Eaton Mill Nursery

Eaton Mill Nursery Saffron Street, Bletchley, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, MK2 3AH

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 20 December 2017 2 October 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 provider has failed to provide Ofsted with the information it requires to check the suitability of all committee members, putting children at risk of harm.  The provider has failed to notify Ofsted, as required, of the appointment of a new manager who is providing cover for maternity leave.  Information about children’s individual dietary needs is not always fully understood.  Although parents are very happy with the provision for their children, staff are not fully consistent in keeping parents fully informed about their children's time in the setting, their progress and how to further support their learning at home.  The arrangements for the supervision of staff have not been maintained well enough to sustain the consistently outstanding quality of teaching previously achieved.

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It has the following strengths

 Staff sensitively foster children's emotional well-being. Children develop strong bonds with their key person. They settle well and are confident to explore and make friends.  Partnership with the school is highly effective in ensuring improved outcomes for children who require additional support. The staff act effectively on the expert advice given by the school's special educational needs coordinator and designated safeguarding officer to provide specific programmes of support.  On occasions, some members of staff demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of some children's abilities. They use this knowledge expertly to reshape tasks to encourage the highest levels of mathematical thinking.

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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 the information it requires to check the suitability of committee members 20/12/2017

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Due Date

 develop a better understanding of what must be notified to Ofsted, including changes to the management of the provision 20/12/2017

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Due Date

 ensure all staff have a detailed understanding of the specific dietary requirements of all children and cater for these accordingly in the provision of all meals and snacks, taking full account of parents’ wishes 09/03/2018

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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

 make the most of all opportunities to keep parents as well informed as possible about their children's outcomes, daily experiences and progress, to help parents continue to support their children to achieve  refine staff support to provide more specific and targeted development opportunities for each staff member, to help raise practice consistently to the highest standard.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children and their interactions with staff.  The inspector viewed a sample of documents, including children's learning records and staff recruitment records.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the early years consultant, who is assistant director at the academy, and explored arrangements for reviewing staff performance with the manager and consultant.  The inspector took account of the written and spoken views of staff, parents and children. The inspector explored the manager's self-evaluation in discussions.  The inspector held discussions with the manager, special educational needs coordinator and designated safeguarding officer and the chief executive officer of the academy at appropriate times.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

Safeguarding is not effective. Since the last inspection, the setting has experienced a time of change with regard to staff, management and the committee. The provider has not informed Ofsted about all the change of committee members to ensure robust suitability checks are carried out on all members. This means some of those acting as members of the governing body have not been confirmed as being suitable for their role. This is a breach of legal requirements of the early years foundation stage. On a previous occasion in May 2015, the provider was issued with a warning letter for failing to notify Ofsted of changes in the directors of the company and the nominated person. The provider is unsure about all the changes they must notify Ofsted about, including all changes of manager. The manager audits the provision to identify areas to strengthen and ways to improve children's outcomes, such as in literacy and mathematics. She ensures staff are

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

suitable and provides ongoing support for them to help them improve their skills, although, due to recent changes in staff and management, support for staff's professional development is not implemented as well as possible. As a result, teaching is not consistently outstanding. There are plans to introduce an electronic system of communication with parents to improve the detail of information shared regularly. At this time, staff do not always make the most of opportunities to keep all parents as well informed as possible about their children's time in the setting, and the activities they have undertaken. Staff have a good knowledge of the procedures to follow if they have a child protection concern. The designated safeguarding officer and manager work extremely well in close partnership with other professionals involved in protecting children's welfare. The manager deploys her well-qualified staff team efficiently and implements appropriate

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

adult-to-child ratios to help ensure children's safety. There are robust complaints procedures. The manager and staff monitor risks and prevent accidents effectively.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff use information from parents and other settings that children attend to identify each child's abilities when they start. They plan a range of activities using children's individual interests, identified next steps and information received from parents. Older children benefit from planned, daily small-group time, to learn mathematics and literacy skills in preparation for school. For instance, they enjoy using their writing books. They have many enjoyable, focused opportunities to practise control over their muscles to help them gain greater skills in using tools, such as pencils and scissors. Staff working with two-year-old children focus support on helping them gain the basic skills to secure future learning. They use spontaneous moments well to help children gain good communication skills and learn to play together. Staff are attentive to babies' non-verbal communication and interest as they introduce opportunities to learn new skills, such as using spoons at lunchtime.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

Weaknesses in leadership and management mean children's well-being and safety cannot be fully assured. The dietary preferences of children and parents are not always fully understood. For example, the manager believes that all vegetarian children eat fish, when this is not the preference of all parents. This does not sufficiently meet their dietary requirements. Staff sensitively tune into children's emotional well-being and preferences to tailor their sessions. For instance, staff working with pre-school children introduce yoga sessions and active dance sessions to suit children's mood. Children who are progressing on to attend the host school receive very good preparation in nursery to make the transition. For example, teachers from the host school work with these children over an extended period in the summer term before they start school, getting to know them very well in nursery. Staff ensure that children experience consistency in their learning

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

experiences, such as by sharing resources. Staff working with babies respond well to their non-verbal communication and meet their physical needs appropriately. Staff are vigilant about making sure children have enough to drink. They record the times children are given drinks of water. Children learn to behave well and respect each other.

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Outcomes for children are good

Learning is active and enjoyable for children. They display high levels of engagement and concentration. For example, three-year-old children take turns and focus well as they choose and count objects out of a bag. They demonstrate good mathematical problem- solving skills as they receive help to check their answers. Babies use the secure relationships they form with their key person as a base to explore activities confidently. Children who speak English as an additional language learn English as a result of staff using expert advice. Children who receive additional funding get targeted support to make good progress.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY319429 Local authority Milton Keynes Inspection number 1119646 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 - 8 Total number of places 70 Number of children on roll 135 Name of registered person Eaton Mill Nursery and Out of School day care Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 2 October 2013 Telephone number 01908 373621

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reference number

Eaton Mill Nursery registered in 2005. The nursery is open from 7.30am to 6pm for 50 weeks of the year. The breakfast and after-school club open from 7.30am to 8.55am and 3.15pm to 6pm respectively, five days a week during term time. The holiday club operates between the hours of 7.30am and 6pm. The nursery is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years. There are 22 staff working with the children in the nursery. Of these, 16 staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above.

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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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