Little Footprints Montessori Nursery

Little Footprints Montessori Nursery St. Marys Church, Burghfield, Reading, Berkshire RG30 3TG

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Inspection date 8 July 2019 - 23 July 2019 Previous inspection date Not applicable

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

Previous inspection: Not applicable Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate 4 Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate 4 Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate 4 Outcomes for children Inadequate 4

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This provision is inadequate

n Supervision procedures and monitoring of staff are poor. Staff are not adequately supported to improve the quality of their practice and teaching. This has a significant impact on children's care and learning needs. n The key-person system is weak. There have been changes to the staff team and not all parents are aware of who their child's key person is. Furthermore, key persons do not share daily information sufficiently with other staff, for example on children's personal care needs, in particular those who need additional support. This has a negative impact on children's emotional well-being. n Not all staff complete accurate assessments of children's development, including the required progress checks for children aged between two and three years. This means parents and other professionals do not have an accurate overview of children's progress and staff do not tailor children's care and learning needs, including those who

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This provision is inadequate

speak English as an additional language, to ensure gaps are closed swiftly. n There are inconsistencies in information sharing with parents, such as on changes to planned activities, and keeping parents informed about children's development. n Staff are not aware of all the languages children speak at home and do not ensure children can recognise and use their home languages as they play. They do not extend children's thinking and enhance their learning to ensure they make good progress from their starting points. n Some staff fail to plan activities and routines effectively to support the welfare needs of all children and enable their participation. At times, children have to wait too long to participate in activities, and become frustrated.

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It has the following strengths

n Children have daily opportunities to enjoy fresh air and outdoor play.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must: Due date implement appropriate systems for the supervision and monitoring of staff which identify and address staff's need for support, coaching and training, in order to promote the care and development of children and to strengthen and improve the quality of teaching 10/09/2019

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

develop the key-person system so that all parents are aware of any changes to their child's key person, and ensure key persons share information with other staff to consistently meet the personal care needs of all children, in particular those who need additional support 10/09/2019

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

ensure staff complete all the information as required in the progress check for children at age two years, to identify and plan for what children need to learn next, sharing this information with parents and other professionals where appropriate 10/09/2019

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

ensure that staff make accurate assessments of each child's learning, including those who speak English as an additional language, to consistently provide children with the right level of support and challenge and to close gaps in learning swiftly 10/09/2019

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

develop further strategies to ensure that parents are consistently up to date with changes, for example to planned activities, and ensure there is a consistent and meaningful two-way flow of information-sharing with all parents about their child's learning and development 10/09/2019

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

ensure staff are aware of all the languages children use at home, and provide children with opportunities to see and use their home languages as they play 10/09/2019

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

ensure staff plan and organise activities and routines successfully, to ensure children are not keep waiting or become frustrated. 10/09/2019

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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

n make more effective use of self-evaluation to address areas of weakness swiftly, in order to improve outcomes for children. Inspection activities

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

n The inspector took into account the views of parents spoken to on the day. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching and the impact on children's learning. n The inspector conducted a joint observation with the manager. n The inspector held discussions with the provider, manager, children and staff at appropriate times during the inspection. n The inspector looked at various documents, including policies and procedures, risk assessments, staff training records, records for children and evidence of the suitability of staff.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

The monitoring and supervision of staff are weak. Leaders fail to identify key weaknesses in practice which need improving. For example, professional development needs to advance knowledge and skills, and the quality of teaching has not been identified for the staff team. This has a significant impact on children's emotional well- being, learning and development. Leaders do not ensure staff complete accurate progress checks on children's development when they are aged between two and three years in line, with legal requirements. This means where there is a concern that a child has gaps in their development, staff cannot be sure that parents have all the required information they need to share with other professionals. Safeguarding is effective. Leaders follow thorough recruitment processes to help ensure staff suitability and make sure staff ratios are consistently maintained. Staff demonstrate an understanding of the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

necessary procedures to follow should they have any child protection concerns. Leaders decide how funding should be used.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

Although assessments are routinely taking place, these are not accurate to ensure staff have a sufficient knowledge of what children know and can do. This gives parents and others an inaccurate record of children's progress. Furthermore, when gaps in children's learning are identified, leaders do not provide staff with the sufficient support they need to help them put strategies in place to close gaps in children's learning. This means there is a delay in staff putting in place targeted and tailored support, which has a significant impact on the progress children make. Staff are not confident to support children's developing communication skills, in particular for children who need additional support and those who speak English as an additional language. They do not challenge children and extend on their learning as they play. For example, children attempt to connect bricks together with play dough and staff fail to recognise what they are trying

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

to do. That said, children enjoy outdoor learning experiences, which helps to build on their understanding of the natural world.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

Key persons do not share important information on children's care needs with other staff. For example, although they occasionally remind children to use the toilet, this is not consistent, in particular to ensure those children who do not communicate their needs as well as others have the support they need to manage their personal care needs. This has a significant impact on children's emotional well-being. Partnerships with parents are not always successful. Key persons are unsure of the languages children speak at home and do not support children to use their home languages in their play. Not all staff share information on children's progress with parents. They do not engage all parents and encourage them to share information on their child's abilities at home. This impacts on children's care and learning. On occasions, children are eager to take part in activities and show frustration when they are not able to do so. For example, on

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

the day of the inspection, staff did not plan adequately to ensure that there was sufficient space available so that all children who showed an interest in a cooking activity were able to join in. Children behave well. They enjoy their snack alongside their friends. However, staff fail to make drinks readily available at breakfast time, to fully support children's health and well-being.

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Outcomes for children are inadequate

Weaknesses in the assessment process have a significant impact on the progress children make. Children, including those who speak English as an additional language, do not make the progress expected for their age. While children are developing some of the key skills they need to be ready for school, staff do not prepare all children for the changes ahead.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY561097 Local authority West Berkshire Inspection number 10114093 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Full day care Age range of children 2 - 5 Total number of places 60 Number of children on roll 49 Name of registered person Little Footprints Childcare Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 07376 231883

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reference number

Little Footprints Montessori Nursery registered in 2018 and operates from St Marys Parish Centre in Burghfield, Berkshire. They are open Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm, during term time only. The nursery employs 11 members of childcare staff. Of these, eight hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above, one at level 2 and two are unqualified. The nursery is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years.

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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.ofsted.gov.uk . 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 and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, 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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