Millies Pre-School

Millies Pre-School St. Mildreds Centre, 30 Bingham Road, CROYDON, CR0 7EB

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 07/02/2014 04/02/2013

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 4 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

 The management and staff have worked hard since the last inspection and have made significant improvements to the provision. As a result, outcomes for children are good.  Staff work alongside other professionals when needed to support any additional learning and development need a child may have. As a result, children are making good progress.  Staff involve children in safety procedures well. Therefore, children effectively learn about the importance of keeping themselves, and others, safe.  Staff have a good understanding of children's individual needs and ensure planning support their care, learning and development.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Staff do not always encourage children to be independent, which means they miss opportunities to develop their self-help skills.  Staff do not display words in different languages clearly for children to see, which slightly reduces opportunities to promote their early reading skills.

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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 compulsory part 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 interviewed the provider and manager and had ongoing discussions with staff regarding practice throughout the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled documents including children's development records, policies and procedures.  The inspector observed activities in the playroom and outside.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a sample of children's records, including their learning assessments.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager.

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Information about the setting

Millies Pre-School is one of two early years provisions run by an individual provider. It registered in 2012 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. The pre-school operates from a community hall situated in church premises, located in the London Borough of Croydon. The pre-school has access to an enclosed garden for outdoor play. The pre-school is open during school term time only,from 9.30am to 2.30pm on Wednesdays and from 9.30am to 12 noon on all other weekdays. There are 40 children on roll aged from two-and-a-half years to four years. The pre-school receives funding to provide free early education for children aged three and four years. A total of eight staff work with the children, of whom six hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and one is working towards a qualification at level 3. The registered provider holds BA degree in Early Years and EYPS. The pre-school staff support children who learn

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

 display print in different languages around the environment for children to easily see and learn that print carries meaning

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

 use routines to develop children's independence further and help them become confident in their self-help skills.

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who attend

Staff encourage children to take part in a broad range of activities to support their learning and development. Children are keen and motivated to take part in planned activities and all areas of learning are promoted well to ensure children make good progress. The key person system works well to ensure staff are fully informed about children's individual needs and backgrounds. Staff effectively build on what children already know because parents spend time with the key person during the settling in period and share relevant information about their interests. Regular observations are undertaken by staff and these inform planning to reflect children's individual interests. Additional processes are used alongside written observations to successfully track children's progress and learning.

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who attend

Key persons produce detailed progress check reports for two-year-olds that they share with parents. Staff encourage parents to share children's achievements and interests from home. The key persons regularly share children's next steps with parents with ideas for home learning. They consistently obtain feedback from parents on the success of this, so they can use this detail in the assessment process. Parents receive ongoing feedback of how their children's developmental needs are being met. Staff work alongside other professionals when needed to support any additional learning and development need a child may have, such as for speech and language. As a result, children are making good progress in relation to their starting points.

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who attend

Staff help prepare children well for school. Children learn to take turns, listen and play cooperatively with others. Children confidently make choices about their play from the easily available resources. The children enjoy being able to use the outdoor area that leads directly from their room, giving ideas to staff about how to make a road for them to ride the cars and bikes. Staff promote all children's communication and language development well. Staff uses stories chosen by children to engage them in conversations, using both their home languages and in English. Staff asks good questions that require children to think of an answer and give them time to do this. Staff value children's imaginative thoughts and ideas and build on these well. As a result, children are keen to speak and communicate both in their home languages and in English, making good progress in their learning.

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who attend

Children have access to a broad range of books to promote their early interest in printed material, for example touchy feely books, musical books and dual language books. However, print in other languages is not clearly displayed at a level that children can easily see.This reduces opportunities for them to further develop their early reading skills. Children take pleasure in making marks as they are provided with resources to paint and draw. Children develop meaningful number skills in play, for example, using their fingers to draw shapes in shaving foam. Children show an interest in changes, size, space and measurements. They pour water into chocolate powder and watches it dissolve as they mix it and pour into different containers. These activities help children become inquisitive and develop good skills for the future.

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who attend

Children are developing a good understanding of rhythm as they play with a range of musical instruments from around the world, promoting their understanding of the world around them. Children are developing a good sense of time through the daily routine. They are encouraged to explore and develop an understanding of technology as they freely access the touch screen computer to play matching games. Staff effectively promote children's imaginative skills by having areas where they can be engaged in imaginary play. Children enjoy getting dressed up and take on the role of different people of interest. This helps them to learn through creative play opportunities.

