Mini Stars Childcare LTD

Mini Stars Childcare LTD UK Centre for Carnival Arts, 3 St. Marys Road, LUTON, LU1 3JA

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 06/10/2014 19/11/2013

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early years provision

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

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This provision is inadequate

 The risk assessment process is not sufficiently thorough and practitioners and managers do not implement it each day. This means that they do not meet all safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage as they do not promote children's safety and welfare at all times. There are serious hazards in the outdoor area.  Inconsistent teaching methods mean that some activities are not planned in order to challenge children. As a result, their problem-solving and creative skills are not promoted as well as they could be.  The poor organisation of some areas of the setting means that children cannot access the resources in these areas in order to extend their play and learning.  Practitioners do not consistently use daily routines, such as snack time, to promote children's independence to the maximum.

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It has the following strengths

 Practitioners are kind and caring. They work appropriately with parents and so know the children well. As a result, children are happy and have warm relationships with practitioners.  Practitioners carefully plan children's menus. This means that children eat healthy, well- balanced snacks and meals.

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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 both rooms and the outside area.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held meetings with the manager of the provision and the two owners and carried out a joint observation with the manager.  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 information and improvement plan.  The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day.

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Information about the setting

Mini Stars Childcare Ltd was registered in 2009 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated in a self-contained unit within the UK Centre for Carnival Arts building in Luton, Bedfordshire. It is managed by Mini Stars Childcare Ltd, a private company providing full day care. The setting serves the local and neighbouring area and is accessible to all children. It operates from two main rooms and there is an enclosed area available for outdoor play. There are currently 10 staff working directly with the children. Of these, one holds an appropriate early years qualification at level 2 and nine hold qualifications at level 3 or above, including two with Early Years Professional status. The setting opens Monday to Friday all year round, except for one week during the summer holidays and one week at Christmas. Sessions are from 8am until 6pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 40 children

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Information about the setting

attending who are in the early years age group. The setting receives funding for the provision of free early education for three- and four-year-old children. It supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The setting receives support from the local authority.

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must:

 ensure that the risk assessment process is thorough, covers all risks to children and is robustly implemented in order to promote children's safety at all times. This refers to the hazards in the outdoor area relating to water and to the accessible hosepipe

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must:

 review the planning procedures in order to ensure that these always challenge children, for example, by encouraging them to extend their creativity and problem solving skills

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must:

 review the organisation of resources to ensure that children are able to access these independently in order to extend their play and learning.

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

 enhance the daily procedures, such as snack time, so that children have consistent opportunities to develop their independence.

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who attend

Since their last inspection, practitioners have completed further training. The setting's reviewed procedures are also now appropriately established so that practitioners receive practical support in their work. Consequently, they have sufficient knowledge of the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. They generally use acceptable teaching techniques so that they support children in making adequate progress in their learning. There are appropriate procedures in place to aid practitioners in gathering initial information from parents. They assess this information so that they have a clear understanding of children's starting points. This enables them to plan activities and offer children relevant support. The reviewed assessment and planning procedures mean that practitioners now understand each child's developmental needs and have an appropriate understanding of their interests. They use this information to plan the

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who attend

next steps in learning for each child, referencing this to the areas of learning. The daily activity planning is, therefore, effective in that it ensures that practitioners offer children appropriate activities that help to promote their development in each area. However, inconsistencies in the teaching methods mean that some activities lack sufficient interest and challenge for children. As a result, their problem-solving and creative skills are not always promoted as well as they could be. For example, practitioners note that children are particularly enjoying a story about an owl. They extend this by offering an associated craft activity. However, they pre-cut the cardboard owls and mark some of the features on them. This limits children's learning in this particular activity because they do not have the opportunity to explore and create these for themselves. Practitioners have suitable procedures in place for carrying out the progress check for children aged between two and

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who attend

three years. This supports them in planning activities and in recognising possible areas where children require additional support.

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who attend

Practitioners' appropriate communication with parents means that they have suitable opportunities to share news about their children's progress at home. For example, they meet regularly with their child's key person in order to review their progress. Practitioners also offer parents appropriate support in extending their children's learning. They send home simple resources. For example, after noting the younger children's enjoyment of filling bags and containers, practitioners provide clean, empty milk containers. Each parent and child then fill these with 10 objects from home and the children enjoy sharing these with the practitioners and other children. Practitioners generally support children in developing the basic skills they need for school and their future learning. In the main, their appropriate interaction and improved knowledge of how children learn, mean that practitioners usually offer children relevant opportunities to extend their understanding.

