Mumbles Day Nursery

Mumbles Day Nursery Walton Community Centre, Whitemill Lane, STONE, Staffordshire, ST15 0EQ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 13/03/2013 18/12/2008

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early years provision

This inspection: 4 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 4 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 4

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This provision is inadequate

 Practitioners do not always focus enough attention on children's individual needs and specific interests when planning and organising activities. As a result, some children lack enthusiasm for learning.  Observation and assessment information is not used effectively to monitor children's individual progress. As a result, some children are not supported well enough in their learning and development. Consequently, they do not develop the characteristics of effective learning.  Parents are not fully informed of how to guide and support their child's learning at home. This leads to significant gaps in children's progress.  Practitioners do not take sufficient steps to support children who speak English as an additional language. As a result, this group of children have few opportunities to use their home language in their play and learning.  Monitoring and evaluation systems are ineffective. They do not bring about sustained

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This provision is inadequate

improvements in children's learning or the quality of teaching.

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It has the following strengths

 Children benefit from local community partnerships which help them to explore diverse communities.  Practitioners follow suitable health and safety procedures to promote children's good health and safe care.

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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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Information about this inspection

The provision is also registered on the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. This report includes a judgment about compliance with the requirements of that register.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in the ground and first floor playrooms and the outside learning environment.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held meetings with the owners and managers of the provision and the Early Years Professional.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector conducted joint observations of children's care routines and learning activities with the manager of the provision and the Early Years Professional.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records and planning documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of practitioners working with children, the provider's self-evaluation form and improvement plan.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day and from information included in the settings own parent survey.

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Information about the setting

Mumbles Day Nursery was registered in 2008 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated in Stone, Staffordshire and is one of two nurseries privately owned and managed by Mumbles Day Nursery Ltd. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from self-contained accommodation within Walton Community Centre. The main access to the premises is via a small step and the pre-school room is situated on the first floor. A ramp is available to a side entrance. There is a fully enclosed area available for outdoor play.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs 13 members of childcare staff. Of these, nine hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3, including one member of staff with Early Years Professional Status. The nursery opens Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 30 children attending who are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for three- and four-year-old children. It supports children who speak English as an additional language.

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must:

 take into account the individual needs, interests and stage of development of each child to support their development and progress; and plan a challenging and enjoyable experience for each child in all of the areas of learning

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must:

 implement a policy and procedures to promote equality of opportunity for children; ensure all children are included, valued and supported, by improving the use of key persons to tailor activities to meet the individual needs of each child, including those with English as an additional language

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must:

 improve practitioners knowledge of the different ways that children learn and reflect these in their practice, in order to plan and guide children's activities and promote the characteristics of effective learning

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must:

 engage and support parents in guiding their child's development at home

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must:

 develop the educational programmes by, providing opportunities for children learning English as an additional language to experience a rich language environment; to develop their confidence and skills in expressing themselves; and to speak and listen in a range of situations

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must:

 develop the educational programmes by, responding to the particular needs of children who are learning English as an additonal language, to help them develop a positive sense of themselves, and others and to form positive relationships

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must:

 improve performance management and evaluation procedures to ensure that the quality of teaching and the implementation of the observation and assessment system is monitored effectively, and information used to shape practitioner's professional development.

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who attend

The needs of some groups of children are not met because practitioners do not focus enough attention on their individual needs, learning styles and interests. This inhibits some children's enthusiasm for learning. While practitioners have a sound understanding of the prime and specific areas of learning, they do not always use the information obtained from observations and assessments to match activities to each child's needs, or to help parents support their child's learning at home. This results in significant gaps in some children's development and progress, particularly relating to their ability to communicate and form positive relationships. Consequently, some children become bored, disengaged from activities and do not develop the characteristics of effective learning. This limits their progress towards the early learning goals and does not equip them with the skills they need when they are ready to transfer to school or their next stage of

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who attend

learning. For example, pre-school children are mostly engaged in routine activities, which lack challenge and excitement. Much of their time is spent following adult instructions which guide them between set activities, such as, jelly play and the introduction of letters and sounds; alongside the routine events of the day. Practitioners do not always make best use of resources, in order to communicate effectively with all children, particularly those who speak English as an additional language. For example, there are few dual language books visible or accessible to children in their home language, limiting their ability to recognise text or print that is familiar to them. Key practitioners are unfamiliar with spoken and printed words, relating to children's first language and specific interests. This limits the level of effective communication between adults and children. Consequently, children quickly lose interest in activities and are not given sufficient

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who attend

opportunity to express their own thoughts, feelings and ideas.

