Mentmore Under Fives

Mentmore Road Under Fives The Pavillion, Mentmore Road, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, LU7 2NZ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 03/12/2012 07/02/2011

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 3 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

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This provision is good

 Staff build excellent relationships with parents. There is a close relationship between the key person and parents so that the children receive good support that is tailored to their individual needs. Parents are encouraged to bring their skills into the setting including joining the management committee, helping during the session and fundraising.  Children are happy, keen to learn and rapidly growing in self-assurance because of the good quality relationships they have with their key person and all the staff  There is a culture of teamwork and mutual support amongst the established and experienced staff group. This helps develop a clear focus on safeguarding children's welfare and ensuring they make good progress in their learning.  Staff have strong and successful working relationships with other agencies and professionals ensuring children get the help they need to ensure they make progress.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Staff are not always suitably deployed during some activities to support children to extend their ideas and access the resources they might need.  Children are not sitting in a comfortable position to encourage good posture when using the computer as the screen is positioned on the top of the computer cupboard and children are looking up to see it.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections of registered early years provision are scheduled:  at least once in every inspection cycle. The current cycle ends on 31 July 2016  more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged as inadequate  brought forward in the inspection cycle where Ofsted has received information that suggests the provision may not be meeting the legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage; or where assessment of the provision identifies a need for early inspection  prioritised for inspection where we have received information that the provision is not meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and which suggests children may not be safe  at the completion of an investigation into failure to comply with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in the main play room, the hallway and the outside learning environment and talked with the staff and children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held discussions with the chairperson of the management committee, and the manager of the pre-school.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at the children's assessment records, planning documentation, the provider's self-evaluation form and a range of other documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector also took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day and in information included in the self-evaluation form.

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Information about the setting

Mentmore Road Under Fives was registered in 1992 on the Early Years Register and is a committee run pre-school situated in the residential area of Leighton Buzzard, Befordshie. It operates from a Pavilion within the grounds of a park and consists of one main room. There is access to a kitchen and toilet facilities. There is access to an outdoor play space. Children come from the immediate and surrounding areas. At the pre-school there are currently 27 children aged from two years to five years on roll. The setting supports children learning English as an additional language and children with special needs and/or disabilities. It receives funding for the provision of free early education to three-and four-year-old children.

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Information about the setting

The provision is open term times only from 9.15am to 12.15pm Mondays to Fridays. There is a total of five staff with four members of staff qualified to level 3 and one member of staff is undertaking training to level 2.

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To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

 shape teaching and learning experiences by increasing the adult interaction given to support children's spontaneous play and chosen activities throughout the day

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To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

 reappraise the environment to ensure a children develop good posture and develop a comfortable sitting position while they are using a computer.

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who attend

Staff have a secure understanding of the learning and development requirements and plan an interesting choice of activities for children to enjoy and develop their skills. The assessment of children's starting points on entry is supported by the detailed information gathered from parents by their child's key person during the settling in process. Children's interests are well known to the staff who undertake regular observations and precise assessments of the children's progress. This information is used effectively to inform individual planning for all children.

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who attend

Children are making good progress in their learning and development because the activities are based upon their interests and this ensures that they are eager to learn. Staff ensure that a wide range of the children's favourite toys are available so that they settle quickly, become involved in their play and are confident to leave their main carer. There is a wide range of equipment that covers the seven areas of learning and children confidently move the play equipment around the setting which helps them to explore and make sense of their world. For example, they move the play dough into the 'home corner' pretending to cook a cake. Staff present recipe cards to support children to recognise the purpose of print. Children have valuable opportunities for early reading as they find their names for the register and at snack time. Staff provide opportunities for children to progress by helping them to recognise the shape of their name on their name card and

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who attend

not the properties of the name card. For example, the name labels are in good condition without curling of the edges and staff place the names on different pegs so children look for their name rather than the position of their peg. Staff encourage older more able children to mark their own work with their representation of their own name. Staff make sounds of the letters as they write. This supports children to start to link sounds to letters and naming the letters of the alphabet. Staff know how to promote young children's learning and they are skilled in extending children's freely chosen play. They ask children to discover the tracks made by the wheels of other vehicles as they make tracks in the sand with the toys cars. During snack times staff encourage children to count the pieces of cheese and cucumber and see numerals written as labels. This supports children's developing awareness of number and a reason to count.

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who attend

Staff help and support children to use the musical instruments and encourage them to count a rhythm to the beat of a drum. Children listen carefully to a story and enjoy learning and singing Christmas rhymes. However, during a drawing and sticking activity using materials such as glue and glitter staff are not immediately available to sit with children to help them become fully involved, offer their attention and share ideas. This limits the scope to stimulate children's interest and help them to maintain focus on the activities.