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who attend

For example, a practitioner puts on some music from a favourite film. The children enjoy working out actions and movements to the music. When they pretend to chop through the ice, the practitioner asks if they would like to look at some real ice and fetches this. The children then use an appropriate range of tools to work out how to cut the ice. Children notice that the ice is melting and wonder if they can use tape to stick it to the table to make it stay. The practitioner helps them to set this up and the children work out that the ice is too wet to stick to the tape and will melt. Some good use of resources and appropriate interaction support children's learning. For example, a practitioner and children use relevant props as they act out a favourite rhyme. The children enjoy counting the number of buns they have left in their shop and correctly identify this number on laminated cards and on the cash register.

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who attend

The manager and nursery owners have introduced practical guidance and support for practitioners working with groups of children, thus aiding them in promoting each child's development. For example, a practitioner sets up an activity where children explore ice. When another practitioner notes that there are a lot of children interested in the activity, she joins them to offer further support. They also offer the activity again later so that children can revisit this and other children have the opportunity to participate. Children participate in an appropriate range of activities that help promote their physical development. They learn to use the steps to access a raised play area and enjoy moving in time to music, thus developing their skills in balance and coordination. Children are offered suitable opportunities to increase their awareness of diversity. For example, when children come back from holidays practitioners support them in talking about where they

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who attend

have been, the climate, and any traditions and beliefs. Practitioners' appropriate interaction with children supports them in developing their language and communication skills. For example, at lunchtime practitioners engage children in discussions about their favourite foods. Children who speak English as an additional language are appropriately supported so that they make expected progress in their learning. Practitioners work with parents and learn some basic words in the child's home language in order to aid initial daily communication. They also monitor children's speech development so that they can note if children require additional support. Similarly, children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are appropriately supported. Their key persons work in partnership with any external agencies supporting the children. This enables them to work individually with the children so that they achieve appropriate goals, such as learning to

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who attend

communicate. This is further supported as the majority of practitioners have completed training in sign language and use this daily in their communications with all children.

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

The key-person system is used appropriately by practitioners in order to support their partnership working with parents. They meet with parents to gather initial information and so obtain a suitable understanding of each child and their needs. As a result, children are secure and develop warm relationships with practitioners. For example, older children chatter to practitioners as they play, and younger children smile and babble as practitioners interact with them. However, this is a false sense of security as serious hazards in the outdoor area mean that children's safety is severely compromised. Practitioners promote children's confidence and self-esteem as they praise them for their efforts and achievements. For example, children enjoy the praise as they recognise written numerals as part of their role play. This helps them to feel positive about their play. However, some inconsistencies in activity planning mean that practitioners do not always

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

encourage children to develop their skills in solving problems and thereby becoming independent. This means that they are not fully emotionally prepared for the move to school. Practitioners support new children in settling because they work with parents to find out about children's preferences and routines. They then make sure that these are included within the daily planning. For example, babies and young children sleep and feed according to their established home patterns. Practitioners manage children's transitions from one room to another within the setting appropriately so that the move does not upset children. Key persons take children for short visits to their new room. They exchange relevant information with the practitioners in that room so that they understand the children's needs. Some consideration has been given to making some resources accessible. For example, young children choose toys from containers at floor level.

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

However, some areas are poorly organised and children do not make independent choices and extend their play and learning. For example, children playing with sand or foam in trays do not extend their play as they cannot see where further resources are stored.

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

At their last inspection, the nursery was given a welfare requirement notice in relation to behaviour management. Practitioners have now attended training in this area and it is a key element of staff induction and supervision. Behaviour is now well managed and practitioners offer children clear explanations so that they develop their understanding and learn how to manage their own behaviour. For example, practitioners explain to children about sharing and being kind to each other. They encourage them to consider this and praise them for the good choices they make as they play. Children are generally supported in developing their self-care skills. For example, they help themselves to water throughout the day, checking the label on the container to make sure it is theirs. However, some inconsistent daily practice means that practitioners do not fully promote children's independence. For example, at snack time practitioners prepare the snacks and place

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

these on children's plates. They pour their drinks for them and clear away when the children have finished. Children are offered adequate opportunities to learn about healthy lifestyles. They talk with practitioners and learn relevant songs that support their understanding of healthy eating. Managers and practitioners also take care in the planning of snacks and meals, ensuring that these are nutritious and well balanced. Children clean their teeth after lunch and practitioners talk with them about this, helping them to begin to understand about the importance of oral hygiene. Practitioners also talk with children about why it is important to move about and exercise each day. Children are suitably supported in beginning to understand how to keep themselves safe. For example, older children explain why they wear high visibility jackets when they go out for walks.

