Mama Bear's Pre-School Whitchurch

Inspection of Mama Bear's Pre-School Whitchurch 59 Bristol Road, Whitchurch, Bristol BS14 0PF

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not applicable

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The provision requires improvement

Staff are friendly and welcoming and, overall, children are happy and settle quickly. However, staff do not consistently support all children to be involved in games and activities. For instance, the less confident children, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who are learning English as an additional language struggle to engage. Most children develop secure relationships with the staff and other children in the pre-school. They excitedly include their friends in their games, such as when they play imaginatively together, dressing up and pretending to be superheroes.

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The provision requires improvement

All children behave well. Staff set clear and consistent rules which children follow without support. Children point out the rules as they remind other children that they should use 'walking feet inside'. Most children are confident and independent in the pre-school, they make their own choices and manage their own needs well. For instance, children confidently use the bathroom and pour their own drinks.

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The provision requires improvement

Staff provide children with activities to take part in but they do not consistently consider what children need to learn next, to help them make the progress of which they are capable. Staff play alongside children and supervise them well, although they do not give all of them the support that they need to challenge them and involve them in purposeful play.

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need to do better?

n Children have opportunities to be sociable and they learn about their local community and take part in events. For instance, the children go on weekly visits to the local nursing home to meet the residents for songs and stories. Leaders have developed links with the local primary school, and children enjoy visiting to watch shows and to meet the older children. n Staff provide children with lots of opportunities to be creative and to explore using their senses. Children spend lots of time investigating the messy play resources, such as paints, cornflour, play dough and sand. They use the resources to create their own models and they enjoy adding ingredients to make their own creations. n Leaders monitor teaching and meet regularly with staff to review their performance. However, despite this, there are inconsistencies in the quality of teaching throughout the pre-school. Some staff struggle to engage children.

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need to do better?

They watch them play and do not understand when and how to intervene to support learning further. n Staff work well with parents; they gather information about children and their families when they first attend the pre-school. Staff keep parents well informed about their children's day and parents can access information about their

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need to do better?

25 November 2019 progress. Parents are happy and they speak highly of the staff who care for their children. n Staff do not consider how they can support the needs the children who are learning English as an additional language and those with SEND. Children spend time wandering around as they are unable to understand and be involved. Not all children develop the skills that they need for the next stage of their learning and the move on to school. n The observed activities that staff planned for children were not well organised or suited to children's interests and what they need to learn next. These activities did not always consider the children's individual needs to fully involve them and support them to make better progress in their learning. n Staff support children's interest in stories and books well, helping to develop their early literacy skills. Children are confident at asking staff to read to them,

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need to do better?

and children happily gather together to listen to their favourite stories. n Children benefit from lots of opportunities to have fresh air and exercise, and to develop their physical skills. Staff provide children with access to the outside space throughout the day, so that they can choose where they would like to play. Children enjoy using the large building bricks to make their own castles and create a car wash where they enjoy washing the cars.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff have a good understanding of their responsibilities to keep children safe. Staff undertake regular training and have a secure knowledge of the indicators that may mean a child is at risk. There are good procedures in place to follow should the manager or staff have a concern about a child's welfare. Leaders and managers follow robust procedures to safely recruit staff who are suitable to work with children. Staff undertake regular risk assessments of the pre-school and outside space to ensure that the provision is safe and secure for the children.

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Due date

provide staff with support and guidance needed to raise the quality of teaching to a good level 16/12/2019

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Due date

put effective measures in place to support the needs and development of children with SEND and those who speak English as an additional language. 16/12/2019

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should:

n review planning to take more account of what children need to learn next and focus on encouraging them to achieve.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY546733 Local authority Bath and North East Somerset Council Inspection number 10130027 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 to 4 Total number of places 29 Number of children on roll 44 Name of registered person Mama Bear's Day Nursery Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01179582030 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Mama Bear's Pre-School Whitchurch registered in 2016. The pre-school is based in the Whitchurch area of Bristol. It is open each weekday from 7.30am until 6pm, all year round. It receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The manager holds a qualification at level 6 and she is supported by five members of staff who work directly with the children. Of these, two have qualifications at level 3 and two have qualifications at level 2.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The manager took the inspector on a tour of the premises to understand how the early years provision and curriculum are organised. n The inspector spoke to parents and carers, and took account of the views. n The inspector held a meeting with the leaders and manager. The inspector sampled documentation, including evidence of staff suitability checks and qualifications. n The inspector carried out a joint observation on an activity with the manager and reflected on the quality of teaching.

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Inspection activities

We carried out this inspection 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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Inspection activities

25 November 2019 regulates and inspects to 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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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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