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who attend

Staff help all children make good progress from their starting points as they strongly support those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities or with other individual needs. Staff work very closely with external agencies and other professionals in order to fully support the children and help them become ready for school. Parents are fully engaged in their child's learning at the setting. Parents and children join in with enjoyable regular events such as sports day. They report that they are well informed of their child's progress and are invited to make comments on their development at home.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Children are happy and eager to come to the setting. They settle well and staff's warm interaction ensures that all children form positive and trusting relationships which help them feel secure. Each day staff choose one child to be the 'helper of the day'. The 'helper' counts the number of children during registration, help at snack time, gives out the toys children have brought to the setting and their work for them to take home. These are valuable opportunities for children to take responsibility, build confidence and their self-esteem. Staff gain a thorough knowledge of the children's individual likes, needs and routines though effective communication with the parents. The key person is easily available, parents visit to see and comment on the records of the children's progress. Resources are well-organised so that children are able to independently access them and make choices as they move around the room with ease. Children behave well and staff are

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

good at helping children take turns. Older, more able children watch for the minute hand to move to have their turn with the toy vacuum cleaner while younger children use a sand timer to wait for their turn on the computer. Children have daily access to the small outdoor area. This helps them learn about healthy living because staff encourage them to try to dress themselves independently and in appropriately clothing when they go out to enjoy fresh air. Children eat a range of healthy foods during snack time, for example, cheese and cucumber. They have good opportunities to develop their independence as they pour their own drinks. When toast is on the menu they butter their own. Children show a great sense of achievement as they show staff the successfully buttered toast. Children learn to feel safe within the pre- school. They have opportunities to practise the emergency evacuation drill and can talk

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

about keeping themselves safe on walks in the park. They learn to hold hands, to stay together and not to approach or touch the dogs walking in the park.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Staff ensure children have opportunities to learn about their local community as they enjoy regular outings to the adjoining park. They discuss Remembrance Day as they visit the local war memorial that is situated within the park. The children also celebrate festivals which are meaningful to them, showing pride when it is their birthday and they blow out the candles on the 'pretend' birthday cake. They learn about different cultures through celebrating festivals of their friends and acknowledging the festivals of others. This gives children a positive understanding of similarities and differences between people from various communities. Staff are beginning to bring children's home language into their play and learning because staff have a list of words in children's home language to help them describe their care needs. Children are very well-supported in their transition to school due to the strong professional links with local schools. Staff visit the local schools

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

with the children and take children's individual record of learning to give the teacher useful information on the children's stage of development.

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provision

The manager, all staff and the committee have a good understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements and conscientiously ensure that these are adhered to. The manager maintains robust and continuing checks on all staff to assess that they are suitable to work with children. The committee sought the advice of the local authority to ensure the recruitment system for the new manager and deputy was demanding and successful. Policies and procedures are in the process of being checked and updated where necessary. Staff undertake rigorous risk assessment and daily checks on the premises and the equipment for the safety of the children. There are close links with the owners of the premises to ensure that the building is well maintained. However, the staff are aware that the computer cupboard is not ideal for the children. The height of the screen, so children do not strain their necks by looking upwards, has yet to be fully

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provision

addressed. This does not encourage a good siting position and limits the comfort of the children. Staff have a very secure understanding of child protection procedures, they know how to implement them and they work closely with other specialists to protect the children in their care.

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provision

The pre-school makes good use of a range of rigorous monitoring activities and has successfully addressed the weaknesses identified at the previous inspection. They find efficient solutions to the challenges of the premises. For example, children plant seeds at pre-school and they take them home to care for them. Staff celebrate children's success as they ask children to bring in photographs of the sunflowers that grew 'too big'. The whole staff team are eagerly involved in self-evaluation and they have realistic and challenging targets for improvement. They are concentrating on providing fencing to allow access to a larger outdoor area in order to further support children's development in all areas. They seek the advice from the local authority and attend training to improve the learning and development of children. Staff have attended training in the implementation of the 'progress check at two' and this is successfully in place. The manager consistently

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provision

communicates high expectations. She accurately monitors quality of the learning and development to ensure children are making suitable progress.

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provision

Positive partnerships between staff and parents ensure that children's needs are very well met. Parents spoken to at the time of the inspetion comment very favourably on how well their children are progressing and how they are kept well-informed about their children's learning. They comment on how their children want to come to pre-school even if they are feeling ill and that they have a strong attachment to the staff and especially their key person.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding Outstanding provision is highly effective in meeting the needs of all children exceptionally well. This ensures that children are very well prepared for the next stage of their learning. Grade 2 Good Good provision is effective in delivering provision that meets the needs of all children well. This ensures children are ready for the next stage of their learning. Grade 3 Satisfactory Satisfactory provision is performing less well than expectations in one or more of the key areas. It requires improvement in order to be good. Grade 4 Inadequate Provision that is inadequate requires significant improvement and/or enforcement. The provision is failing to give children an acceptable standard of early years education and/or is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be inspected again within 12 months of the date of this inspection.

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Grade Judgement Description

Met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider continues to meet the requirements for registration. Not Met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider does not meet the requirements for registration.

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Inspection

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under Sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and care, known as the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 219149 Local authority Central Bedfordshire Inspection number 818143

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 5 Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 27 Name of provider Mentmore Road Under Fives Date of previous inspection 07/02/2011 Telephone number 07845 971542

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Type of provision

set out in the guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

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Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

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Type of provision

Full-time provision is that which operates for more than three hours. These are usually known as nurseries, nursery schools and pre-schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the higher fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Sessional provision operates for more than two hours but does not exceed three hours in any one day. These are usually known as pre-schools, kindergartens or nursery schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the lower fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Childminders care for one or more children where individual children attend for a period of more than two hours in any one day. They operate from domestic premises that are usually their own home. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Type of provision

Out of school provision may be sessional or full-time provision and is delivered before or after school and/or in the summer holidays. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. Where children receive their Early Years Foundation Stage in school these providers do not have to deliver the learning and development requirements in full but should complement the experiences children receive in school. achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children,

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Type of provision

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Type of provision

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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