# Step by Step Pre-School, Rockchapel — inspection reports and findings > Step by Step Pre-School (Rockchapel, Co. Cork): what Tusla inspections found — 3 published inspection(s), non-compliances and the provider's corrective actions. ## Step by Step Pre-School Sessional · 2 - 6 Years · Rockchapel, Cork · Tusla ID **TU2015CC385** · Registered since 1 January 2026 An inspection records what inspectors saw **on one day**; services respond with corrective actions — [how to read this](/methodology.md). #### Inspection of 27 November 2025 — Inspection Report Full report (PDF, Tusla) ##### Regulation 15 — Record of pre-school child - (1) The information required in (g) & (h) was not available for one child attending the service. Not having information pertaining to a child may hinder their care in the event that information is required by the staff - (1) The information required above in (g) & (h) for the child whose record was assessed has been obtained by the registered provider. The staff who review all forms completed for children before they start will ensure that all information is available as required ##### Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - General Safety: 1. The children were observed to play with marbles during tabletop activities. These could be a risk to potential cause of choking when accessible to children aged two years and up. Fire Safety: 2. The fire exit was partially blocked with a soft tent; the tent would potentially be a trip hazard in the event the service needed to be evacuated in an emergency. The person in charge removed the tent from the area near the door immediately when she was made aware of the issue. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - General Safety: 1. The marbles have been removed from the play area and will no longer be permitted in the service. Fire Safety: 2. The soft tent has been moved to another area of the playroom and will not be permitted to be moved to the area beside the fire door by children or staff Found compliant: Regulation 9, 10, 11, 16, 19, 24, 26. #### Inspection of 9 May 2025 — Change in Circumstance Full report (PDF, Tusla) No non-compliance recorded in this report. #### Inspection of 6 November 2023 — Inspection Report Full report (PDF, Tusla) ##### Regulation 9 — Management and recruitment - (2) (a)/(b) Two written and validated references were not on file for an adult working in the service that had access to children. Not appropriately vetting staff prior to them commencing working with children may allow adult who may not be appropriate have access to children - (2) (a) Two references that were required have been received, both references have been received from previous employers and have been validated. The registered provider has committed to ensuring all staff and students will have references on file prior to commencing in the service ##### Regulation 15 — Record of pre-school child - (1) (a) One of the fourteen forms did not have the child’s date of birth recorded. (b) No file had a record of when the child commenced in the service. Not having up to date and complete records for children attending may impede appropriate care being given to them - (1) (a) All registration forms have been updated to include the date of birth of each child. (b) The forms have all been updated to include the commencement date of each child. The registered provider has committed that each enrolment form will be checked prior to each child starting in the service ##### Regulation 19 — Health, welfare and development of child - BASIC NEEDS 1. The temperatures in the care rooms were recorded at 16.3 and 14.9°C in the junior pre-school room and senior pre-school room respectively. These temperatures below the recommended 18-22°C do not support the children to be able to work and play in comfort - 1. The timer for the heating has been adjusted to start earlier. The owner of the premises has also stated that the owner of the building is to commence the process of insulating the walls and the attic of the service to increase the heat retention. The registered provider has committed to ensuring the heating is turned on after holidays to increase the heating within the building ##### Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - General Safety: 1. The radiator surface temperatures were high throughout the building, the following radiators had a surface temperature of above 50°C, the radiator to the rear of the downstairs room was recorded at 55.5°C, the radiator to the right of the upstairs room was recorded at 58.7°C and to the left of the upstairs room was recorded at 54.8°C. Surface temperatures that are not controlled and reach temperatures above 50°C can potentially cause a contact burn to a child. Infection Control: 2. The adult toilet was not secured from use by the children as no external lock was on the door and the staff toilet was located beside the children’s toilet upstairs. Not securing the staff toilet away from the toilets used by the children may pose a risk of cross infection. 3. The children who remained in the service for part-time care were not observed to wash their hands before their main meal. Not ensuring hands are washed after playing with toys and equipment which the children share, poses a risk of contamination and cross infection, which was not in keeping with the infection control policy. Fire Safety: 4. The gate outside the main door that was secured with a lock that required a key to open was locked throughout the running of the sessional service, this was the evacuation route as identified on the fire evacuation plan. Having this gate locked would have prevented the staff and children being able to safely evacuate the building in the event of a fire or other emergency. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - General Safety: 1. The radiator temperatures have been reduced and will be maintained at the reduced temperature, the running of the heating has been extended. Infection Control: 2. The adult toilet has been secured by a running bolt and prevents access to the toilet by the children. 3. The registered provider has stated children will wash their hands at the following times: • before snack time (10.30am) • when re-entering the preschool after being outdoors • before second snack time (12.50pm) and • always after using the toilet Fire Safety: 4. The outside gate will be unlocked during the operation of the service with the exception of when the children are using the upper outdoor play area (Safety). A designated person has been assigned responsibility for ensuring the gate is appropriately locked ##### Regulation 24 — Checking in and out and record of attendance - (1) The daily attendance for the children was not recorded on the day of inspection. A new system was to be developed to ensure an accurate reflection of who was attending in each room daily, however in the interim no sign in/out for the children was available. Not signing in the children daily does not allow for accurate records to be kept and assessment for adult child ratios etc into the future and may pose a risk to ensuring all children have been evacuated in the event of a fire or other emergency - (1) The new recording system has been developed and implemented to ensure an accurate reflection of the children in attendance daily Found compliant: Regulation 10, 11, 22, 25, 26, 28. ### Other services in Cork - [Stepping Stones Montessori](/creche/stepping-stones-montessori-cork.md) Cork - [Stepping Stones Pre-School](/creche/stepping-stones-pre-school-cork.md) Cork - [Súgradh Pre-School](/creche/sugradh-pre-school-mitchelstown.md) Mitchelstown - [Teach na Leanaí](/creche/teach-na-leanai-fermoy.md) Fermoy - [The Farmyard Kindergarten](/creche/the-farmyard-kindergarten-cork-2.md) Cork - [Tiny Tots](/creche/tiny-tots-killeagh.md) Killeagh - [Aghada Community Playgroup CLG](/creche/aghada-community-playgroup-clg-midleton.md) Midleton - [Clonakilty Kindergarten](/creche/clonakilty-kindergarten-clonakilty.md) Clonakilty - [Nurture Childcare Douglas](/creche/nurture-childcare-douglas-cork.md) Cork - [Little Haven Union Hall Community Playschool](/creche/little-haven-union-hall-community-playschool-union-hall.md) Union Hall [Alert me when a new report is published](/help.md) · [Dated report on this service — €19](/report.md) --- Página: https://creche-inspection-reports.pages.dev/creche/step-by-step-pre-school-rockchapel/ Fonte: Tusla Early Years Inspectorate Recolha: 2026-09-11