Mary Seacole Day Nursery & Family Support Unit

Inspection of Mary Seacole Day Nursery & Family Support Unit MAPP Community Centre, 22 Mount Pleasant, Reading, Berkshire RG1 2TD

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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 Good

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The provision requires improvement

Children receive variable learning experiences. Not all children receive high-quality interactions and challenge from staff. As a result, children are not consistently able to extend their learning and build on their skills effectively. Despite this, some staff are skilled at engaging and supporting the children. For example, some staff offer activities that excite and interest children, including playing catch with balls and hide and seek when in the garden. However, other staff do not offer purposeful and meaningful learning experiences that challenge children. For example, staff offer basic colouring pictures to children and do not fully consider how these support children's learning.

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The provision requires improvement

Children enter the nursery with confidence. They separate from their parent or carer at the door and happily enter their rooms to play. Children show that they feel safe as they move around their designated room with self-assurance and make choices from toys and resources. Children begin to evidence some friendly behaviour as they start to develop relationships with others. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities have their needs met well. Additional funding is used appropriately to support children's development.

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need to do better?

n There are weaknesses in the quality of education provided. Although staff interact with the children and sit with them during their play, some do not enrich learning or provide activities that engage children well. For instance, when reading a story, some staff do not ensure children are interested in the book. Staff read the words and do not involve children in the book, such as through asking questions to encourage their input. Other staff help children learn new words. For instance, they repeat words children have said to help them learn the correct pronunciation and add more words to extend children's vocabulary. This helps children to learn how to make simple sentences. n The manager does not monitor staff practice effectively enough to ensure they are providing good-quality education and care. For example, she has not identified that some staff do not consistently implement routines and expectations as required to support children's learning. This includes the

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need to do better?

routines that they have in place to ensure children's independence is supported at mealtimes. As a result, children are not developing their self-help skills well enough. n The management team has sufficient records in place for the care of the children. However, it does not ensure it gains all mandatory information relating to children's care. For example, information about parental responsibility is not recorded for some children attending. This means that staff are not aware of all children's family circumstances.

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need to do better?

4 October 2021 n Children enjoy healthy meals and food which is nutritious and prepared by a qualified chef. Staff are familiar with children's individual dietary requirements and cater to these well. Staff sit with children at mealtimes. However, they do not always explain to children about why it is important to eat healthy food to help build on children's knowledge and understanding. n The management team has suitable policies and procedures in place to help promote children's good health. For instance, there are robust procedures for changing nappies and ensuring risk assessments, including cleaning routines, are maintained. Staff follow these procedures well and this has a positive impact on children's health and well-being. n Some staff manage children's behaviour well and give them appropriate praise and encouragement. However, at times, some staff hold children's wrists instead of their hands when guiding them to where they should go. This does not treat

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need to do better?

children in a respectful way. In addition, some children do not receive consistent messages from staff to help them manage their behaviour, particularly about how their actions might affect others. n Parents available at the inspection speak fondly about the nursery and the staff. They comment that they are happy with the support their children receive. Parents have not been able to enter the setting due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. However, they comment that the information shared with them during this time has been positive.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The management team and the staff have a secure understanding of their roles and responsibilities to safeguard children. They recognise the signs and indicators that may mean a child or adult is at risk and know what to do to manage these, including making referrals to other agencies. The management team ensures that there are sufficient staff on duty to meet the legal ratio requirements. Leaders ensure that the premises are secure, clean and well maintained. Robust recruitment processes help to check that staff are suitable to be employed to work with children. Furthermore, appropriate procedures support trainee staff to be aware of their duties.

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Due date

4 October 2021 ensure effective supervision arrangements are in place to provide staff with coaching, mentoring and professional development opportunities to improve the quality of their interactions with children and implementation of the curriculum, to ensure children make good progress in their learning and development 04/11/2021

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Due date

ensure sufficient detail is held about each child, including information about who has parental responsibility. 04/11/2021

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should:

n ensure staff manage children's behaviour appropriately to help them learn the effects of their actions on others n extend ways to help children understand the importance of living a healthy lifestyle.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY297552 Local authority Reading Inspection number 10207522 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 52 Number of children on roll 44

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Name of registered person

Mary Seacole Day Nursery & Family Support Unit Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01189 168418 Date of previous inspection 18 October 2016

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Information about this early years setting

Mary Seacole Day Nursery and Family Support Unit first registered in 1991 and has been registered in the current premises since 2006. The nursery is open each weekday from 8am to 5.45pm for 51 weeks a year. It is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The nursery currently employs 15 staff who work with the children. The manager holds relevant qualifications at level 7. Nine members of staff hold appropriate early years qualifications.

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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 The manager and deputy manager explained the nursery curriculum during a learning walk with the inspector. n The manager, deputy manager and the inspector completed several joint observations together and discussed the learning intention and quality of teaching and learning afterwards. n Children spoke to the inspector about the activities they took part in. n The inspector gained some parents' views through discussions 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

4 October 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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