Mini Steamers Preschool

Mini Steamers Preschool Even Swindon Community Centre, Old School, Jennings Street, Swindon, SN2 2BG

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 18 October 2016 25 November 2013

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This inspection: Good 2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good 2

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This provision is good

 The manager encourages staff to reflect on their practice. She meets regularly with staff and makes sure they receive training to develop the skills and knowledge they need. This ensures the quality of teaching and learning is good overall.  Staff create an inviting and stimulating environment that provides a wide variety of learning opportunities. Children are absorbed in their play and make good progress.  Staff know the children very well. They are caring and attentive, which helps children feel secure, grow in confidence and learn to do things for themselves.  Staff support children's speech development effectively. They encourage children to talk about what they are doing, to think ideas through and solve problems.  Partnerships with parents are good. Staff regularly share information about children's care and learning. They offer advice and lend resources to help parents extend children's learning at home.

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This provision is good

 The management team evaluates the provision effectively overall, to inform plans for improvement. For example, it plans to build closer links with other settings children attend to provide greater continuity in children's care and learning.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 The manager failed to notify Ofsted of an allegation against a staff member, which is a breach of requirements. However, she did follow procedures to safeguard children.  Some planned group activities do not always engage or appropriately challenge all the children taking part, so they do not gain as much as they could from the experience.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage and the Childcare Register the provider must:

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Due Date

 improve understanding of the need to inform Ofsted of any allegations of serious harm or abuse to a child by a member of staff, or any adult on the premises. 30/11/2016

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Due Date

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

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Due Date

 review the daily routine, in particular whole group times, to ensure that activities are engaging and appropriately challenging for all the children taking part.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with staff and children throughout the day and observed the quality of care and teaching.  The inspector interviewed the manager.  The inspector took into account the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day of the inspection and from written feedback.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager and discussed how she monitors staff practice and children's development.  The inspector reviewed a range of documents including children's assessments, evidence of staff suitability, policies and self-evaluation records.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. All staff update their knowledge regularly and safeguarding is discussed at every meeting. They are clear about child protection issues and what they must do to keep children safe. Staff are encouraged to report any concerns within the pre- school. However, the manager is not always clear about when to notify Ofsted of events. Rigorous recruitment, induction and monitoring procedures help ensure all adults working in the pre-school are suitable. Staff use training successfully, for example, to introduce new ideas in the garden to encourage children, particularly boys, to draw and write. The team monitors children's progress well to identify and address gaps in children's learning promptly. The management team reflects well and takes prompt action to improve areas of weakness, such as improving systems to keep children safe when dropping off and collecting them from other settings.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff carefully observe children's play and accurately assess their development. They plan a wide range of motivating activities so that children eagerly join in. Children learn to play cooperatively, for example gathering interesting objects such as long pieces of material, guttering and cones to build a house. They chatter excitedly as there is so much to talk about. They decide where the door will go, how many windows and who will be Dad. Staff join children in their play to extend their talk and enrich their vocabulary. Staff encourage children to develop their own ideas by valuing their thoughts and achievements. Children learn to have a go and try again if it does not work the first time.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children settle quickly and build a strong bond with their key person as well as good friendships with other children. They behave well and eagerly remind each other of the 'golden rules', adding helpfully 'if he done it, tell an adult'. They listen to others' opinions and ideas and confidently share their own views. Children learn to value the beliefs of others as they celebrate different cultural and religious festivals. Children play very energetically in the exciting garden for much of the day. They develop good physical skills as they climb over and under, squeeze through gaps, and move in many different ways. They enjoy healthy snacks and freshly prepared nutritious meals.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children are confident and independent learners and are well prepared for moving on to nursery or school. They dress and manage their lunches themselves. They use their growing mathematical understanding such as selecting appropriate shapes to build a model. Children's literacy skills develop well. For example, they play with rhymes, practise writing their names and some understand the sounds that letters represent.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY466652 Local authority Swindon Inspection number 1063566 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Age range of children 2 - 8 Total number of places 23 Number of children on roll 31 Name of registered person Karen Maria Caluan

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 25 November 2013 Telephone number 07886632741

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reference number

Mini Steamers Preschool opened in 2013. It is privately owned and has a sister nursery in Swindon, which cares for children up to two years old. The pre-school operates from a room within Even Swindon Community Centre in Swindon. The pre-school opens on weekdays throughout the year, except for one week at Christmas. Sessions are from 7am until 6.30pm. The pre-school cares for children aged from two and a half years to four years, and for school-age children up to 12 years old before and after school and all day in the school holidays. The nursery employs five members of staff. The manager and deputy manager hold childcare qualifications at level 5, one member of staff holds a relevant qualification at level 3, one at level 2 and one is unqualified. The pre-school/nursery receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years.

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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. 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

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

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