Sparkling Minds Pre-School and Day Nursery

Bear Necessities Nursery Weston Park Farm, Weston-on-the-Green, BICESTER, Oxfordshire, OX25 3QE

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 4 March 2015 7 December 2010

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This inspection: Good 2

Previous inspection: Good 2 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

The setting meets legal requirements for early years settings

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This provision is good

 Staff are well organised and work effectively as a team to ensure that routines run smoothly and that children receive good-quality care.  Children demonstrate that they feel settled and happy for most of their time in the nursery. The key person system works well to support children's individual care needs.  Overall, children engage well in their play and learning. Staff demonstrate that children are generally making good progress from their starting points to help prepare them for their next stages in learning. Staff observe and assess children's development regularly, using this information to inform future planning.  Staff respond well to ongoing training opportunities to help them improve the quality of play experiences for children.  The nursery team has made significant improvements to the garden areas since the last inspection in order to enhance children's outdoor learning.  Staff work well in partnership with parents to promote continuity between the nursery

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This provision is good

and home environments. They keep parents well informed about their children's progress. Staff provide ideas to help parents support their children's learning at home.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff are not always fully successful in ensuring that whole-group activities in the pre- school reflect all children's individual learning needs.  Staff do not always make the best use of available resources in the pre-school to create a highly stimulating environment to help children make more connections in their learning.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

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

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

 review teaching strategies for whole-group activities in the pre-school to more carefully reflect children's individual learning needs  enhance the learning environment in the pre-school by presenting resources so that they are more purposeful and meaningful to help children make further connections in their learning.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in all age groups.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector sampled children's development files and the nursery's action plans.  The inspector held a meeting with the management team and talked to parents available on the day.  The inspector sampled training records and evidence of staff suitability.

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who attend. This is good

Babies enjoy exploring a stimulating environment with good support from staff. They develop positive communication skills as staff sing songs using actions and props to promote their understanding. Children aged two to three listened attentively to stories read with expression by staff. They contributed their ideas confidently and joined in enthusiastically with songs. Pre-school children enjoyed exploring a variety of activities, such as making Mother's Day cards and building using construction blocks. Resources are easily accessible but staff do not always present these effectively to make them more meaningful, such as incorporating literacy and maths resources in the role-play area. Staff organise whole-group times to focus on specific skills, such as learning about sounds and letters. However, on the day of the inspection, the level of challenge was too high for some children who therefore did not benefit effectively from this activity.

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good

Staff prepare children well for changes in routines and for their move into a new room. They have a friendly and caring approach, which helps children to feel secure. Staff are good role models; they help children play well together and provide lots of praise to promote their self-esteem. Staff organise meal times effectively. Children wait patiently for all food to be served and are clearly familiar with this routine. They enjoy nutritious meals, such as vegetable hotpot with couscous, to promote their good health. Children learn about safety procedures, such as blowing on hot food to cool it down. They enjoy daily outdoor play, which promotes their all-round development as they splash in puddles, paint pictures and explore water play.

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provision is good

The management team demonstrates a clear understanding of its responsibilities to meet the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Staff are fully aware of safeguarding children procedures and the premises are safe and secure. The management team uses supervision meetings and appraisals to identify the training needs of staff who are enthusiastic about new ideas. For example, staff in the baby room are providing a wider range of sensory play experiences in response to a training session. Improvements to practice have included a wildlife area and vegetable patch in the garden to enhance children's awareness of the world around them. The management team is planning to improve the monitoring of children's progress, by making more use of an online tracking tool. Staff are proactive in working with other settings, such as sharing information with the schools to which children will transfer.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY407765 Local authority Oxfordshire Inspection number 831602 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 58 Number of children on roll 102 Name of provider My Big Boots Ltd Date of previous inspection 7 December 2010 Telephone number 01869351118

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Setting details

Bear Necessities Nursery registered under the current ownership in 2010 and is run by My Big Boots Limited. It operates from purpose-built premises on the edge of a farm, at Weston-on-the-Green in Oxfordshire. The nursery is open on weekdays from 8am until 6pm for 51 weeks of the year. It receives funding for the provision of free early education for children ages three and four years. The nursery employs 21 staff, of whom 17 hold relevant qualifications, including staff who have attained Early Years Professional Status.

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Setting details

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

procedures set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. 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, safeguarding and child protection.

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Setting details

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Setting details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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