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provision

The setting has failed to meet a requirement of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Their risk assessment process does not identify all possible risks to children and is not implemented daily. This means that children's safety is seriously compromised when they use the outdoor area as they are able to access hazardous items. The need to keep children safe and minimise risks is also a requirement of the Childcare Register. At their last inspection by Ofsted, the setting received a welfare requirements notice in relation to behaviour management and a number of actions to improve. They have had one subsequent monitoring visit, where they were found to have taken appropriate action in order to meet the actions set. The manager and owners have implemented effective changes in behaviour management, staff recruitment and vetting, the safeguarding procedures, the use of bank staff and the supervision of practitioners. As a result, the

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provision

promotion of children's welfare has improved in these areas but is now compromised by the current safety issues relating to the use of the outdoor area. Practitioners now attend regular safeguarding training and this is included as an important element of staff induction and of their ongoing supervision. This means that they are clear about the possible signs of abuse or neglect of a child and the process to follow in order to report such concerns. This has been extended as new procedures have now been implemented to ensure that practitioners have sufficient understanding and use of English in order to communicate effectively. The manager and owners have reviewed the procedures for dealing with allegations against staff and now ensure that these are consistently followed when needed. Changes to the recruitment procedures mean that the manager and nursery owners now have clear procedures for checking the suitability of all practitioners.

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provision

They keep an accurate record of this process and of the Disclosure and Barring Service checks for all.

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provision

Children's safety at meal times is appropriately considered. The manager has reviewed this area with all practitioners and they now understand their roles at this time, particularly when hot food is being served. They ensure that children are supervised throughout the meal time, with a practitioner sitting at each table until all children have finished. Similarly, the safety of babies and young children is appropriately considered with regard to them accessing small toys and objects. This area has also been reviewed and practitioners ensure that floor areas in the room for older children are clear before allowing babies and young children to access them. Practitioners also talk with the older children about this, helping them to understand that small items could be a hazard to babies as they like to put them in their mouths.

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provision

The manager and nursery owners work with practitioners to evaluate the work of the setting. Although this evaluation does not sufficiently identify all weaknesses, it enables them to plan some improvements to the provision for children. For example, recent changes include the addition of a large role-play area in order to offer children further opportunities to extend their imagination. There are now appropriate procedures for the ongoing supervision of practitioners in order to build and maintain their professional performance. They are supported in attending training and gaining higher childcare qualifications and this has a positive impact on children. For example, after attending specific training relating to sign language, practitioners now use more signs to help children understand and manage their own behaviour. The support offered to practitioners has now been extended so that there is a clearer induction procedure. This helps to

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provision

ensure that all new practitioners understand the setting's policies and procedures. The training programme has also been reviewed so that any new practitioners who miss key training are supported in attending this at a later date. This means that practitioners work more consistently in order to promote children's welfare and development. The manager and nursery owners work together with practitioners to develop their understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage. For example, they review the setting's policies and procedures. However, this has not included the risk assessment process. Practitioners monitor the progress of their key children. They meet regularly with the manager to review this. Consequently, the manager is aware of any areas where children require further help. Practitioners are experienced in working with other professionals and are aware of the help available. This supports them in seeking any additional help required by children and

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provision

their families. The nursery is not currently caring for any children who attend other childcare provisions. However, they have relevant procedures in place for sharing assessment and planning information, helping to ensure that children's care is consistent and their development promoted. Practitioners work in partnership with parents and keep them appropriately informed of their child's progress and activities. For example, they provide newsletters and regular written summaries of children's progress.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are

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actions)

The requirements for the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are

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To meet the requirements of the Childcare Register the provider must:

 ensure that the premises and equipment used for the purposes of childcare are safe and suitable for that childcare (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  ensure that all necessary measures are taken to minimise any risk to the health or safety of children (compulsory part of the Childcare Register).  ensure that the premises and equipment used for the purposes of childcare are safe and suitable for that childcare (voluntary part of the Childcare Register)  ensure that all necessary measures are taken to minimise any risk to the health or safety of children (voluntary part of the Childcare Register).

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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. We re-inspect nurseries and pre-schools judged as requires improvement within 12 months of the date of 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

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Grade Judgement Description

is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected again within six months of the date of this inspection. Met There were no children present at the time of the inspection. The inspection judgement is that the provider continues to meet the requirements for registration. Not met There were no children present at the time of the inspection. 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 EY396927 Local authority Luton Inspection number 990914

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 33 Number of children on roll 40 Name of provider Mini Stars Childcare Limited Date of previous inspection 19/11/2013 Telephone number 01582 437 121

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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

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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