Millington Road Nursery School

Inspection of Millington Road Nursery School 4a Millington Road, CAMBRIDGE CB3 9HP

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Outstanding

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The provision requires improvement

The provider's failure to fulfil the requirements of registration does not have an impact on children's safety, well-being or learning experiences. Children thrive in this highly nurturing and stimulating environment. The ethos of positivity and calm is evident throughout every aspect of the provision. Upon arrival, children are warmly greeted by their key person and together they spend time thoughtfully making plans for the day. This routine helps all children to gain a sense of emotional security.

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The provision requires improvement

Children embrace the natural environment and are very keen to spend time outdoors. They have access to a wonderful array of resources to stimulate their imagination and help them to master and embed new skills. For example, children use a viewing platform to observe the local wildlife and birds. They recreate what they have seen as they paint a picture or record their important notes using the available clipboards, paper and pens. Children's interests are used incredibly well to help build on their social confidence. For instance, children use the journey stick they have made from sticks and acorns to talk to a group of children about their travels.

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The provision requires improvement

Children show consistently positive attitudes to learn. Even the youngest of children show high levels of engagement as they choose to remain at the activities staff plan. Children show determination and keep on trying, skilfully encouraged by staff to attempt more difficult tasks.

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need to do better?

n The provider did not fully understand the responsibilities of her role. She has not made sure that all adults who join the nursery committee are made known to Ofsted. She has not provided Ofsted with the necessary information to complete full suitability checks on these adults. This has no impact on children's safety. The committee members have all completed a Disclosure and Barring Service check and they do not have direct involvement in the day-to-day running of the nursery. They are never left unsupervised with children. n The principal oversees all other aspects of leadership and management exceptionally well. Both her and her team of staff show a passion for their roles that is inspiring. They continually reflect on and trial further ways they can improve children's experiences. n The well-established team of staff work extremely well together. They show high levels of respect for one another and each take pride in the areas of provision

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need to do better?

they are responsible for. Staff say they feel extremely supported by management and the team, with some commenting that it is the best place they have ever worked.

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need to do better?

14 February 2020 n The principal ensures that all staff have access to high-quality training and are set achievable targets to work towards. Staff expertly cascade any new skills they gain to the rest of the team to ensure they maintain their consistently excellent teaching approach. As a result, the impact of the curriculum they deliver is highly effective and children secure strong foundations for their future. n The systems to assess and track children's progress are meticulous. Precise adaptions made to this ensure that all groups of children are included. Staff place a strong focus on ways to narrow children's gaps in learning and make careful decisions about how funding is spent. This enables all children to achieve the best possible outcomes. n Children have superb activities to help them develop care and concern for the environment. For example, as they cut and add various materials to a whale

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need to do better?

collage, they discuss the impact of plastic on sea animals. A recent challenge involved children competing in their key groups to have the least amount of plastic in their lunchboxes. n Children use language with increased fluency and continually learn new words that staff introduce, such as 'habitat' and 'hibernation'. Their love of reading and stories is made even more exciting by the weekly storytelling and puppetry sessions they take part in. n Children have a wealth of activities to explore mathematics and learn the language of size. For instance, as they take turns to pull different ribbons from a box, they are encouraged to describe if they are 'long', 'short', 'wide', or 'narrow'. As they cut straws, they observe if they are 'small', 'medium' or 'large'. n Children have marvellous opportunities to learn about diversity. For example, the chair of trustees and the principal have established links to a nursery school

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need to do better?

based in Zambia. Children send much-needed gifts, such as shoes, to these children and are sent back creative drawings of African animals. In addition, staff invite parents of different cultures in to give talks about the festivals that they celebrate. n Parents have high praise for the nursery. They talk about the many ways in which staff seek to involve them in children's learning and how they feel extremely valued as partners. Parents detail a recent clothes recycling project that they found very useful and how they look forward to receiving the informative newsletters.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The principal ensures that all staff maintain a very good level of safeguarding knowledge. This is achieved through regular training, memos that she sends out and discussions within staff meetings. She is extremely vigilant in her approach to ensure that the premises remain secure, that staff take precautions to safeguard their practice and that any concerns raised to her are immediately addressed. The systems for staff recruitment and induction are robust. This ensures that all staff who work with the children are deemed suitable and have the necessary support and skills to carry out their roles effectively.

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Due date

improve knowledge and understanding of the process to follow when there is a need to notify Ofsted of changes 14/03/2020

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Due date

ensure that Ofsted is provided with the necessary information to carry out full suitability checks for all members of the committee. 14/03/2020

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY385967 Local authority Cambridgeshire Inspection number 10113044 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 45 Number of children on roll 51 Name of registered person The Millington Road Nursery School Trust

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reference number

Telephone number 01223 356565 Date of previous inspection 14 November 2014

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Information about this early years setting

Millington Road Nursery School re-registered in 2008 and is located on the outskirts of Cambridge. The setting is open Monday to Friday from 8.15am to 4.30pm, during school term times. The nursery employs nine members of childcare staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above, including two with early years professional status. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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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 inspector spoke with staff and children during the inspection. n The inspector completed a walk around the nursery to find out about children's learning experiences, and carried out a joint observation with the nursery principal. n The inspector held a meeting with the nursery principal. She looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery. n The inspector spoke to a number of parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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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

14 February 2020 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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