Stepping Stones Nursery in Tain gets verdict from Care Inspectorate after unannounced visit
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A TAIN children’s nursery has received a glowing report from inspectors.
Stepping Stones Nursery in the town’s Victoria Road was visited unannounced by the Scottish Government regulatory body the Care Inspectorate.
It cares for up to 58 children at any one time – including up to nine aged three to 18 months - and features two buildings with access to secure play areas.
Overall, four areas of inspection were all graded as “very good”, fifth on a scale of six as “excellent”.
This contrasted with past gradings between 2011 and 2019 as “good” and “adequate”
A majority of parents contacted expressed happiness with the quality of service, with some describing it as “wonderful” and willing to “go the extra mile to meet the needs of children”.
The report said children were observed as being “settled, confident and happy” with plenty of encouragement and praise, as well as consistent language development strategies.Highlights in care and support practices included an unhurried, relaxed lunch, with homemade meals, where staff encouraged the children to chat and observe good table manners.
Youngsters were also given every chance to maintain their own routines, including sleep needs during care, while face-to-face child hand-overs left parents feeling more involved in their day. Staffing quality was also rated very good, with arrangements in place to ensure all had the necessary skills, experience and values to provide good quality care and education, with “warm, nurturing interactions” noted, as well as good staff teamwork.
Management and leadership were also described as providing “robust quality assurance processes” and a culture of continuous improvement to benefit children.There were full appraisal reviews and support of staff.
