Mulberry Pre-School

Inspection of Mulberry Pre-School Valley Park Community Centre, Pilgrims Close, Chandler's Ford, Eastleigh, Hampshire SO53 4ST

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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 Inadequate

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The provision requires improvement

Some positive improvements have been made since the last inspection. For example, children have formed some strong friendships and play together well. Most children settle easily on arrival and enjoy the activities on offer. Children make choices about what they would like to do. However, the quality of teaching is variable and does not provide consistently good education to the children.

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The provision requires improvement

Some staff do not extend children's knowledge and skills well enough through their interactions and teaching. For example, at times, not all children are engaged in purposeful play and activities. Some children experience long periods of time where they are not spoken to by staff. This is particularly detrimental as staff have identified that these children need extra support in developing their communication and language. In addition, when staff do interact with children, not all staff extend discussions or ask questions to help promote learning further.

p.2

The provision requires improvement

Some children enjoy exploring with sand and water. They take turns with the tools, which they use to make sandcastles. This helps to develop their small-muscle skills. The development of children's large-muscle skills is not effectively planned by staff. This means that children do not consistently build their muscles and coordination. Funding is used appropriately to help support children.

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need to do better?

n Staff's teaching skills are variable. They do not extend and build on children's learning well enough. On occasion, some staff provide better-quality interactions with children. However, this is not consistent across the staff team. For example, when staff teach children about counting, they do not help children to learn the correct sequence of the numbers. n The management team has an awareness of the curriculum that they intend the children to learn at the pre-school. However, not all staff understand or implement this well. For example, staff talked about activities that they planned and delivered to support healthy eating. However, staff said that children were provided with pre-printed and pre-cut pictures of fruit to stick onto paper. This does not support children to learn about healthy eating. Despite this, other staff implement the curriculum intentions well. For example, they involve children in

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need to do better?

an interactive story time, which helps children to develop their listening skills. n Parents state that staff go the 'extra mile' to find out about their child's home life. Staff make good use of daily discussions to inform parents about their child's day. Key persons help children to celebrate family heritage by finding out about family customs, traditions and important celebrations and look to integrate this into the setting. This means that children get opportunities to learn about their own culture and what makes them unique. This benefits all children and

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need to do better?

26 May 2021 helps them to learn about their friends and the wider community. n Children generally behave well. Although, sometimes, staff do not increase children's understanding of the behaviour expectations, such as explaining why they may need to use their walking feet to prevent accidents. Children generally understand about respecting one another and regularly involve each other in their play. Staff praise children regularly, which promotes their self-esteem and confidence well. n Staff set up the pre-school environment daily for the children and provide a variety of activities inside and out. Staff are on hand and sit with children at mealtimes and encourage them to eat their healthy food first. However, staff undertake some tasks for children that they are capable of doing for themselves, such as opening their own lunch products and drinks. This does not help children to develop their self-help skills for their eventual move to school.

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need to do better?

n Supervisions are in place for all staff and they comment that they feel well supported by the management team. Staff undertake some professional development opportunities. This helps to support some aspects of their practice. For example, staff have attended training in food hygiene. They have watched seminars to develop their wider understanding of safeguarding issues. This includes county lines and female genital mutilation.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

The manager and staff know and understand their responsibilities to safeguard children. Staff have an understanding of their responsibilities to keep children safe from harm. They are aware of the signs and indicators that may mean a child is at risk. Staff have a confident understanding of how to manage any concerns, including reporting these to outside agencies if required. The premises are safe and staff are diligent about ensuring all doors and gates are locked to help keep children safe. Recruitment and ongoing suitability checks are robust to ensure staff remain suitable for their roles.

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Due date

develop staff's skills to enable them to provide children with a well-planned curriculum and consistently good interactions, in order to help engage all children in their learning to support their good progress 28/06/2021

p.3

Due date

26 May 2021 support staff's quality of curriculum to ensure that all children receive the support they need to make good progress in their learning and development. 28/06/2021

p.3

should:

n ensure that staff know how to help children to develop a good understanding of the behaviour expectations n support staff to develop their understanding of how to help children to manage and build on their independence skills n develop staff's understanding of how to plan and provide physical activities that encourage children's exercise in order to further support their good health.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 109900 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 10144867 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 31 Name of registered person Mulberry Pre-School Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 02380 261616 Date of previous inspection 15 January 2020

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Information about this early years setting

Mulberry pre-school opened in 1989 and re-registered in 2001. It is located in Chandlersford, Hampshire. The pre-school opens during school term time and operates on Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 3.30pm. It is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged three and four years. There are eight members of staff employed to work with children. Of these, seven staff hold relevant childcare qualifications ranging from Level 2 to Level 3.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors Tracy Bartholomew Sherrie Nyss

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the setting received since the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the setting and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the setting. n The inspectors looked at and discussed documentation in relation to safeguarding, risk assessments, registers and complaints. n The inspectors asked staff questions about their work and the inspectors undertook a joint observation with the manager. The inspectors spoke to and interacted with children during the inspection. n The inspectors observed the activities available to children. n The inspectors took account of the views of parents on the day of the inspection.

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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

26 May 2021 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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