Mini Monsters Preschool Ltd

Mini Monsters Preschool Limited Sports Pavilion, Pascal Drive, Medbourne, MILTON KEYNES, MK5 6LS

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 11/03/2013 19/10/2011

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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

 Children enjoy playing with natural resources to promote their sensory development.  Staff use speech and language assessments to identify when children need support with their communication.  Children play well together and understand the golden rules of the preschool.  The management uses self-evaluation very effectively, using feedback and views of parents and children. They are implementing multiple plans of improvement to increase the quality of the preschool for children.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Staff do not always give children honest explanations about where their parents are, and when they will return, to help them settle when they are new to the preschool.  Children are not always encouraged to understand that they can make choices about whether they play inside or outdoors.

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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

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Information about this inspection

 scheduled more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged 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 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  scheduled 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 sought the views of parents and children.  A joint observation was conducted with the registered person.  The inspector observed staff engaging with children throughout the inspection.  The inspector sampled documentation.

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Inspection activities

 A meeting was held with the registered person to discuss staff monitoring and self- evaluation.

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Information about the setting

Mini Monsters Preschool Limited is privately owned. It registered in 2011. It operates from one room in the Medbourne Community Sports Pavilion in the Medbourne area of Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire. The preschool is open each weekday from 9am to 12pm and 12pm until 3pm, with an additional lunch club offered between 12pm and 12.30pm. Children may attend for a breakfast club between 8.30am and 9am during term time only. Children have access to the adjoining field for outside play. The preschool is registered on the Early Years Register. There are currently 42 children aged from two to five years on roll. The preschool gets funding for the provision of free early education to children aged three and four years. The preschool employs five staff. Two staff hold a level 3 qualification and all other staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2.

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

 find ways to encourage children to make their choice known about whether or not they want to play outside

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

 support new children to settle into the preschool by making sure they are given accurate explanation about where their parents are and when they will return to collect them.

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who attend

Children play in a light and well-resourced room where they can move around freely. Staff review the layout of the room on a regular basis and make changes to help ensure children experience different challenges. Children can rest in quieter areas and craft activities are central in the room to allow children to express themselves using a variety of media. The range of activities on offer, and good quality teaching, means that children learn in all areas of the required curriculum. The good interactions by staff and gentle guidance they offer help children to make good progress. The introduction of the 'Every Child a Talker' programme enables staff to effectively support and extend children's language and communication skills. When they identify children who need additional support they are swift in introducing extra assistance and closely monitor their progress. This helps narrow any potential learning gaps and improves outcomes for each child.

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who attend

Children further develop their speech and language by engaging in song and rhyme times. Children are keen to sing and follow actions during group time. Their familiarity with the songs mean that they add pitch and tone as they excitedly shout out certain words and quieten their voice at relevant times.

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who attend

Staff encourage parents to attend sessions and join in with activities such as Easter egg hunts. The parents share information readily about what their children enjoy doing at home. Staff use this to build upon children's learning. When there is a special event, such as a birthday or arrival of a new sibling, staff share this good news with the whole group. This helps children to build firm links between home and preschool. This benefits children because they experience continuity and security as staff and parents work closely.

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who attend

Children enjoy climbing into, and out of, the large tent, which they explore with torches, enabling them to use simple technology in their play. They continue their imaginative play in the role-play area as they act out ideas. Children pretend to be dogs and others join the play. Staff engage with children in role play and extend upon their ideas. This helps children to explore different concepts, such as being mummies and daddies and making dinner. Children take toys and resources with them as they move around the room and make choices about how they play. However, staff do not always encourage children to express their preferences about the daily routine, such as whether they want to play outside. Although they are able to stay inside, not all children can vocalise their desire for this. Consequently, some children follow the routine of putting their coat on and going outside to play, but when they return inside they are unsettled and do not appear to

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who attend

Children explore different materials that support their sensory development. They push cars through shaving foam and carefully weave silk ribbons through a wooden fence. As they interact with the materials, children talk about the 'silky' ribbon and the 'scratchy' wood. They take time to make patterns and notice changes and emerging shapes. This helps them to develop in many ways. For example, children use the small muscles in their fingers as they weave and name colours and shapes, helping to increase their physical and mathematical learning. Children sustain interest in the activity. The high levels of concentration they show help to support them in their emerging readiness for school and their positive attitudes towards learning.

