Puddleducks Pre-School

Puddleducks Pre-School 76 Holst Crescent, Old Farm Park, Milton Keynes, MK7 8QU

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 25 January 2018 25 September 2013

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Inadequate 4

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate 4

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This provision is inadequate

 The committee members do not demonstrate a secure understanding of their role in safeguarding children.  Committee members have consistently failed to provide Ofsted with the information it needs for the required suitability checks to be completed. Therefore, children's welfare is put at significant risk.  Staff do not consistently provide opportunities to encourage children to practise their literacy skills.  Staff sometimes miss opportunities to fully support the youngest children to build on their play and extend their learning. For example, when staff are focused on essential pre-school routines. Although younger children achieve well, they do not consistently get the very best support to further enhance their achievements.

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It has the following strengths

 Children make good progress in their learning across all educational programmes and overall, staff support them appropriately in a variety of experiences.  Children's behaviour is managed well. Staff teach children to be kind, take turns and encourage them to develop suitable levels of independence.

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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

 provide Ofsted with details of all committee members so that the required checks can be completed to assess their suitability. 10/02/2018

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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

 provide further opportunities for children to practise their literacy skills within everyday activities  monitor teaching more closely so that staff fully support the youngest children to build on their play and extend their learning even further.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a sample of documents, including staff recruitment records, committee records and staff suitability checks, to see how well children are kept safe.  The inspector spoke to children, parents and staff at convenient times during the inspection and took account of their views.  The inspector discussed a sample of children's records with staff and reviewed how effectively they use their assessments to track individual children's learning.  The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities across the day and assessed the impact on children's learning.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the pre-school manager and discussed children's learning and development.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

The arrangements for safeguarding are ineffective. There is a history of failure by the committee members to provide Ofsted with the information it needs for the required suitability checks to be completed. This means that children's welfare is put at significant risk. However, the manager has a secure understanding of her responsibility to safeguard children. She ensures that there are secure procedures for the recruitment and induction of staff, and adults working with children are suitable to do so. Staff work well with other providers. For example, they have developed a consistent approach to phonics teaching between the pre-school and school. The manager meets with her staff regularly and she supports them in their role.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff understand how children learn and develop. They use their observations of children to plan a wide range of activities that interests children. The manager monitors children's progress effectively and is quick to identify and plan for any gaps in children's learning. Children enjoy re-enacting stories and learning to write the letters in their name. Children use their imagination in their learning, such as when they re-create their familiar experiences of visiting the vet's surgery. Staff encourage children to develop their mathematical skills well. For example, they support children to work out the money they need to pay for medicine, and to sort, count and weigh objects.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

The weaknesses in the leadership and management of the provision compromise children's safety and welfare. However, staff are vigilant and support children well. Children settle quickly into the pre-school because staff work with parents to understand children's individual needs. Children show they understand the pre-school routines and demonstrate good independence skills. Staff meet children's emotional needs well and are sensitive in their approach. For example, as they support younger children in their toilet training. Children are developing dexterity in using tools as they cut with scissors, scoop stones into buckets, and use brushes to write numbers or make marks in the sand.

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Outcomes for children are good

All children make good progress from their starting points. They are learning to make decisions in their play and are highly motivated by activities that challenge their thinking. Children effectively gain the skills they need for their future learning and are well prepared for their eventual move to school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 141893 Local authority Milton Keynes Inspection number 1061463 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 - 4 Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 32 Name of registered person Pudddleducks Pre-school Committee

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 25 September 2013 Telephone number 01908 643636

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reference number

Puddleducks Pre-School registered in 1997 and operates five days a week, term time only, from 9am to 3.30pm. The pre-school receives funding for the provision of free early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The pre-school employs eight members of staff. Of these, one holds an appropriate early years qualification at level 5, and five staff members hold appropriate qualifications at level 3.

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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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