Mulberry Tree Kindergarten

Mulberry Tree Kindergarten Cromhall Village Hall, Talbot's End, Cromhall, South Gloucestershire, GL12 8AJ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 12 January 2017 23 June 2014

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Outcomes for children Requires improvement

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This provision requires improvement. It is not yet good because:

 Staff do not accurately record the times that children arrive and leave the setting. This does not fully support children's safety and well-being at all times.  The management team has failed to notify Ofsted, on more than one occasion, of changes to the committee members so the required suitability checks can be completed.  Management does not keep all necessary records and documentation easily accessible and available for inspection on site, as required.  Management does not consistently provide all staff with the information needed to enable them to fully support all children's individual needs and help children to learn what comes next during the session.  The management team has not evaluated their provision effectively since their last inspection. They have failed to identify breaches in requirements or identify where they can improve their practice.

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It has the following strengths

 The staff have a calm, caring approach towards the children. Children are generally happy, confident and comfortable in their surroundings.  Children generally make steady progress in their learning from their starting points.  Children develop their physical skills effectively and use tools confidently and independently.

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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

 maintain an accurate daily record of children's hours of attendance 13/01/2017  improve knowledge and understanding about when to notify Ofsted of any changes 26/01/2017

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Due Date

 ensure records are easily accessible and available for inspection and gain prior permission for these to be kept securely off site. 26/01/2017

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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

 manage planned changes in routines more effectively, to help meet children's individual needs and minimise interruptions to their learning  develop a culture of self-evaluation, and involve parents and staff, to support the identification of breaches in requirements and target areas for improvements to the quality of the provision.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities and staff's interactions with children in the main room and the outside learning environment.  The inspector spoke to the registered person, who is also the manager, and the temporary staff and the children.  The inspector checked the evidence of the suitability and qualifications of the manager and staff who work with children.  The inspector took into account the views of parents spoken to on the day.  The inspector sampled a range of documentation, including children's records, safeguarding procedures, and written policies and procedures.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

The manager has a limited understanding of her role and responsibilities, such as the need to keep Ofsted informed about committee changes so suitability checks can be quickly completed. However, this does not significantly compromise children's safety as committee members do not have unsupervised access to children. The manager employs temporary staff to cover staff absences and completes the required suitability checks for these. Staff have a secure knowledge about safeguarding children and child protection procedures. Safeguarding is effective. The manager has completed up-to-date safeguarding training. However, she is not accurately recording children's hours of attendance as required. She also does not keep the required documentation and records available for inspection. Self- evaluation is not fully effective and the manager has failed to identify breaches in requirements and all areas to improve outcomes for children. Partnerships with parents

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

are sound and staff share information regularly with them.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

Staff use regular observations and assessments to help identify children's next steps in learning. However, on occasion, temporary staff are not given all the information they need about children's routines to enable them to reinforce these consistently. For example, during the changeover of activities staff unsuccessfully tried to encourage children to sit and wait until all other children were ready and they became distracted, and began rolling around on the floor. Nevertheless, at times, staff interact positively with children and support their imagination and language skills well. Staff support children's physical development well. For example, children enjoy helping to prepare vegetables to make soup for lunch, and they use knives safely and confidently.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

Children appear happy and comfortable with the temporary staff. Most children generally respond well to instructions and know what they are expected to do next. For example, when staff start to sing the 'join the circle' song, most children respond positively and join hands in a circle. Children enjoy outside play in all weathers. For example, they gather water in containers from puddles and water butts, pouring it into other containers. Children confidently remind staff what they should be doing and help put bowls on the table ready for snack and lunch time.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Children gain an awareness of their personal care and independence skills. For example, some children can put their coats on, and confidently understand why they need to wash their hands before eating. Children develop their imagination well and enjoy playing with knitted dolls. Most children are learning the skills they need for their future learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY463703 Local authority South Gloucestershire Inspection number 1069364 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 - 5 Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 8 Name of registered person The Mulberry Tree Steiner Early Years Group

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 23 June 2014 Telephone number 01454 299167 during term time; or 01285 831463

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reference number

Mulberry Tree Kindergarten registered in 2013. It is operates as a charity with a parent committee. The group follows the Steiner educational philosophy. The group opens Monday to Friday, from 9am to 3pm, for 39 weeks of the year. The kindergarten is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years. There are two permanent members of staff who work with the children. The manager holds early years professional status and a Steiner qualification. The other member of staff holds a childcare qualification at level 3. There are two temporary members of staff who help when numbers require, of whom one holds a childcare qualification at level 5.

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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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