The Mill Nursery

Inspection of The Mill Nursery St. Vigor & St. John C of E Primary School, Wells Road, Chilcompton, Radstock, Somerset BA3 4EX

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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The provision is good

Children arrive at The Mill Nursery happy for their day to begin. They are met at the nursery door by warm and welcoming staff who support children to feel safe and secure. Staff promote a wonderfully nurturing environment which promotes close and trusting relationships with the children.

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The provision is good

Children show curiosity and confidence as they move around the provision. The environment is well organised to enable children to make independent choices in their play. Staff continuously promote children's sense of belonging and emotional well-being through positive interactions. For example, staff offer the youngest children encouragement and praise as they begin to learn to walk. Children enjoy playing together to develop their imagination. For instance, they laugh together as they move their plastic cars and trucks along the car track and into various tunnels.

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The provision is good

Staff gather detailed information from parents when children first start at the setting to enable effective planning for each child's next steps and interests. As staff are unable to carry out home visits, they have adapted their settling-in processes to ensure each child has a smooth transition into the setting. For example, staff hold telephone sessions with parents to gather information on each child before they start. They use this information to plan and adapt each child's settling-in sessions depending on children's individual needs.

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The provision is good

Due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, parents are unable to enter the nursery building. Staff now make greater use of electronic communications to ensure information about their child's progress, including their individual care routines, is shared effectively with parents each day.

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need to do better?

n The newly appointed manager works in close partnership with the headteacher. They are both passionate and dedicated to their roles and share a clear vision for the setting. They speak confidently about their curriculum and how they have made changes to their planning to suit the needs of the children. n Staff provide a range of activities to support children to develop and strengthen the small muscles in their hands and fingers in readiness for early writing. For instance, children curiously explore the sensory tray filled with play dough, leaves, and plants. They show concentration as they squeeze, poke, roll, and splat the dough between their hands. n Staff develop children's self-care skills well. For example, they encourage children to drink from an open cup when they are thirsty and support them to wash their hands before mealtimes. However, routines such as getting ready to go outside and mealtimes become extremely busy and result in children waiting

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need to do better?

21 June 2021 without anything to do for extended periods. During these times, children can become restless and their behaviour deteriorates. n Partnerships with parents are good. Parents comment on the excellent progress their children have made since starting at the setting, particularly their personal, social and emotional development. Parents feel that the staff prepare children well for their next stage of learning. Staff use monitoring and assessments effectively to identify what children need to learn next and share these findings with parents. n Staff use the outdoor space to enrich children's knowledge and understanding of the world in which they live in. Children are encouraged to use all of their senses to explore the natural environment. They gently feel the texture of different flowers and plants growing in the garden. Children giggle with excitement as they use watering cans to create puddles and streams for their friends to jump

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need to do better?

in. Staff utilise the open spaces to enhance children's physical development. For example, children squeal with delight as they run up and down grassy slopes. However, some children, particularly those young children who are not yet mobile, are less involved in outdoor learning. As a result, they become disengaged with their learning. n The registered person failed to notify Ofsted about a change of manager within the required timescale. While this is a statutory requirement, on this occasion it did not have an impact on the quality of provision.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and the headteacher ensure that all staff keep their safeguarding knowledge up to date through regular training. Leaders and staff understand their responsibilities in helping to keep children safe. For example, effective staff deployment ensures that children are well supervised. Staff have a good understanding of child protection policies and procedures, including wider safeguarding concerns. Leaders and staff work together to carry out regular risk assessments to ensure the setting is safe and secure for all children.

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should:

n review the organisation of daily routines to ensure the length of time children spend waiting does not have a negative impact on their behaviour n ensure all activities, in particular those outdoors, are planned to match the developmental stage of all children, specifically the youngest children who are not yet mobile.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY560349 Local authority Somerset Inspection number 10194156 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 9 Number of children on roll 18

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Name of registered person

The Bath and Wells Diocesan Academies Trust

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reference number

Telephone number 01761 233847 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

The Mill Nursery became part of the Bath and Wells Diocesan Academies Trust in 2018, along with St Vigor and St John C of E Primary School. The nursery setting is within the school grounds which is located in Chilcompton, Radstock. The registered provision cares for children under the age of two years. However, the setting also provides care for older children under the school registration. The Bath and Wells Diocesan Academies Trust has appointed a headteacher who leads both the school and the nursery site. An early years lead teacher, who is appointed through the school, works across the Nursery and Reception Years. The nursery provision employs a manager who is level 6 qualified and 10 members of staff. Three of these staff work within the registered provision and hold relevant level 3 childcare qualifications. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, 8am until 5pm.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the setting received since the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the setting and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the setting. n Leaders explained the nursery curriculum during a learning walk with the inspector. n The manager, the headteacher, and the inspector held a meeting together to discuss the leadership and management of the nursery. The inspector looked at a sample of documents, including evidence of staff suitability. n The manager and the inspector completed a joint observation of an activity together and discussed the quality of teaching and learning. n The inspector held discussions with the manager, the headteacher, and staff at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n Parents shared their views about the setting with the inspector.

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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

21 June 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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