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

Children form close relationships with their key person and are affectionate towards them, for instance seeking cuddles when they arrive after the weekend. Staff are sensitive to new children's needs as they make the adjustment into the preschool in the first few days. Staff talk to parents about how best to help children to settle. However, staff are not always truthful about where parents are going and when they will return to collect children, in order to reassure them. For example, while parents tell children they are going to the toilet, staff say that 'Mummy will be back in a minute after she has gone to the toilet'. This is despite parents not returning until home time. Although children do not show undue distress about this, it does not support their trust of staff or their understanding of the concept of time. Children enjoy a healthy snack and get themselves a drink of water when they feel thirsty.

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

They manage their own needs by getting a tissue when they need to and washing their hands before eating. Children play outside each day, and make good use of the local woods where they go on regular walks. Children test what they can do as staff encourage them to run fast and engage in robust play outside. This helps them to experience exercise as part of their usual routine, helping them to lead healthy lifestyles.

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

Children are aware of the golden rules of the preschool. They know that different sounds, such as the shaking of musical instruments indicate changes in the routine. Staff teach children about ways that they can keep themselves safe. When they play in the outside area, which is open to the general public, staff shout freeze and children stand still. This helps to keep them safe so staff can count them and alert them to the end of outside play. Children learn about how to play together because staff encourage them to share activities and equipment. As a result, children are generally settled and appear content at the preschool.

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provision

All staff show a good understanding about how to keep children safe at the preschool. They undertake assessments of the environment on a regular basis to check for any hazards to children. Good supervision means that children play safely while being able to take manageable risks for themselves. Staff know about the potential signs and symptoms that may indicate a child is at risk of harm and are aware of the steps they must take to report such concerns. Furthermore, staff know that they are able to report any staffing concerns to external agencies. This helps safeguard the children's welfare. Leadership induct new staff and undertake checks to confirm their suitability to work with children. Staffing arrangements maintain safe ratios and make sure that there are always staff present who have relevant first aid training. This contributes to the children's good health and overall welfare.

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provision

Leadership at the preschool focuses on driving ongoing improvement in the outcomes for children. Staff work closely with local authority advisors to help identify areas of weakness. The leadership team then take immediate action to address these areas and make improvements to benefit the children. Parents and children share their views and the preschool incorporates these into their evaluation so that everyone is involved in making improvements. The drive for continuing to raise standards and the motivation of leadership and staff, demonstrate that the preschool has a strong capacity to further improve upon the quality of care and learning for children.

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provision

Staff introduce new methods to monitor children's progress and the activities on offer for them. They fine tune their assessment and tracking of each child's development to clearly identify their individual stages of learning and provide activities to meet the children's needs. Staff also begin to record information for the required progress checks for children who are aged between two and three years. Staff routinely seek additional support from external agencies, such as health visitors, if needed, to meet the needs of each child.

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provision

Performance management is effective in identifying staff training needs and are driven to improve their practice and the outcomes for each child. The leadership effectively support staff to complete qualifications and identify further opportunities to increase their knowledge and skills. Staff have a good awareness of their roles and responsibilities and work well as a team. Leadership offer clear direction and communicate their ambition to all staff, who are happy in their work. All of this benefits the care, learning and development for all of the children.

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provision

Parents are happy with the care that children receive and express their appreciation of the' friendly and enthusiastic' staff. The preschool operates an open door policy where parents are always welcome to stay and join the session. This makes parents feel part of their children's care and learning and develops trusting relationships with staff that benefit children.

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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 action. 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 EY431118 Local authority Milton Keynes Inspection number 816670

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 5 Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 42 Name of provider Mini Monsters Preschool Limited Date of previous inspection 19/10/2011 Telephone number 07505962114

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Type of provision

set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: 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, which are usually the childminder’s 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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