Stepping Stones Pre-School

Planting seeds, mixing play dough and investigating insects gave Stepping Stones Pre-School a practical character in August 2022. Based at West Smethwick Methodist Church in Smethwick, it has capacity for 30 children aged 24 to 60 months.

Ofsted rated the setting Good on 5 August 2022, with strengths in parent relationships and learning about the wider world, alongside improvements needed in engaging younger children and developing mathematics for boys. Those two priorities matter when weighing the positive judgement.

The early years foundation stage sets the framework for children's learning, development and care: play, conversation and practical activities help children build skills and understanding. In August 2022, children explored this through growing plants, making dough and talking with staff. Older children remembered how to care for their seeds; dough-making offered a chance to notice what happened when a mixture became sticky and needed more flour.

Whiteboards gave children a physical way to represent their feelings during group conversation. In August 2022, they drew faces, discussed emotions and practised expressing themselves. Books, songs and conversations also supported language, while recognising names and connecting letters with sounds introduced early literacy.

Outdoor exploration extended an indoor insect activity in August 2022. Children matched toy insects with pictures before investigating real insects, spiders and webs outside. Visits to a church, a Sikh temple and shops brought the surrounding community into learning. These were concrete experiences of the natural world and differences between places, rather than abstract explanations.

The limitations were specific. In August 2022, younger children sometimes disengaged during shared activities, and mathematics did not attract all children equally; boys' attainment was lower than girls'. Counting and number recognition were part of the day, but the activities needed to reach more children.

At the August 2022 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and children with SEND or English as an additional language included and progressing well, with bilingual staff helping some children communicate in their home languages. This was a dated judgement about practice, including the use of familiar language to support participation.

In August 2022, staff used conversations with parents about home experiences and interests to shape activities. Home-learning packs helped families continue learning beyond nursery. Initial home visits also helped staff recognise where families might need early support, and information was shared with professionals already involved with them.

Health education reached parents as well as children in August 2022. Workshops addressed dental care and healthy eating, while children tended and ate produce they had grown. Learning about recycling connected caring for their own health with caring for their surroundings.

The address is West Smethwick Methodist Church, St Pauls Road, Smethwick, B66 1EX. Opening hours are 8.45am to 3pm, Monday to Friday, across the year, with closures for bank holidays and Christmas. The afternoon finish is a concrete consideration for families fitting childcare around work.

In August 2022, the nursery provided funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-olds.

• Younger children's participation. In August 2022, some younger children lost interest during shared activities. On a visit, ask how activities are adapted for the youngest children.
• Mathematics for boys. The August 2022 improvement priority concerned boys' engagement and attainment in mathematics. Ask for examples of how number activities now draw them in.
• Funding and daily costs. Funded early education was part of the August 2022 offer. What would a current funded arrangement include for your child, including food and consumables?

Stepping Stones merits consideration by families seeking daytime preschool care in Smethwick. Its August 2022 strengths lay in practical exploration, links between home and nursery, and experiences of the surrounding community. The 3pm finish needs to fit family routines. For younger children and boys developing mathematical skills, the two dated improvement priorities should shape the visit conversation.