Active Minds

Active Minds Sure Start Childrens Centre, School Green, LOUGHBOROUGH, LE12 6LG

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 12/05/2014 Not Applicable

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 Previous inspection: Not Applicable 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 3 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 3

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This provision requires improvement

 Children are happy, motivated and keen to learn and they demonstrate good levels of independence and imagination. Staff follow children's interests and support their learning through good modelling, explaining and asking effective questions to support their progress.  Children behave well and have good relationships with staff and other children. This supports the children's personal, social and emotional development.  Parents are very happy with the setting and praise the level of care that the staff provide for their children. This promotes strong partnerships between home and the setting.

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It is not yet good because

 The leadership and management fail to correctly record all the relevant information in regard to Disclosure and Barring Service checks. This practice does not fully safeguard children.  The partnership with the local school the children attend is not yet fully consolidated to enable staff to complement and increase learning and development.  Staff do not always promote children's understanding of a healthy lifestyle because children are not always given healthy options to choose from at snack and meal times.

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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 children during activities indoors.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at planning documentation, a selection of policies and children's records.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the staff and the manager at appropriate times throughout the inspection.  The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of staff.  The inspector sought the views of parents as they collected their children.

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Information about the setting

Active Minds was registered in 2013 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It operates from the East Leake Sure Start Centre in East Leake, Nottinghamshire. Children attend from Brookside Primary School. The setting is accessible to all children. There is a fully enclosed area available for outdoor play. The setting employs six members of childcare staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications; four at level 3 and two at level 2. The setting opens Monday to Friday, offering a breakfast club in the morning from 7.30am to 8.50am and after school care each afternoon from 3.30pm to 6pm during school term times only. Children from three years to 11 years of age attend the setting. Children attend for a variety of sessions. Currently there are 58 children on roll; of whom, six are in the early years age range.

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must:

 keep information about vetting processes that have been completed including the enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check, reference number, the date a disclosure was obtained and details of who obtained it.

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

 strengthen the partnership with the local school that the children attend, to enable staff to plan activities that complement the children's learning in order to help increase their progress

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

 ensure messages about healthy eating are reinforced for children, through the provision of healthy snacks and meals.

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who attend

Children receive a suitable mix of child-initiated and adult-directed learning. Staff use effective teaching methods and interact effectively in children's play, supporting and extending their learning. Consequently, children are motivated to learn and demonstrate good levels of involvement. For example, when young children are drawing fish in the craft area, staff support children to measure their fish to find out the length of them. This supports children's understanding of measure and number recognition. Children enjoy a varied range of activities, which reflect their interests and helps them to make suitable progress in all areas of learning. Staff speak with parents before children start to gather information about children's individual needs. They ask parents to complete an 'All About Me' booklet to have some understanding of what children's likes and dislikes are and their current interests. This helps staff to plan activities that follow the children's interests and

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who attend

builds partnerships with parents. There are some links established with the school for transfer of information to parents, however, staff do not as yet have a good two-way communication system with the children's teachers. This means they cannot as effectively plan experiences for children to extend or complement what they are learning in school.

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who attend

Children are confident and happily choose the activities and toys that interest them. They are able to help themselves to a suitable range of toys and resources. This supports children to make decisions for themselves and become independent learners. Young children enjoy using their imagination to recreate stories when playing with small world people and the dolls' house. This also encourages them to recount stories about their home lives, supporting their emerging understanding of people and communities. Children are able to select from a good variety of craft materials to support their development in expressive arts and design. This is clearly a favourite area for some of the children as they create pictures and make joke books.

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who attend

Parents speak highly of the setting and describe the communication with the staff as informative. They comment that their children are happy and excited to attend and describe the setting as, 'really well run and value for money'. Staff listen to parents at pick-up times and pass on information about their child's time at the setting and any significant information from school. This demonstrates positive partnership working with parents.

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

Children are happy and settled in the secure environment. They show they feel safe as they relate well to the staff team because they chat happily to them about their day. The setting has a key person system in place to ensure the youngest children's well-being is suitably managed and consistent links are built with parents. Staff are sensitive to children's individual needs and understand that some children may need additional support at times in order to feel comfortable. For example, there is a cosy area set up for those children who might require some space or rest after their day at school. There are some links established with school and staff support children in the morning routines when entering the foundation class, to aid transition.

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

Staff encourage children to develop their independence skills and emotional readiness for their next stages in learning. For example, they support children in their understanding of acceptable behaviour and encourage them to take turns, share, listen and be kind to each other. Staff consistently offer praise and encouragement, which helps to promote children's self-esteem and confidence. Children play and behave well together because staff give them clear boundaries and children understand what is expected of them.

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

Children are given the opportunity to access fresh air and exercise, which helps them to develop some good attitudes towards a healthy lifestyle. However, on occasions children are not given healthy options at snack and meal times. This does not promote children's understanding of a healthy lifestyle. Children are learning good hygiene routines and know they must wash their hands after using the toilet and before handling food. All children participate in regular fire drills, which supports their growing awareness of how to keep themselves safe.

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provision

The management team and staff have a satisfactory understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. The management team ensures that safeguarding policies and procedures are in place. This covers the use of mobile phones in the setting. They also have an appropriate policy and procedure in place if a child goes missing. All staff understand the policies and procedures for safeguarding children and are clear regarding their roles and responsibilities to ensure children are protected and kept safe. They are vigilant about the security of the premises and check all visitors before entry. Staff supervise children appropriately and carry out daily safety checks to ensure areas the children use are safe. The management team have appropriate systems in place to ensure those working with children are suitable to do so. For example, they gain references and complete Disclosure and Barring Service checks on all staff.

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provision

However, the management team does not record all the relevant information to ensure they can demonstrate that these checks are appropriate. This practice does not fully protect children.

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provision

Staff have an adequate knowledge of how children learn. They plan interesting experiences for all the children, taking into account their individual interests. The management team monitors staff performance through working alongside the staff and through supervisions. They monitor the progress of the children and the educational programmes. This is completed with the use of regular observations and tracking the children's achievements. Consequently, the children are supported in making steady progress in their expected levels of learning.

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provision

There are generally good partnerships with parents. Staff share details of children's well- being verbally each day. Parents speak positively about their relationships with staff and are pleased with the care their children receive. There are some links established with school and staff support children in the morning routines when entering the foundation class. However, information between the setting and school is not effectively shared about children's learning. This means that staff cannot fully complement the activities, which children are learning at school and at the setting, to increase their learning.

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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 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 EY471035 Local authority Nottinghamshire Inspection number 944306 Type of provision Out of school provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 58 Name of provider Jennifer King Date of previous inspection not applicable Telephone number 01509857033

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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

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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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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