Stepping Stones Pre-School Group at Knowle Parish Church

An apple tree, homemade weighing scales and conversations about unusual animals give this pre-school a recognisable character. At its July 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated Stepping Stones Pre-School Group at Knowle Parish Church Outstanding and found exceptional progress in children's language and communication.

The setting has capacity for 30 children. In July 2022, the children attending were aged two to three; the experiences described below belong to that period.

In July 2022, nature supplied practical learning material. Children grew herbs, vegetables and fruit, learned about reusing rainwater to water plants and made scales from reused yoghurt containers and clothes hangers. The apple tree gave them something living to watch develop. These activities connected caring for plants with using resources thoughtfully.

Physical play involved balancing, making obstacle routes and experimenting with hoops and stilts. Children also watered their plants themselves. Movement had a purpose as well as room for experimentation.

The early years foundation stage is the framework for children's learning, development and care. Here, its practical meaning included play, conversation and physical exploration: in July 2022, children acted out stories with teddy bears, chose books independently and talked about animals encountered on a farm trip. Visits from emergency workers and healthcare professionals introduced people whose jobs help the community.

At its July 2022 inspection, Ofsted found effective safeguarding arrangements and an exceptional key-person system, with staff knowing children closely and providing individual support. Morning safety checks and continuing first-aid training formed part of the arrangements then.

In July 2022, staff helped children practise sharing, taking turns and tackling difficulties themselves. Relationships with parents extended learning beyond the setting, while opportunities to join trips and spend a morning alongside their children made the pre-school day more understandable to families.

The address is St Johns Hall, Knowle Parish Church, High Street, Knowle, Solihull, B93 0LN.

In July 2022, attendance ran during school terms on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, with sessions from 9am to 3pm. Funded early education was provided for children aged two and three at that time. These are historical attendance and funding arrangements, rather than a current booking promise.

• A dated assessment. The Outstanding judgement comes from July 2022. It provides a substantial account of practice then, so families should weigh its age alongside what they need now.
• Your attendance plan. The July 2022 pattern combined term-time attendance with three specified weekdays. At a visit, what are the current accepted ages, session choices and funding arrangements for your child?

For families who value practical nature activities, physical exploration and close relationships with staff, the July 2022 account gives clear reasons to consider Stepping Stones. Its strongest examples connect everyday tasks with learning: tending plants, discussing animals and working out how to balance. The judgement is impressive, but belongs to that date; the term-time session pattern described here should likewise be read as historical.