We last welcomed Ofsted into our setting for a full inspection during 2014/5 and were delighted with the well-deserved award of Outstanding. During the last seven years, despite changes in staff, a new EYFS curriculum to embrace and enable; and the challenges and opportunities COVID-19 has thrown at us, we were still confident that we were providing the children and their families from our local community an early years environment that would give each child the best opportunity to achieve their potential. Our setting, curriculum, culture and values underpinned by the words of Unicef "Children’s education should help them fully develop their personalities, talents and abilities. It should teach them to understand their own rights, and to respect other people’s rights, cultures and differences. It should help them to live peacefully and protect the environment". Unicef, 1990, Rights of the Child. When Ofsted rang on Monday afternoon advising an inspection the following day, initial shock quickly converted into excitement and action, our team ready to share the everyday offering Stepping Stones in Claverdon delivers to our children.
Tuesday was a very long hot day, the inspector with us before, during and after we had closed our Tuesday session to our children and their families. But the day flew by so quickly, the children were all so excited and enthusiastic to show their accomplishments with the inspector; and it truly was an opportunity to share a day in the life of our children here at Stepping Stones. Underpinned by a deluge of family reviews and desire to share their opinions with Ofsted, our families overwhelmed us with their support and feedback, constantly encouraging our team to continue to provide a usual day of love, learning and laughter whilst balancing the pressure of an Ofsted inspection.
And the result? Outstanding, outstanding in every area. We are all so incredibly proud and overjoyed to celebrate the recognition that we are providing an outstanding early years provision to our community and most importantly to our children and their families, enabling them to achieve their potential.
All children have the right to achieve their potential, and here at Stepping Stones we offer places from the age of two years old through to four. We still have a few places left for September 2022 for more information contact clavsteppingstones@welearn365.com.
https://files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/50191467
