Mary Kelly's Munchkins

Inspection of Mary Kelly's Munchkins 127 Blackburn Street, Radcliffe, Manchester M26 3WQ

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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 Requires improvement

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The provision requires improvement

Most children are happy in this relaxed and friendly setting. They explore their environment and activities with confidence. Children develop many physical skills. The youngest children have ample opportunities to practise using their hands and finger muscles. For example, they mould dough, and fill and empty containers using water. Older children develop more precision when they use small tools, such as scissors, glue, pens and other items creatively. However, there are not always enough staff available to help all the children to gain the most from the many good opportunities on offer. This is particularly evident for children who are newly settling or need help to catch up.

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The provision requires improvement

Taken overall, children learn more and can do more as they progress through the setting. Children develop some of the skills they need in readiness for school. For example, where activities are well planned, such as story times in the pre-school room, children listen well and show intrigue as their attention is fully captured. They develop a love of books and keenly ask for another story. However, not all children receive good opportunities for learning. For example, story time for two- year-old children is disrupted. The children are distracted and their attention wanes.

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The provision requires improvement

The nurturing staff have supported children to adapt due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. Children who are already settled, separate from their parents or carers confidently at the door. They eagerly walk through 'the puddle' designed to disinfect their shoes on entry. Children have developed some resilience due to the significant changes the setting faced during the first national restrictions.

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need to do better?

n The provider is keen to deliver good quality education and has the capacity to drive required improvements. She ensured leaders swiftly addressed the action set following the previous inspection. However, COVID-19 has meant that changes to keep children and staff safe during the pandemic have taken priority. This includes a temporary closure and merge of nurseries at the height of the first national restrictions. This turbulent period has placed some limits on the provider's planning of an ambitious curriculum and for ensuring that it is delivered consistently well. Recent changes and improvements are still embedding and not having a consistently good impact on children. n Leaders rightly understand that the development of communication and language is a priority for many of the children attending. Staff assess children's speech and language, and use additional screening, which helps them to identify

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need to do better?

children who need additional support. The provider has also used funding

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need to do better?

28 July 2021 appropriately to introduce new ways of promoting this area of learning. This includes a book lending library and the use of highly interesting story sacks. This helps to build children's vocabulary and inspire storytelling. However, the manager and staff are not using these recently introduced ideas frequently enough to have a swift impact on children's learning. n Although all staff talk with children and prioritise their communication and language, they do not do this consistently well. Staff working with younger children do not model language and the pronunciation of words clearly enough. This means children do not develop strong listening, understanding and speaking skills as early as they could. n Staff in all areas of the nursery provide many interesting activities, which engage children and help them to learn more and do more. However, leaders have not made it clear to staff what they want children to learn and how. This has led to

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need to do better?

some inconsistency in approaches. For example, to help develop early literacy skills, pre-school staff write children's names and display lower case writing clearly. However, staff in other areas, sometimes, write using capital letters or script. This lack of coherency can be confusing for children and does not help them make the connections they need to begin to understand. n Leaders do not consistently ensure that there are enough staff to provide all children with a good level of supervision and support. On a very small number of occasions, a lack of direct support has hindered children's learning about how to play safely. Additionally, the most vulnerable children are not consistently given the extra adult support they need, to help them catch up in their learning where this is possible. n Children, mostly, play happily together and behave well. Those who have been attending the setting for a while understand and follow routines well. However,

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need to do better?

staff working with younger children do not consistently make clear what they want them to do. As a result, some children repeat unwanted behaviour. n Relationships with parents are secure. Using what parents know, staff find out enough about children to help them meet their basic needs at the start. They assess what children can do in more detail as they settle, which helps them identify their individual learning needs. Parents say staff work closely with them to promote specific aspects of children's development and to get the right support for children. This helps to ensure a smooth transition to school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders respond openly to complaints and inform other statutory agencies, as appropriate. They work closely with parents to help build trust. Staff are aware of their responsibilities for keeping children safe. They receive regular child protection training and procedures are displayed throughout the setting. In the main, the premises and equipment are suitably maintained. Staff know the children well and are aware of their specific health or dietary needs, to help ensure children stay safe.

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Due date

ensure sufficient numbers of staff are suitably deployed to help provide all children with consistently good support 25/08/2021

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Due date

ensure all staff promote children's communication and language skills consistently well, including modelling good grammar and clearly pronounced vocabulary. 25/08/2021

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should:

n strengthen planning of the curriculum, clearly setting out what leaders aim for children to learn and in what order n rigorously check and monitor the way staff deliver the curriculum to help ensure a consistently good impact on all children's learning n support staff to improve the ways that they manage children's behaviour and help children to learn what is expected n make even better use of assessment to provide increased levels of support to the children identified as needing it most.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 316735 Local authority Bury Inspection number 10114523 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 76 Number of children on roll 39 Name of registered person F & J Rivers Quality Childcare Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 0161 724 4184 Date of previous inspection 19 June 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Mary Kelly's Munchkins registered in 1986 and is located in the Radcliffe area of Bury. The nursery employs 10 members of childcare staff. Of which, nine are qualified at level 3 or above, including one at level 5 and a director who holds early years professional status. The nursery is open Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am to 6pm. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the provider received since the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the provider, and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the provider. n This re-inspection was prioritised and carried out following the risk assessment process. n The manager, area manager and the inspector completed a learning walk. n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and children throughout the day and evaluated the impact on children's learning. n A joint observation was completed by the inspector and the manager. n The inspector held discussions with the provider's representative, managers staff, parents and children at appropriate times. n Relevant documentation was reviewed by the inspector, including records relating to safeguarding matters, accidents, complaints and the evidence of the suitability and training of staff.

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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

28 July 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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