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

Each child is allocated a key person who gets to know them well and forges links with their parents effectively. Staff work well with parents on a daily basis to talk about each child's care needs. Parents enjoy having the news on the nursery news board and website. These keep them up to date about upcoming events, changes in the nursery and what children are learning each month. Families form positive relationships with the nursery staff, some lasting over a number of years with second and third children in a family attending. Parents remark that children are happy at the nursery.

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

Children settle well and staff promote their personal, social and emotional development effectively. However, they do not consistently encourage children to become independent, for example, by putting on their own wellington boots or washing and drying their hands by themselves. As a result, staff miss opportunities to help children develop some self-help skills. However, the routines of the day offer a fresh healthy snack bar, where children can choose what they would like to have with the support of an adult. Staff ensure children have access to fresh drinking water, which they are encouraged to pour themselves. Staff always take account of information from parents about each child's dietary needs and preferences. Toilets are easily accessible to children, which helps them learn to deal with their own personal care needs. There are also two portable hand washing facilities available in the play room, which are suitable for the use of children. These ensure easy

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

access for all children and prevent cross infection. Some children are able to explain that they wash their hands 'to get rid of the germs'. Children gain a good understanding of healthy lifestyles and this helps support their physical well-being.

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

The nursery provides a welcoming and child-centred environment. There is a broad range of good quality resources both indoors and outside for children to use easily. There is a good reflection of people's diversity across the environment and resources to help children learn about the importance of respecting and valuing differences in themselves and others.

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

Children develop good communication and physical skills during their time at nursery. They enjoy playing together and working out new ideas. They have good collaboration skills and positive attitudes to trying out new experiences, which prepare them well for starting school. The nursery has well-established links with local schools and asks for feedback on how children have settled in their new environment. Systems are in place for sensitive information sharing when other agencies are working with children and as they move on.

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

Children benefit from daily outdoor play. Some indoor activities are extended outdoors to support children's learning and development. Children play and learn in a safe environment as staff complete a range of safety checks and risk assessments. Children learn about the importance of keeping themselves safe and the potential impact of some dangers as they are involved in safety procedures. Children also regularly participate in the nursery emergency evacuation procedure so they are aware of the steps to take in an emergency.

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provision

The manager and staff have a secure understanding and awareness of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. They share the written policies and procedures with parents and as a result, parents are aware of the practices at the nursery. The manager and provider regularly review and update these as necessary with staff input. The safeguarding policy is in line with relevant Local Safeguarding Children Board requirements. This includes a procedure to follow in the event of a parent, or carer, failing to collect a child. The staff undertake relevant training including safeguarding children. As a result, they have a secure awareness of how to identify signs that may cause concern and how to respond to child protection concerns. The premises are secure and care is taken to keep children safe. For example, a member of staff stands at the door as parents arrive and leave the building.

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provision

There is a thorough recruitment process in place, including checks on qualifications to help ensure staff suitability. Regular one-to-one supervisions, peer observations and annual appraisals support the ongoing professional development for the staff. Training sessions take place that help improve staff practices and consequently, the quality of their practice and interaction with children is good.

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provision

Since the last inspection the management and staff have made significant improvements to the provision. Focused targets for improvement have ensured that previous actions raised and recommendations made have been responded to well. Staff are using their skills effectively to promote positive outcomes for children. Observation, assessment and planning systems used are working well. As a result, children are making good progress in their learning and development. The manager oversees practices at the nursery and follows up any issues as they arise. She works alongside key persons monitoring the progress children make in their learning and development to ensure staff plan to narrow any gaps. The self-evaluation systems demonstrate how the staff reflect on their practice and identify areas to improve. Areas to develop include introducing recycling with the children to help them develop their understanding of caring for their environment. The

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provision

management team demonstrates the ability to drive continuous improvement successfully.

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provision

Staff value parents' views and these are obtained through questionnaires, a suggestion book and verbal feedback. Parents speak positively about the care and service provided. Parents are happy with children's increased confidence.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory 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 Requires improvement The provision is not giving children a good standard of early years education and/or there are minor breaches of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected within twelve months of the date of this inspection. 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

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Grade Judgement Description

the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected again within six months of the date of this inspection. 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 EY448177 Local authority Croydon Inspection number 911547 Type of provision Sessional provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 8 Total number of places 36 Number of children on roll 40 Name of provider Kim Benham Date of previous inspection 04/02/2013 Telephone number 0208 7774679

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Setting details

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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