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who attend

Some children respond with increasing levels of enjoyment to songs and rhymes and enjoy repeating well-known words in English and Spanish. However, not enough is done to use words familiar to children who speak other languages, such as Polish, and who are unable to fully understand or speak English. As a result, these children become easily distracted from activities which lack meaning and purpose to them.

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who attend

However, most children's learning outdoors is more inspired. They enjoy the freedom to move around and be physically active on large and small play equipment. They demonstrate their creativity and imagination as they climb aboard the 'pirate ship' in search of 'the treasure'. They invent their own imaginative play games as they hide under the tyre tunnel. They enjoy role play activities and celebratory events on the outdoor stage, providing further opportunities for them to express their creativity and imagination. Outdoor resources are well organised, providing many opportunities for children to dig and plant things in the garden and to investigate the natural world.

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who attend

Babies and young children receive good levels of support from key practitioners, which enhances their play and explorations. For example, toys and equipment are readily accessible to support children's sensory development and willingness to have a go at new and exciting things. In this way, young children experiment with loud and quiet sounds as they bang on the drum, shake the bells and rattles, and press down on the toy piano keys to activate the electronic sounds. This ignites their interest and fascinations, develops their physical skills and abilities and understanding of the world. Young children remain intently focused on their creative activity, concentrating for extended periods of time, to make painted marks and patterns with their hands and fingers. They use a varied range of art and craft materials and tools, such as sponges and paintbrushes of different sizes, to explore shape, colour and texture. This successfully promotes expressive arts and design

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who attend

and helps them to gain good control over their fine movements. This prepares them well for their next stage of learning.

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

Care practices are inadequate because key practitioners do not know enough about some children to fully support their emotional well-being. This results in some children being unable to communicate their needs clearly, other than through physical gestures. For example, at lunchtime, practitioners make little attempt to get to know and use a child's home language, when offering food choices. This leaves children, who have limited understanding of English, feeling confused about what they would like to eat. It also limits opportunities for them to make choices and decisions for themselves. Most children follow routine instructions to find their place for dinner and sit patiently waiting for their turn to go up to the serving table. However, practitioners do not make effective use of this time to enhance children's personal social and emotional development. For example, they do not sit with the children or engage them in meaningful conversations, because they focus

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

much of their time on the supervision of the dinner time routine. While they offer children the opportunity to serve themselves their fish pie and vegetables, not enough is done to develop all children's independence at this time. For instance, little time is given to support children who do not speak English, in developing their independent thinking or skills. As a result, they passively accept their meal and return to their place to eat.

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

Despite this, practitioners show care and consideration towards the changing needs of younger children. They offer comfort and reassurance to those who become tired or fractious, adapting the daily routine to enable them to sleep when needed. Children transferring between rooms are given consistent care and support to help them settle with confidence. Practitioners give children lots of praise for being clever when they join in with songs and rhymes and speak positively and kindly to them. This helps children to feel comfortable and safe. Most children routinely respond to musical song instructions when it is their turn to go and wash their hands. This helps them to develop a basic understanding of the importance of good hygiene practice, in a fun way.

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

Following an incident when a child was injured from falling off the bottom steps of the stairs, practitioners have revised their safety and supervision procedures, when children move between the first and ground floor rooms. They re-affirm safety rules with older, more mobile children so that they know how to negotiate the stairs safely. They closely supervise younger children, providing careful assistance to enable them to climb up and down the stairs safely. This helps children to manage risks and adopt safe behaviour. Children are appropriately supervised at mealtimes, ensuring that they eat their food in a safe environment.

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

All children enjoy regular opportunities for outdoor play, benefitting from fresh air and exercise daily. They enjoy nutritious meals which are freshly prepared on the premises. A sample of menu records seen at the inspection show that children are offered a wide range of nutritional food for breakfast, lunch and tea. For example, children eat raw salad vegetables which are offered as crudites on the menu. Other choices include hot meat and fish meals, cold salads and sandwiches, breakfast cereals and a variety of well-balanced dairy products including yoghurts, cheese and eggs. Desserts also include treats, such as, jelly, ice-cream and custard. This demonstrates that children are provided with an appropriately balanced diet to promote their healthy growth and development. Practitioners follow stringent hygiene routines. For example, babies bottles are washed and sterilised after use. Appropriate records are maintained so that parents are kept up-

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

to-date about all aspects of their child's daily routine and care. Information about older children's activities and care is shared through daily discussion when parents arrive to collect their child. This ensures that parents are kept up-to-date about all aspects of their child's daily routine.

