Mini Explorers Day Nursery

Mini Explorers Day Nursery 54 High Street, SANDY, Bedfordshire, SG19 1AJ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 18 October 2016 27 September 2012

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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

 Staff make regular assessments of children's development and use this information to plan for their next steps in learning. The progress of individual children and groups of children is tracked continually and any concerns are swiftly addressed.  The provider ensures that all staff have good knowledge of new government initiatives to further protect children's welfare. She uses meetings to train staff and provides different scenarios for them to discuss. They learn how to recognise areas of concern and how to make appropriate responses.  Staff effectively teach children about healthy diets through fun activities. As they learn about Harvest time, staff bury root vegetables in the garden for children to find. Children enjoy digging them up and staff help them to understand the process from vegetables being in the ground to children eating them for meals.  Staff give high priority to promoting children's communication and language skills. They

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This provision is good

help children learn descriptive words, such as smooth and shiny. They also model good listening skills. Parents comment on the rapid progress their children have made in their language development within the first few weeks of being at the nursery.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff do not always gather in-depth information from parents when children first start at the nursery, in order to make highly accurate assessments of children's starting points in learning.  Staff do not always establish highly effective partnerships with other providers that children attend to share information on children's ongoing 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

 gather more information from parents about children's achievements at home, so that children's starting points in learning can be more accurately assessed, and learning planned for at the earliest opportunity  strengthen the partnerships with other providers where children attend so that more precise information about children's next steps in learning is shared.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities both indoors and outside.  The inspector spoke with staff and children at appropriate times during the day and held a meeting with the manager, deputy manager and provider.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector looked at children's records, planning documentation, information about the nursery's self-evaluation, evidence of suitability of staff and a range of other documentation, including policies and procedures.  The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day of the inspection.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. All staff have a secure understanding of how to recognise the signs and symptoms of abuse. They know the procedures to follow if they have a concern about a child. Self-evaluation is effectively used to drive continuous improvements. The views of parents are gained through questionnaires and are reflected in the ongoing plans for the nursery. Recruitment and vetting procedures are robust. New staff are supported well through their induction and they quickly gain a good understanding of their roles and responsibilities. The staff benefit from supervision meetings, where their professional development is given high priority. Staff confidently talk about the positive impact training has on their practice. For example, they have learnt about how babies' brains develop and the importance of secure attachments.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff recognise patterns of children's play and learning. They provide many opportunities for children to play and explore. Staff give children time and space to watch and observe activities until they are confident to join in. Babies enjoy making marks with paint. They use real vegetables to print with and enjoy splashing them in the paint. Staff give young children the time to experiment with glue as they make models. They look at pictures of tractors and children engage in making their own from recycled materials. Older children use dinosaurs in a playhouse. They demonstrate their developing imagination as they make up stories together. Staff encourage parents to play an active part in children's learning. Parents borrow activity bags containing items, such as for mark making and cooking to use at home. Children also enjoy taking home the nursery teddy bear and share their news about the places they have taken it through stories and photographs.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Babies benefit from consistent care from their key person. They quickly settle into the nursery and benefit from secure routines, such as sleeping when they need to. Mealtimes are sociable occasions where all children in the nursery eat together. Children are highly independent as they serve themselves and pour their drinks. Children's behaviour is good. They play together well and develop effective friendships with their peers. Staff provide many opportunities for children to be outside in the recently developed garden. They have carefully considered the spaces children need to develop their physical skills. For example, they have fenced off part of the car park as a flat surface for children to ride bicycles safely. Babies have their own garden spaces where they can explore and learn outdoors.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children are developing into independent learners and are gaining the skills they need to be ready to move to the next room or on to school. Children use pencils and talk about the marks they are making on paper. Younger children stack up small blocks to make towers, they count how many blocks they use and name shapes, such as stars. Staff use small-group times to help children to learn how to listen to, and follow instructions. Children understand that they can offer suggestions and staff will listen to them and follow their actions.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY439807 Local authority Central Bedfordshire Inspection number 1059972 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 0 - 9 Total number of places 48 Number of children on roll 73 Name of registered person Mini Explorers Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 27 September 2012 Telephone number 01767689688

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reference number

Mini Explorers Day Nursery was registered in 2012. The nursery employs 11 members of childcare staff. Nine members of staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The nursery opens on Monday to Friday from 7am until 6.30pm, all year round. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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reference number

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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reference number

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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reference number

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reference number

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reference number

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

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