Mill Dam Ducklings

Mill Dam Ducklings Ackworth Mill Dam School, Mill Gate, Ackworth, PONTEFRACT, West Yorkshire, WF7 7PH

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 10 April 2017 1 May 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:

 The management team does not have robust systems for supervising and identifying training to ensure staff are kept up to date with changes in legislation and current issues arising in childcare.  Staff do not make good use of information from observations and assessments to help them fully understand children's level of progress or to meet their individual learning needs.  Opportunities are missed to help children to develop their understanding of the importance of good hygiene practice, specifically relating to handwashing. These mean children's good health is not always best supported.  Staff do not provide parents with consistent information about their child's progress to enable them to support their learning at home.

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It has the following strengths

 Staff work very closely with other professionals, including teachers from the local schools. Children are fully supported with their move to school.  Staff have created a highly stimulating environment outdoors. Children are enthusiastic about exploring the natural environment and challenging their physical capabilities.  Children are supported with understanding expectations for behaviour and are encouraged to play cooperatively with one another.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

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

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Due Date

 train staff and ensure they have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities with specific regard to changing legislation and current issues in the early years foundation stage 17/04/2017

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Due Date

 use observations and assessments accurately to tailor activities to meet children's learning needs and to successfully monitor their levels of achievement 17/04/2017

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Due Date

 promote children's good health and hygiene at every opportunity so that good hygiene practice is embedded in children's understanding of what contributes to a healthy lifestyle. 17/04/2017

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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

 strengthen the system to provide parents with more information about their child's progress that helps them to effectively support their learning at home.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held a meeting with the manager, the nominated person and the Special Educational Needs Coordinator. She looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.  The inspector viewed all areas of the premises used by children. She observed the quality of teaching during activities and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector engaged in discussions with the staff and children throughout the inspection at appropriate times. She spoke to a number of parents during the inspection and took account of their views.  The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of staff working with children and discussed the self-evaluation and the impact this has on the setting.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager. She looked at children's records, observation and assessment files, planning documentation and a selection of

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff understand the signs and symptoms of abuse and where to go to seek professional advice and guidance if needed. Staff are deployed appropriately within the nursery and ratios are consistently met to ensure that children are safe and supervised appropriately. New staff are safely recruited and are all subject to a rigorous selection process. Most staff are well qualified and teaching is, generally, good. Overall, the management team has a clear vision to drive improvement. However, it does not promptly train staff when there are changes to legislation or new issues arising in childcare. Parents are complimentary about the staff. Staff understand the importance of sharing information with parents. Although staff have developed a system to share information with parents about children's care needs, this is not yet well embedded to share information about what they need to learn next.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

Children arrive full of enthusiasm and are ready to learn. Staff observe children as they play and have a general overview of their development. However, they do not always use this information effectively to monitor and track children's progress against all areas of their development. This means that some planned activities do not take into account children's individual needs to motivate them to make the best possible progress.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

There are good settling-in procedures in place to ensure that children are supported well with their move from home. Staff have good relationships with children. They are caring and attentive, helping to support children's emotional well-being successfully. Staff provide children with nutritious snacks and meals. However, during food handling activities, children are not reminded to wash their hands first. This means children's good health is not always best supported.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Children are not making enough progress in their learning and development, however, they are steadily gaining some of the necessary skills in readiness for school. They learn to count and are encouraged to use number language in their play. For example, older children count as they play in the water. Children participate in group activities with their peers where they respond well to clear guidance and simple instructions. Children's literacy skills are developing. For example, they enjoy singing familiar songs and rhymes. Children are kind and considerate to each other.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY464689 Local authority Wakefield Inspection number 1088165 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 1 - 4 Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 74 Name of registered person Ackworth Milldam JI School Governing Body

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 1 May 2014 Telephone number 01977723112

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reference number

Mill Dam Ducklings was registered in 2013. The nursery employs 18 members of childcare staff. Of these, 13 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above, including two with qualified teacher status. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round, except for two weeks at Christmas. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The nursery cares for children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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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

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

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