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provision

Practitioners do not deliver the educational programmes effectively for some children. For example, too little account is taken of the needs of individual children who speak English as an additional language. This results in poor monitoring of their progress and limited challenge to encourage their next stage of learning. Consequently, these children are not sufficiently supported to acquire the skills they need to develop and progress quickly.

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provision

While there are systems in place to monitor and support practitioners professional development, through adult 'learning journey' appraisal; not enough is done to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of their practice. This results in inconsistent practice and poor identification of training needs, particularly in relation to supporting individual children in their communication and language development. Consequently, the quality of teaching and learning remains weak in some aspects of the provision.

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provision

The action from the previous inspection, relating to planning enjoyable, stimulating and challenging activities so that all children are engaged in purposeful play, has not been met. This leads to continued weaknesses in some children's learning and development. Consequently, some children in the pre-school age range remain occupied, rather than being actively engaged in a broad range of activities that challenge their thinking.

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provision

During the inspection, practitioners were observed supervising the children appropriately. Through discussion they demonstrate a secure knowledge of how many staff should be present with the number of children for different age groups. They conduct constant checks to ensure that children are supervised within correct ratios, both indoors and outside. A random sample of the attendance register was checked, which shows that ratios are appropriately maintained. Suitable arrangements exist for the deployment of additional staff from the provider's other setting, to cover any unexpected absences. Since July 2012, the provider has recruited a number of new staff, following appropriate recruitment, vetting and induction procedures. As a result, a consistent staff team has been re-established over a reasonable period of time. Consequently, the impact of these changes on children's safe care and well-being is minimised. Children are appropriately

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provision

grouped and supervised in their main rooms on the first and ground floor of the premises. Records show that all areas used by the children, both on and off the premises are appropriately risk assessed, prior to use. Appropriate arrangements exist for the safe arrival and collection of children who are transported to and from school. For example, other providers and parents are contacted by telephone to advise them of any unexpected changes to the planned timetable. Alternative arrangements are offered to parents as soon as possible, so that they can make informed decisions about their child's safe care and well-being. As a result, children remain safely supervised by an appropriate adult at all times.

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provision

Self-evaluation is conducted by the provider and senior management team, taking into account the views of children, parents and practitioners, as part of the ongoing system of internal review. This has resulted in some successful developments. For example, a special email account has been introduced to enhance a two-way flow of information between the provider and parents. As a result, parents have shared ideas about the type of activities their children are involved in, outside of the setting. This enables practitioners to introduce new ideas into their planning, such as a 'barefoot walk'. This prompted circle time discussions so that children could talk about their own experiences. In addition, children were offered a similar experience within the nursery, by walking barefoot on a variety of textures.

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provision

The previous recommendations have been successfully addressed, leading to improved complaints information and hygiene procedures. As a result, parents now know how to contact Ofsted if they wish to pass on their compliments or concerns. In addition, practitioners now wear appropriate protective clothing when preparing and serving food. Senior practitioners have attended training to develop their skills and knowledge of the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice. This has strengthened their understanding of the procedures to follow, in order to support children with special educational needs.

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provision

Practitioners demonstrate a sound understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements, which ensures that children's basic health and safety needs are met. For example, they confidently describe recognition and response procedures and follow rigorous safeguarding policies to protect children from harm and neglect. Security systems, such as authorised finger print entry and a clear record of visitors to the premises, further promotes children's safe care.

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provision

Key person roles and responsibilities are mostly well organised, leading to positive and supportive relationships with parents overall. However, not enough is done to engage all parents in guiding their child's development at home; or to ensure that every child's learning and care is tailored to meet their individual needs.

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provision

Partnerships within the local community are developing well. For example, a 'Story Cafe' session at the 'on-site community centre' provides opportunities for children to engage in activities, which help them to explore people and communities. Practitioners exchange relevant information about children's development and progress with schools and other childcare providers. This helps to build consistent partnerships between settings.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are Met The requirements for the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are Met

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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 EY369750 Local authority Staffordshire Inspection number 903629

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 54 Number of children on roll 30 Name of provider Mumbles Day Nursery Ltd Date of previous inspection 18/12/2008 Telephone number 01785 818474

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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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