.

At the February 2022 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and judged that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities received highly effective support and made substantial progress. Picture-based choices and visual schedules helped children participate and understand the day's sequence.

In February 2022, a buddy arrangement supported continuity when a child's key person was absent. Staff demonstrated signs to help children communicate, talked through feelings and used breathing exercises to support emotional regulation. Praise recognised individual efforts. Together, these practices gave children several ways to express themselves and receive a response.

Families received detailed, frequent progress updates in February 2022, and staff maintained communication with other professionals involved in children's care. Staff also identified learning gaps associated with the pandemic and introduced support promptly. Children's daily health habits included handwashing after using a tissue, linking self-care to an understandable reason.

The address is The Scout Hut, Inmans Lane, Sheet, Petersfield, GU32 2AN. The term-time calendar makes the playgroup a consideration for families whose childcare arrangements accommodate school-holiday closures.

In February 2022, the playgroup accepted funding for children aged two, three and four. This is a dated participation statement, rather than a promise of a funded place or a particular attendance arrangement.

• School-holiday cover. The playgroup closes during school holidays. Families needing childcare throughout the year will need an arrangement that covers those breaks.
• Attendance pattern. Opening hours run from 9am to 3pm during term time. At a visit, which booking patterns and funded-hours arrangements would fit your child's week?
• Inspection date. The Outstanding judgement dates from February 2022. Read the examples of learning and care here as an account of practice at that time.

Stepping Stones suits families seeking term-time childcare for children aged two to five, with a day that finishes at 3pm. Its February 2022 assessment provides a compelling account of learning through everyday decisions, practical exploration and responsive support. The strongest detail is how ordinary activities became opportunities to communicate, think and act independently.